Researcher (Laser Operator) in SCAPA Centre (61162)
 

Salary range : £29,837 - £36,661
FTE : 1.0
Term : Fixed (until 30/04/2020)
Closing date : 23/04/2017

Strathclyde is a leading international technological university focused on delivering excellent teaching and world-class research and known for forging strong collaborative links with industry, government, business and the third sector. Challenging conventional wisdom has been fundamental to the University’s ethos for over 200 years. Today our research activity continues to be of central importance in everything we do – informing our teaching and enabling us to translate outcomes for the benefit of business, industry and society as a whole. We are continually advancing the intensity, quality and international competitiveness of our research.

As part of the University’s strategic development, the Scottish Centre for the Application of Plasma Accelerators (SCAPA) has been established to focus the development and exploitation of potentially transformative, laser-driven accelerators and radiation sources. A state-of-the-art suite of laboratories has been constructed to facilitate experimental research in three shielded areas in up to seven radiation beamlines (five funded to date), using a pair of high-power laser systems (5 Hz, 350 TW and 10 Hz, 40 TW). Further laboratory space houses a lower-power high-repetition rate laser system and a number of auxiliary rooms (chemical fume hoods, biological safety cabinets, imaging dark room, vacuum pump rooms, etc.) that provide support facilities for experimental work.
 
The radiation beamlines comprise a complementary suite of vacuum-based accelerators and target stations for experiments on high power laser-plasma interactions and the application of laser-driven radiation sources. Each of the beamlines will have a unique configuration, to focus on a specific category of laser-plasma interactions and secondary sources.

The University seeks to appoint a post-doctoral position who will provide dedicated laser operations in SCAPA. The post is available from May 2017. The successful candidate will work as part of a team of researchers and technicians developing new laser-plasma experiment capability using the 350 TW and 40 TW lasers at SCAPA. The work will be varied in nature, but will always have a requirement for timely and professional completion and will involve engineering innovative practical solutions to facilitate the development, commissioning and use of SCAPA equipment for scientific research and applications.

To be considered for this role, you will hold a PhD level qualification (or be close to PhD completion) in laser physics or related field and have significant experience in constructing and/or operating femtosecond laser systems or high power laser systems. You will have excellent technical skills, verbal and written communication skills and an ability to interact effectively with colleagues and potential internal and external users of the equipment. You will work in a dynamic environment, with changing priorities and user groups, and so effective teamwork is essential. Being able to organise, plan, document and work both independently and as part of a team are vital skills.

It is anticipated that formal interviews for this post will be held in May 2017.

Informal enquiries about the post can be directed to Dr Gregor Welsh, SCAPA Laser Manager, (g.welsh@strath.ac.uk/+44 141 548 5785).

click here for full details




Faculty
Faculty of Science
Department/School
Physics
Staff Category
Research
Type of Employment
Fixed-term
Working Hours
Full-time
Vacancy Description
 
Salary range : £29,837 - £36,661
FTE : 1.0
Term : Fixed (until 30/04/2020)
Closing date : 23/04/2017

Strathclyde is a leading international technological university focused on delivering excellent teaching and world-class research and known for forging strong collaborative links with industry, government, business and the third sector. Challenging conventional wisdom has been fundamental to the University’s ethos for over 200 years. Today our research activity continues to be of central importance in everything we do – informing our teaching and enabling us to translate outcomes for the benefit of business, industry and society as a whole. We are continually advancing the intensity, quality and international competitiveness of our research.

As part of the University’s strategic development, the Scottish Centre for the Application of Plasma Accelerators (SCAPA) has been established to focus the development and exploitation of potentially transformative, laser-driven accelerators and radiation sources. A state-of-the-art suite of laboratories has been constructed to facilitate experimental research in three shielded areas in up to seven radiation beamlines (five funded to date), using a pair of high-power laser systems (5 Hz, 350 TW and 10 Hz, 40 TW). Further laboratory space houses a lower-power high-repetition rate laser system and a number of auxiliary rooms (chemical fume hoods, biological safety cabinets, imaging dark room, vacuum pump rooms, etc.) that provide support facilities for experimental work.
 
The radiation beamlines comprise a complementary suite of vacuum-based accelerators and target stations for experiments on high power laser-plasma interactions and the application of laser-driven radiation sources. Each of the beamlines will have a unique configuration, to focus on a specific category of laser-plasma interactions and secondary sources.

The University seeks to appoint a post-doctoral position who will provide dedicated laser operations in SCAPA. The post is available from May 2017. The successful candidate will work as part of a team of researchers and technicians developing new laser-plasma experiment capability using the 350 TW and 40 TW lasers at SCAPA. The work will be varied in nature, but will always have a requirement for timely and professional completion and will involve engineering innovative practical solutions to facilitate the development, commissioning and use of SCAPA equipment for scientific research and applications.

To be considered for this role, you will hold a PhD level qualification (or be close to PhD completion) in laser physics or related field and have significant experience in constructing and/or operating femtosecond laser systems or high power laser systems. You will have excellent technical skills, verbal and written communication skills and an ability to interact effectively with colleagues and potential internal and external users of the equipment. You will work in a dynamic environment, with changing priorities and user groups, and so effective teamwork is essential. Being able to organise, plan, document and work both independently and as part of a team are vital skills.

It is anticipated that formal interviews for this post will be held in May 2017.

Informal enquiries about the post can be directed to Dr Gregor Welsh, SCAPA Laser Manager, (g.welsh@strath.ac.uk/+44 141 548 5785).

click here for full details