Experiment Control Systems, Engineering and Design Team Lead

Job ID

6252

Location

SLAC - Menlo Park, CA

Full-Time

Regular

SLAC Job Postings

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 Experiment Control Systems division within the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) Directorate at SLAC is seeking an Engineering and Design Team Lead to plan, implement, and support beam delivery and experiment control systems.

As the head of the Engineering and Design department in ECS, you will lead a multidisciplinary engineering team tasked with developing the control system integrating the mechatronics, scientific instrumentation, and x-ray beam delivery systems. This team also works with scientific and operations support staff to provide expert-level troubleshooting assistance.

LCLS hosts the world¿s first hard x-ray free electron laser (XFEL) with unprecedented capabilities in photon energy range, peak power, and pulse lengths. There are nine independent instruments currently in operation, specifically designed to utilize the exceptional beam characteristics of the XFEL to probe the structure and dynamics of matter at atomic size and timescales. The evolution of science and experimental techniques on these instruments, upgrades in the XFEL source and optical lasers, and demand for greater automation to improve system availability for science require regular improvements to the supporting software and hardware platforms. Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) form the backbone of some of the most vital experiment support systems at LCLS, ranging from robust ultra-high vacuum control to monitoring & protection of sensitive machine components, to motion control in steering x-ray optics.

See https://lcls.slac.stanford.edu/ (https://portal.slac.stanford.edu/sites/lcls_public) for more on LCLS and the unique capabilities of our instrument facilities.

Your specific responsibilities include :

• Manage and mentor a multidisciplinary team of engineers to develop and implement innovative solutions.

• Foster a collaborative environment across engineering and scientific disciplines to address project and operational challenges

• Establish and maintain communication with internal and external stakeholders on designs and delivery status

• Oversee the development and maintenance of robust automation and control systems, ensuring operational reliability and performance.

• Collaborate on defining technical specifications, producing documentation, and establishing testing protocols for new systems.

• Ensure system compliance with industry standards, safety protocols, and organizational policies.

• Identify opportunities for process improvement and implement enhancements to optimize efficiency and quality.

• Promote a culture of continuous learning, skill development, and knowledge sharing within the team.

• Present project progress, technical reports, and recommendations to leadership and other stakeholders.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with vendors and contractors for sourcing equipment, software, and services.

To be successful in this position you will bring:

• Bachelor¿s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related technical field and eight years of experience managing and mentoring multidisciplinary engineering teams. Advanced degrees are a plus.

• Demonstrated success in leading engineering projects involving delivery of hardware and software solutions from inception to completion.

• Experience in the application for formal methods for project planning, scheduling, and resource allocation.

• Familiarity with systems engineering principles and methods

• Experience designing and implementing automation and control systems.

• Expertise in PLC programming, industrial electrical engineering, and integration of distributed control systems (e.g., SCADA, OPC UA).

• Experience with system diagnostics, troubleshooting, and commissioning.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for effective collaboration with stakeholders.

• Experience working with contractors for equipment sourcing and technical support.

Preferred (but not mandatory) Experience :

• Familiarity with Beckhoff systems and TwinCAT 3.1.

• Experience with EPICS framework

• Experience in running or participating in Agile Scrum or similar software engineering project management methodologies

• Background in scientific instrumentation or experimental systems.

• Experience with safety and reliability analysis, as well as unit testing for software.

• Strong analytical mindset with a focus on innovation and continuous learning.

• Previous exposure to large-scale research or experimental environments is a bonus.

• Experience in managing multiple stakeholders/customers with competing priorities

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 1¿General Policy and Responsibilities: https://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: Lead Engineer, Staff Engineer 4

• Job code: 0134 Grade: M

• Duration: Regular Continuing

The expected pay range for this position is $180,000 - $236,000per 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.

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer and supports diversity in the workplace. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital or family status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information. All staff at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory must be able to demonstrate the legal right to work in the United States. SLAC is an E-Verify employer.