Staff Engineer 2 - SXR

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory’s Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) is a national scientific user facility providing synchrotron radiation for research in biology, chemistry, engineering, environmental science, materials science, medicine, and physics. SSRL operates the 3 GeV SPEAR3 electron storage ring, its injector facility, and associated synchrotron radiation beamlines.

About the role

The Soft X-ray Group within the Materials Sciences Division is seeking an outstanding engineer to provide engineering support for the operation, maintenance, development, and upgrade of soft x-ray beamlines and experimental endstations. This hands-on role requires strong mechanical design and CAD capabilities, as well as the ability to assemble, integrate, test, troubleshoot, and commission complex scientific equipment in both laboratory and beamline environments. The engineer will collaborate closely with scientists, technicians, designers, and other engineers to translate scientific requirements into reliable and practical instrumentation.

Responsibilities

• Manage engineering projects through the full lifecycle: concept development, requirements definition, design, analysis, prototyping, procurement, fabrication, assembly, testing, installation, commissioning, and documentation.
• Translate experimental and operational needs into practical engineering requirements and technical designs in collaboration with scientists.
• Coordinate with technicians, machinists, vendors, designers, and engineers to ensure correct fabrication, assembly, installation, and testing of components and systems.
• Develop, construct, integrate, and commission complex scientific instruments and experimental endstations.
• Perform hands-on assembly, alignment, integration, testing, and troubleshooting of mechanical, vacuum, motion-control, and experimental systems in laboratory and beamline environments.
• Design, prototype, procure, assemble, and validate scientific equipment and components.
• Develop and integrate automated or semi-automated systems for beamline operation, sample handling, instrument control, or experimental workflows.
• Support the integration of robotics, motion systems, sensors, cameras, actuators, and other mechatronic components into scientific instruments.
• Maintain, modify, repair, and troubleshoot beamline equipment, experimental endstations, and associated support systems.
• Prepare engineering drawings, assembly procedures, test plans, technical documentation, and safety-related documentation.
• Participate in field installation activities and provide engineering support during equipment commissioning and user operations.
• Ensure all equipment and activities comply with applicable engineering, quality assurance, and safety requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, mechatronics engineering, industrial design, or a related engineering discipline, and at least two years of relevant experience in mechanical design using CAD systems, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated ability to conceptualize, develop, and evaluate mechanical designs.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, combined with creative and innovative thinking.
• Experience applying scientific and engineering principles to the design, construction, testing, operation, or support of technical systems.
• Experience with mechanical systems, including machining, fabrication, assembly, tolerancing, fastening methods, and materials selection.
• Hands-on experience assembling, testing, modifying, or troubleshooting mechanical equipment or scientific instrumentation.
• Experience using software applications, engineering tools, systems, or programs relevant to the position.
• Ability to review technical data, assess the validity of results, identify potential problems, and independently verify the quality of one’s own work.
• Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment and perform assigned work independently within established procedures and safety guidelines.
• Ability and willingness to work directly with equipment in laboratories, experimental areas, and beamline environments.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with scientific instrumentation, synchrotron beamlines, research equipment, or other complex mechanical systems.
• Experience with ultrahigh-vacuum and high-vacuum systems, including component selection, assembly, leak checking, bakeout, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
• Proficiency in parametric 3D CAD software and preparation of detailed engineering drawings and assembly documentation.
• Mechanical design for precision positioning, optical alignment, motion systems, sample environments, or detector systems.
• Experience with mechatronic systems involving motors, encoders, actuators, sensors, cameras, and motion-control hardware.
• Experience with automation, robotics, automated sample handling, or machine-assisted experimental workflows.
• Integration of mechanical hardware with control systems, data-acquisition systems, or laboratory software.
• Experience with machine vision, camera-based sensing, or automated inspection and alignment.
• Prototype development and iterative design based on laboratory or field-testing results.
• Vendor coordination, procurement, fabrication oversight, and acceptance testing.
• Strong hands-on fabrication, assembly, installation, and troubleshooting skills.
• Experience commissioning equipment in a research facility, laboratory, accelerator, or other technically complex operating environment.

About Us

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory explores how the universe works at the biggest, smallest, and fastest scales and invents powerful tools used by researchers around the globe. As world leaders in ultrafast science and bold explorers of the physics of the universe, we forge new ground in understanding our origins and building a healthier and more sustainable future. Our discovery and innovation help develop new materials and chemical processes and open unprecedented views of the cosmos and life’s most delicate machinery.

SLAC is operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States.