PhD Research Scientist - Didcot, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom - Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

Description

Science and Technology Facilities Council

Hours:
Full time


Contract Type:
Open Ended.

Location:
Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Harwell, Oxfordshire
Come and do the kind of science that made you want to become a scientist. Explore the unknown and get to grips with the biggest challenges in Big Science.

Put simply, discover the kind of impact you can make when you work with some of the best facilities and brightest scientists in the world.

ISIS is a world-leading centre for research in the physical and life sciences at the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory near Oxford in the United Kingdom.?We support a national and international community of more than 3000 scientists for research into subjects ranging from clean energy and the environment, pharmaceuticals and health care, through to nanotechnology and materials engineering, catalysis and polymers, and on to fundamental studies of materials.

The neutron irradiation capabilities at ISIS are designed to provide some of the worlds best accelerated testing facilities for single-event effects in electronic chips.

ISIS has recently developed the NILE facility that consists of two small compact fast-neutron sources to primarily develop electronic testing techniques and detector development, training and benchmarking.

This facility also has applications in more general fast-neutron irradiation areas within related field such as fusion and materials science.

NILE joins and complements the development of the ChipIr instrument which since 2018 has been providing the international electronics and avionics industry with advanced testing capability, unique in Europe, to understand and mitigate again the effects of atmospheric neutrons.

NILE and ChipIr are working with industry in many of the current key strategic and priority areas (autonomous and electric cars, renewable energy power system, internet communications).

Alongside this both NILE and ChipIr have been developing a vibrant academic user community which works collaboratively with the industrial community in the development of the techniques and methodologies, and in innovative research on cosmic-ray effects.

We are looking for a scientist or instrument developer who can make major contributions to the development of NILE facility at ISIS and who will take a lead in expanding the industrial and academic communities using our facilities for irradiation testing.

This represents an excellent opportunity to drive collaborative and personal scientific research programmes exploiting the state-of-the-art capabilities in neutron irradiation facilities that ISIS has developed.

In addition to leading on the development of NILE, you will be expected to progress the industrial and commercial use of the facility and to develop collaborations in the areas of irradiation science and technology.

Ensure the day-to-day running of the NILE facility within the Irradiation Group at ISIS
Develop NILE for training, method development in irradiation techniques, (e.g. benchmarking of Monte-Carlo simulations and detector development) by both industrial and academic user communities
Explore the wider commercial and academic application of NILEs capabilities (e.g. fast-neutron imaging, irradiation effects on materials, activation analysis)
Pursuing a research and development program on NILE in the technologies and techniques for fast-neutron irradiation and the wider exploitation of NILE through collaboration
Help deliver ISISs state-of-the art neutron irradiation capability to a global commercial electronics industry. They will interact with commercial clients to help expand the commercial programme for NILE (and ChipIr)

Work with the Irradiation Group on wider campus and inter research council collaborations and initiatives within STFC, Harwell Campus and UKRI in use of irradiation facilities at ISIS.

Extensive and effective communication with the current and future users of the facility and in particular understand the requirements of commercial users.

Interact with national and international researchers in the irradiation area, working within partnerships and collaborations, and contributing to networks and projects.

Be able to brief industrialists, academics and stakeholders on the irradiation activities and its commercial and societal impact.

Present the irradiation capabilities and work at ISIS as well as their own scientific work at conferences and meetings, and to ensure that the impact of this area of work is recognised and communicated.

Contribute and actively represent the group in its interactions with other ISIS and STFC science and technology groups, and a variety of stakeholders including ISIS senior management and STFC Business Development and Innovation staff.

To be qualified to degree level or equivalent in a relevant physical or technical science (S)
PhD, or imminent (within months) award of PhD in a relevant research area (S&I)
Understanding of the requirements of industry and/or commercial clients in single-event effect testing (S&I)
Understanding of working with industrial customers/users in a large facility context (S&I)
Ability to interact with national and international researchers in the irradiation area, working within partnerships and collaborations, and contributing to networks and projects (S&I)

Ability to present the irradiation capabilities and work at ISIS as well as their own scientific work at conferences and meetings, and to ensure that the impact of this area of work at ISIS is recognised and communicated.

(Experience or a good understanding of the requirement of industry and/or commercial clients in single-event effect testing (S&I)
Experience of working with industrial customers / users in a large facility context (S&I)
Ability to brief industrialists, academics and stakeholders on the irradiation activities at ISIS and its commercial and societal impact (S&I)
Ability to interact with a variety of stakeholders including senior UKRI- STFC managment.(Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, and meet immigration requirements, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us.