Science and Technology Facilities Council
The ISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source is a world-leading centre for research in the physical and life sciences! It is owned and operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council.
Within ISIS, the Disordered Materials group specialises in using neutron scattering techniques to understand the atom and molecule scale structural properties of liquids and glasses. Our team studies a wide-ranging variety of condensed matter systems including disordered crystalline solids (e.g. metal alloys, functional materials, and nanoparticles), bulk liquids and their mixtures, and materials under confinement. Recent highlights drawn from our science programme include a study linking differences in hydrogen bond length to sweetness in sugars, an analysis of how confinement in nano-pores changes the structure of liquid benzene, and an investigation of how Martian soils can keep water as a liquid well below its freezing point.
To deliver on our community and individual science goals, the team operates three internationally world-class instruments (NIMROD, SANDALS and GEM), and we are continually looking to improve their capabilities through a series of upgrades.
We are consequently seeking a highly motivated individual who is keen to join our team and help us address this challenge. Our chosen approach is sophisticated simulation of neutron scattering instrument performance, using systematic methods to explore instrument upgrades, optimise designs, and appraise their potential impact on our scientific capabilities. The work will help ensure that the group’s instruments continue to deliver new science and retain their world-class reputation.
The placement will be based at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, the UK’s largest National lab, with the possibility of hybrid working available if required. This will help you to be embedded within the group, gain multidisciplinary experience working with scientists and engineers across ISIS, and to join a cohort of around 30 other Industrial Placement students at ISIS working on a diverse range of projects.
Summary of Key Duties & Responsibilities:
Working within a multidisciplinary scientific and technological environment, the successful candidate will be trained in the use of the Monte Carlo based neutron ray-tracing simulation package McStas to simulate upgrades to instruments within ISIS: SANDALS, NIMROD and GEM.
The project will assist us in gaining a more accurate and quantified understanding of the benefit of proposed upgrades, and allow us to optimize the instrument designs. Options to be investigated include new 90°detector banks for NIMROD and SANDALS, integration of an enhanced Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) detector and neutron guide option for NIMROD, and increased efficiency intermediate angle detectors for GEM.
As a key member of the team, you will be supported by, and work collaboratively with, instrument scientists and have additional technical support in the simulation package from members of the Neutron and Muon Instrument Design Group.
Anticipated duties and responsibilities include:
Editing and further developing instrument models within McStas to include new instrument components (e.g. neutron guides or detector arrays). Running a series of simulations and developing efficient routines for optimising the design of new instrument components. Processing the results of instrument simulations and presenting them clearly to members of the Disordered Materials, and Neutron and Muon Instrument Design groups. Keeping thorough, well-organised, and understandable documentation for new components in the instrument model, analysis code, and results, such that future work can be taken up by others in the group. Identification of optimal design outcomes: A set of design parameters shown to fulfil the performance criteria of the upgrades, along with datasets that can be compared directly to measurements on the real instruments pre and post upgrade.
The placement would be suitable for anyone studying for a degree in physical sciences (physics/chemistry/materials), computer science or engineering who would be interested in applying their knowledge and skills to instrument development in an active research environment.
For more information on early careers at STFC and our employee benefits, please visit our careers site.
In order to apply for this role you must have:
Essential:
At university, enrolled on an undergraduate degree course and required or have requested to take a year out of studies to gain experience within industry The right to live and work in the UK for the duration of the placement Currently studying for a degree in physical sciences, computer science or engineering Good organisation and time management and the ability to plan work to meet deadlines Ability to work collaboratively within a small science and engineering team Ability to independently manage problems, and take responsibility for their solution Ability to communicate complicated ideas clearly in written and spoken English Ability to work logically and systematically to form creative solutions to problems Effective computational skills including experience of the use of software and/or simple codes (e.g. python) to solve physical problems and process data
Desirable:
A-level (or equivalent) grades A/B in Physics and Maths An interest in learning how radiation (e.g. X-rays and neutrons) can be used to understand structure within materials Some knowledge and experience of the use programming or scripting languages (e.g. C/C++/python)
You are advised to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close this vacancy once we have received sufficient applications.
About The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
The STFC is a world-leading multi-disciplinary science organisation where curiosity, blue-skies thinking meets practical, application-led science and engineering. Our goal is to deliver economic, societal, scientific and international benefits to the UK and its people – and more broadly to the world.
As one of Europe’s largest research organisations, we’re trusted to support, enable and undertake ground-breaking projects in an outstanding diversity of fields. Through world-class facilities and people, we’re driving progressive advances in science, engineering, computing and technology. Our research seeks to understand the Universe from the largest astronomical scales to the tiniest constituents of matter, yet creates impact on a very tangible, human scale.
For more information about STFC please visit https://stfc.ukri.org/
You can also visit our careers site https://www.stfccareers.co.uk/
About UK Research Innovation (UKRI)
UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.
Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.
More information can be found at www.ukri.org.
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Disability Confident Employer
As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
How to apply
Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.
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