Instrument Operations Engineer

at  The European Spallation Source

The European Spallation Source (ESS) is a partnership organization of 13 European member countries located in the city of Lund, Sweden. The ESS is hiring motivated and inspiring people from across the globe to design, construct and operate the world’s most powerful neutron source. Come and be apart of the future of science in Europe.

The Diffraction & Imaging Division consists of the scientific staff that are leading the instrument construction projects and the staff that will eventually execute the day-to-day operations of six neutron instruments. The upcoming responsibilities of the division are

• Finalize installation of the instruments
• Plan and implement further developments and upgrades of the instruments
• Commissioning of the instruments, both with and without neutrons
• Deliver state-of-the-art scientific capabilities for internal and external users to enable the wider science community to advance science and technology
• Push the state-of-the-art capabilities of neutron instrumentation making maximum benefit from the ESS source.

ABOUT YOU

We are looking for a self-motivated person who is keen to support an instrument team in order to get it ready for first neutrons. You should be a ‘hands-on’ person and open to learn new things along the way. You will have:

• A bachelor’s or masters degree in Engineering or the Physical Sciences, or equivalent technical experience
• Experience in the hands-on management of complex technical equipment
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to be able to interact effectively with a diverse group of scientists, engineers, and technical staff
• Excellent oral and written English skills

Physical requirements for this job include the use of hand, eye and ear protection gear, stooping, kneeling, lifting, and sitting or standing for extended periods of time.

Ideally, you will also have:

• Experience with neutron experiments and neutron scattering procedures
• Experience with the development, operation, and maintenance of complex scientific equipment
• Ability to perform simple mechanical design (CAD) and work with designers
• Knowledge of other European languages would be an advantage
• Experience in programming (python, Matlab, C++ or similar)
• Experience working in an international research environment

We are building ESS from the ground up, so we need someone who is comfortable not only following procedures, but also creating them. We attach great importance to personality and attitude, so we’re looking for a real team player: Someone who is sociable, has excellent communication skills and who likes to collaborate with different people.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As an Instrument Operations Engineer you will:

• Join a team of scientists, engineers, and technicians aiming to prepare a neutron instrument for first user operation and beyond
• Collaborate closely with engineers and technicians in specialist disciplines at ESS

Between now and the start of commissioning with neutrons (“hot commissioning”):

• Prepare, execute, and document test plans for instrument components (“cold commissioning), working with the instrument scientist and engineer and in liaison with staff in specialist disciplines
• Support the instrument scientists in preparing safety documentation, including standard operating procedures and operations manuals for an instrument.
• Prepare for and participate in commissioning experiments at other facilities to test components for an instrument (e.g. testing of sample environment equipment)
• Participate in the mechanical design and realization of modifications to an instrument required during installation and testing

After the start of hot commissioning:

• Support the instrument scientists in preparing, executing and documenting testing of an instrument with neutrons (“hot commissioning”)
• Plan, manage and/or execute scheduled and unscheduled maintenance of the instrument
• Act as the system owner for an instrument, keeping the maintenance records and engineering documentation up to date with changes.
• Responsiblity for instrument specific components
• Coordination with specialized technology groups (Choppers, Detectors, Motion Control, etc.) and support teams (vacuum, rigging, survey and alignment)
• Working with operational groups (Hall Coordinators, ESH, Control Room Operators)
• Participate in the mechanical design and realization of upgrades for an instrument
• Support user experiments on the instrument by e.g. building mechanical and/or electrical support systems in the in-house workshop, and helping to set-up sample environments, this includes:
• Writing and Review of Experiment Hazard Analyses
• Providing assistance in sample mounting
• Setting up of instrument configurations
• Assisting in user experiments, including training users on instrument operations

The Diffraction & Imaging Division consists of the scientific staff that are leading the instrument construction projects and the staff that will eventually execute the day-to-day operations of six neutron instruments. The upcoming responsibilities of the division are

• Finalize installation of the instruments
• Plan and implement further developments and upgrades of the instruments
• Commissioning of the instruments, both with and without neutrons
• Deliver state-of-the-art scientific capabilities for internal and external users to enable the wider science community to advance science and technology
• Push the state-of-the-art capabilities of neutron instrumentation making maximum benefit from the ESS source