Detector Scientist for VESUVIO Beamline Industrial Placement

Detector Scientist for VESUVIO Beamline Industrial Placement

The ISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source is a world-leading centre for research in the physical and life sciences. ISIS, part of the National Laboratories Directorate, hosts over 500 staff and supports a global community of 2,000+ scientists, studying everything from clean energy and healthcare to nanotechnology and fundamental material science. Its neutron and muon instruments reveal how materials behave at the atomic scale, enabling the design of tailor-made materials for specific applications.

The Molecular Spectroscopy Group at ISIS develops and operates advanced neutron spectrometers to study atomic motions and structures in materials, key to understanding their macroscopic properties and practical applications. One of its instruments, VESUVIO, is a unique neutron spectrometer that uses high-energy neutrons to measure nuclear momentum distributions. This allows researchers to estimate the effective nuclear potentials in various condensed matter systems. VESUVIO also supports techniques like neutron transmission, diffraction, elemental analysis (Prompt-Gamma Activation Analysis and Neutron-Resonance Capture Analysis), with research spanning fundamental physics, chemistry, and materials science.

Working at ISIS provides a rare opportunity to participate in exciting and complex projects that make a real difference to the progress of UK and international science programmes, whilst gaining valuable professional training and collaborating with some of the field’s top scientists.

The VESUVIO team is seeking a highly motivated placement student with an interest in neutron detectors and data analysis. The project will significantly boost in the detection capabilities of this one-of-a-kind instrument, improving the outstanding scientific outcomes of VESUVIO’s user community and paving the way for future instrument upgrades.

Brief overview of the scheme

STFC’s incredibly diverse range of placements allow you to work alongside world leading engineers, scientists, and technicians in highly collaborative environments. With an STFC Industrial Placement you will become a critical member of the team in which you will be exposed to exciting projects and challenges from the start.

We’ll provide challenges that match your skills, and each placement is a unique opportunity to pursue your career interests. You will be supported every step of the way by our dedicated Early Careers Development Team who will also ensure you benefit from a range of personal development opportunities.

STFC offers a benefits package crafted to provide an excellent work/life balance including 30 days’ annual leave, 10.5 public and privilege days, Christmas closure and flexible working hours. For more information on our full list of benefits, please visit here.

About the role and a summary of key duties & responsibilities

The successful applicant will join the Molecular Spectroscopy Group and have the valuable opportunity to gain hands-on experience in detector physics, data analysis, and instrumentation in the unique environment of a large-scale scientific facility. The placement student will work closely with the instrument’s team members to learn the techniques supported by VESUVIO. The broad range of techniques available on VESUVIO rely on the use of yttrium aluminium perovskite detectors. Therefore, the core of the industrial placement project will consist in understanding the properties of YAP detectors and utilizing calibration methods in order to optimize their performances for the VESUVIO beamline.

The specific tasks will involve spatial alignment validation, detector efficiency analysis, developing and applying calibration methods, such as time-of-flight and gamma corrections for an overall improved detector technology. This will require working with experimental and simulated data and collaborating with several teams, including instrument scientists, the Detector System Group (DSG), engineers and software developers.

Summary of key duties and responsibilities

• Work with the instrument team to understand the instrument layout and datasets
• Work with detector scientists to understand and optimise radiation detectors
• Conduct measurements to characterise the instrument's background radiation
• Analyse results using established routines
• Plan dedicated experiments during awarded beamtimes
• Propose and design new detector geometries
• Lead your project under the supervision of your manager
• Take an active role in planning activities
• Present results in written reports and oral presentations
• Contribute to the achievements of the MSG and the DSG groups

Person Specification

Essential:

• Currently enrolled on an undergraduate degree course and returning to university/studies to complete your undergraduate degree following the placement (S)
• Are required or have requested to take an industrial placement year (S)
• Have the right to live and work in the UK for the duration of the placement (S)
• Able to commence employment in summer 2026 (S)
• Studying for a degree in physics or other related degree (S)
• Ability to work both in a team and independently, with good time management (I)
• Enjoy problem solving and pursuing an experimental development programme (S&I)
• Ability to analyse data and draw conclusions (I)
• Effective verbal and written communications skills in English (S&I)
• Willing to work with ionising radiation with a responsible approach to health and safety (I)

Desirable:

• Have experience working in laboratories (S&I)
• Demonstrate an extra-curricular interest in experimental physics (S)
• Have knowledge of neutron scattering (S&I)
• Familiarity with computer programming skills (i.e. Python) (S&I)

Employee Benefits:

• 30 days holiday (in addition to 10.5 bank holidays and privilege days).
• Flexible working hours.
• An excellent defined average salary pension scheme.
• Easily accessible public transport links/ free parking.
• Excellent learning and development opportunities.
• Cycle to work scheme.

As this job does not fulfil the UK Government minimum criterion for obtaining sponsored migrant worker status we will be unable to apply for sponsorship for anyone not eligible to work in the UK. At interview, all shortlisted candidates are required to bring with them identification documents and original documents that prove they hold or can obtain the right to work in the UK.

Application Guidance

Please note that we can only accept a maximum of 2 applications per candidate.Part of our application process involves submitting your CV and a cover letter. Your cover letter should address your suitability for the opportunity based how you meet each essential criteria stated in this advert.

Please note that we hold the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of applications have been received.

We ask some of the biggest questions in the universe, to answer some of the biggest challenges in the world. Together, our scientists, technologists, engineers and business support team explore the unknown across every field you could think of. And they turn what they find into work that changes the world around us.

What could you achieve with the world-leading facilities and experts of one of Europe's largest research organisations by your side? Join us and discover what's possible!

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community.

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all applicants with a disability who opt into the disability confident scheme and meet the minimum criteria for the role. 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.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

About the Team

The Science and Technology Facilities Council is a world-leading multi-disciplinary science organisation where curiosity-driven, 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.

One of Europe’s largest research organisations, we’re trusted to support, enable and undertake cutting-edge projects in an amazing diversity of fields. Through world-class facilities and people, we’re driving ground-breaking 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.

How to apply

To apply for this role and to find out more, please click on the apply button. Please note that applications may close before the application deadline, so apply early to avoid disappointment.