Staff Engineer - Chemistry & Catalysis Division

SLAC Job Postings

Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, a SLAC Directorate at Stanford University is a national scientific user facility, with ~30 beamlines that enable research in areas such as chemistry, catalysis, biology, medical, environmental, and materials sciences. Each beamline is tailored to specific techniques, spanning a specific x-ray energy range, probing structure and function of matter from atomic to mm size and over different time scales, necessitating a highly varied approach to instrumentation, sample environment and data acquisition. The beamline facilities are made available to an international scientific user community, with SSRL staff providing scientific and technical support in their use.

The Chemistry & Catalysis Division at SSRL is seeking an outstanding Staff Engineer II to be part of the x-ray spectroscopy and user support team and help take on exciting technical and scientific opportunities ahead. As part of the Chemistry & Catalysis Division, you will provide strong engineering, technical guidance, and support for instrumentation development, and for operation of beamlines and equipment. You will provide support for visiting external users and their experiments, for our scientific programs, and for scientific and technical staff.

You will collaborate with in-house scientists, engineering, and technical staff in the planning, definition, design, construction, and commissioning of beamline and experiment-specific instrumentation, including with applications to static, operando, and time-resolved measurements, ex-situ and in-situ sample environments, and automated high-throughput approaches. The Chemistry & Catalysis beamlines span techniques such as x-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy, resonant and non-resonant inelastic scattering, x-ray absorption spectroscopy imaging, and photoemission spectroscopy. This position will have the specific focus to contribute to and participate in an advanced tender x-ray spectroscopy end station, within a dynamic research environment and with challenging and scientific-impacting projects.

Your specific responsibilities include:

• Engineer, design, and lead construction of in-hutch instrumentation, for example remote-controlled alignment apparatus; in-hutch optics systems; sample cells/environments ranging from cryogenic to high temperatures, and/or under electrochemical, gaseous, chemical control; macro- and microfluidic sample delivery systems; laser alignment systems; detector support structures; spectrometers design.
• Participate in the implementation, characterization, diagnostics, operation and enhancement of state-of-the-art facilities, such as x-ray optics, mechanical systems, cryogenic systems, catalysis control systems, computer-controlled x-ray detector and electronics systems.
• Optimize beamline optics and a range of instrumentation for specific experimental user conditions for the Chemistry & Catalysis Division spectroscopy beamlines.
• Develop and implement software tools and scripting for detector integration, external setups, and automation.
• Provide advice, training, and support on the use of these beamlines, including instrumentation and software, for external scientific users.
• Participate in collaborations with visiting and staff scientists.
• Work occasional evenings and weekends as part of the on-call user support program.
• Other duties may also be assigned

To be successful in this position you will bring:

• Bachelor's degree in relevant science and engineering discipline.
• 2 or more years of experience with software for 3D CAD models and 2D drawings.
• Experience in developing and troubleshooting scientific instrumentation.
• Experience in programming languages for data acquisition, handling or analysis.
• Experience taking an engineering project from concept to fabrication and assembly.

In addition, preferred requirements include:

• Experience with FEA, GD&T, and associated mechanical design practices.
• Demonstrated experience with robotic arms-based instrumentation.

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.
• Initiative: Pursues work and interactions proactively with optimism, positive energy, and motivation to move things forward.
• Adaptability: Flexes as needed when change occurs, maintains an open outlook while adjusting and accommodating changes.
• Communication: Ensures effective information flow to various audiences and creates and delivers clear, appropriate written, spoken, presented messages.
• Relationships: Builds relationships to foster trust, collaboration, and a positive climate to achieve common goals.

Physical requirements and working conditions:

• 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 the job.

Work Standards:

• 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 1General Policy and Responsibilities: http://www-group.slac.stanford.edu/esh/eshmanual/pdfs/ESHch01.pdf
• 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, http://adminguide.stanford.edu

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• Classification Title: Staff Engineer 2
• Grade: K, Job Code: 1032
• Duration: Regular Continuing

The expected pay range for this position is $116,000 - $170,000 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.