Associate Engineer - Control And Data Systems Engineer

Position overview:

Do you enjoy collaborating with a diverse group of people to solve complex challenges? Does contributing to breakthrough discoveries in science and working with unique experimental instrumentation in a world-leading scientific research environment excite you? The Photon Controls and Data Systems (PCDS) Department within the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) Directorate at SLAC is seeking a Controls and Data Systems Engineer to plan, implement, and operate customized experimental installations, and develop enhancements to our scientific instrumentation and supporting hardware and software for the Control, Data Acquisition, and Data Analysis systems for the Hard X-ray science instruments (X-ray Pump Probe (XPP), X-ray Correlation Spectroscopy (XCS), Molecular Femtosecond Crystallography (MFX), and Coherent X-ray Imaging (CXI)).

Reporting to the Experiment Control Systems Delivery Department Head, the Controls and Data Systems Engineer will be a member of a multidisciplinary team comprised of electronic engineers and software developers focused on developing software and hardware solutions to support scientific instrumentation, laser systems, controls, and data acquisition systems. This position will also work with scientific and operations support staff involved in advancing scientific instrumentation capabilities. LCLS is the world’s first hard x-ray free electron laser (FEL) with unprecedented capabilities in photon energy range, peak power, and pulse lengths. There are seven independent instruments currently in operation, which are specifically designed to utilize the exceptional beam characteristics of the LCLS to probe the structure and dynamics of matter at atomic size and timescales. The evolution of science and experimental techniques on these instruments, along with upgrades in the x-ray FEL source and optical lasers (LCLS-II), require regular improvements to the supporting software and hardware platforms.

See for more on LCLS and the unique capabilities of our instrument facilities.

Your specific responsibilities include:

• Plan, implement, and operate customized experimental installations.
• Manage hardware and software for the controls, data acquisition, and data-analysis systems and related infrastructure such as computers and local networks, x-ray detector systems, digitizers, scopes, cameras, power supplies, motion systems, vacuum and PLC systems, etc.
• Participate in upgrades to scientific instrumentation and capabilities including laser systems, timing systems, hardware and software selection, and lead teams of engineers and technicians to implement and integrate the control, data acquisition, and analysis aspects of these upgrades.
• Reconfigure hardware and software to meet experimental need; develop software for data analysis, data acquisition, controls, and to support new instrumentation.

Additional opportunities include development toward, or project leadership for core capabilities of the CDS systems including:

• Graphical User Interface framework.
• Real time Data Acquisition and EPICS (Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System) control system software and driver development.
• Real-time and offline data analysis frameworks which run on Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), teraflop computing clusters, multi-petabyte storage systems at SLAC and NERSC.

New and unique instrumentation and electronics systems such as

• X-ray sensitive CCD cameras and detectors.
• Femtosecond timing systems.
• Machine and human protection systems.
• Peta-Watt laser systems.
• Sample delivery systems.

To be successful in this position you will bring:

• Bachelor's degree in physics, computer science, engineering or related discipline and 2 years of relevant work experience in data analysis, experimental process, design and development of prototypes, scientific instrumentation and/or systems. Advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Background in x-ray or material science.
• Ability to understand the basic functionality and scientific purpose of each part of the x-ray science instrument.
• In addition, preferred requirements include:
• Demonstrated programming skills with C and/or C++ and experience with Linux/Unix and a scripting language such as (and preferably) Python.
• Demonstrated project leadership, planning, and excellent organizational skills.
• Exceptional communications skills and ability to work well in a research and development team.
• Developing scientific instrumentation, laser and laser diagnostic systems.
• Ability to learn and understand the workings of a broad range of hardware and software.
• Real-time and networking software, familiarity with EPICS framework, knowledge of motor, vacuum and camera controls.

SLAC Employee Competencies:

• Effective Decisions: Uses job knowledge and solid judgment to make quality decisions in a timely manner.
• Self-Development: Pursues a variety of venues and opportunities to continue learning and developing.
• Dependability: Can be counted on to deliver results with a sense of personal responsibility for expected outcomes.
• Relationships: Builds relationships to foster trust, collaboration, and a positive climate to achieve common goals.
• Adaptability: Flexes as needed when change occurs, maintains an open outlook while adjusting and accommodating changes.
• Initiative: Pursues work and interactions proactively with optimism, positive energy, and motivation to move things forward.
• Communication: Ensures effective information flow to various audiences and creates and delivers clear, appropriate written, spoken, presented messages.

Physical requirements and Working conditions:

• Given the nature of this position, SLAC will require onsite work.
• Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job.

Work Standard:

• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
• Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for environment, safety and security; communicates related concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned. Meets the applicable roles and responsibilities as described in the ESH Manual, Chapter 1—General Policy and Responsibilities:
• As an organization that receives federal funding, SLAC and Stanford University have a COVID-19 vaccination requirement that will apply to all university employees, including those working remotely in the United States and applicable subcontractors.
• Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University's Administrative Guide,

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• Duration: Regular Continuing
• Classification Title: Staff Engineer
• Grade: K, Job Code: 0132

The expected pay range for this position is $108,000 to $163,000 per annum. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory/Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs.