Software Engineer/ Senior Software Engineer

£37,087 to £46,868, or £44,666 to £60,430 for the Senior level dependent upon skills and experience.

Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire – primarily based onsite / some home working available.

Full time / flexible hours considered.

About Us
Diamond Light Source is one of the world’s most advanced scientific facilities. We’re home to the UK’s synchrotron light source – a giant microscope producing beams of light 10 billion times brighter than the sun. Probing the structure and composition of matter, our work drives innovation in everything from vaccines to nanotech.

At Diamond we are currently undertaking a major upgrade of the facility, known as Diamond-II. Diamond-II will combine a new machine and new beamlines with a comprehensive series of upgrades to optics, detectors, sample environments, sample delivery capabilities and computing, which will ultimately generate an even more brilliant light source at a higher energy.

Software helps to enable the world-leading science performed at Diamond. Our software systems facilitate operations at all levels, including the low-level control of synchrotron and beamline hardware, the planning, execution and monitoring of experiments, data archiving and retrieval, data processing and visualisation, the application for beamtime, and capture of remote experiment plans and samples. Our software engineers work alongside our scientists to develop innovative and robust solutions to keep Diamond at the forefront of scientific research.

About the Role
We now have an opportunity for a Software Engineer or Senior Software Engineer to join us to develop and support cutting-edge scientific software as part of an international research collaboration. Effective information management is essential for Diamond to conduct its critical work; providing scientists the tools to turn theoretical science into practical and often life-changing discoveries. A critical component of Diamond’s software architecture is its Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). Diamond’s LIMS is a web application that captures the full lifecycle of experiments at Diamond. LIMS enables scientists from all over the world to plan and prepare their experiments, facilitates integration and interoperability with data analysis tools and provides visualisation of experimental activity and results.

Diamond’s existing web application, which supports structural biology beamlines, needs extending to support emerging requirements to streamline operations and support automated data collections. The software stack is also undergoing a technical refresh to take advantage of modern JavaScript libraries and frameworks. Diamond also needs its LIMS to meet the needs of the whole facility, and the demands of Diamond-II, and as such, in parallel to a refresh of the existing LIMS, we are seeking to develop a new, universal, solution leveraging service-oriented architecture. These projects make for an ideal opportunity for you to grow and develop with a world leading science facility or utilise the skills and experience you already have in this rewarding role.

You will be working alongside a bright and motivated team in an open and collaborative environment. You will be required to interact with Diamond scientists and translate their specifications for scientific capabilities into software requirements. You will also participate in international collaborations within this domain, developing software that can support other facilities and synchrotrons within the collaboration.

*Applicants will be considered at either Grade 4 or 5, depending on the strength of your skills, experience, and qualifications.

About You
Successful candidates should be able to demonstrate experience in the full Software Development Lifecycle and ideally have:

• Software development experience in a technical software environment.
• Strong JavaScript skills with experience with JavaScript web application frameworks such as React or Angular.
• Experience with unit test frameworks such as Jest or Vitest.
• Knowledge of agile practices (specifically SCRUM).
• Supervising and directing small teams and mentoring/code reviews (Senior).
• Be able to work across multiple projects and systems, and interface with other IT teams delivering other science services.
• Working with and contributing to open-source software to meet the needs of user communities.
• A degree level qualification in science, engineering, mathematics, computer science or equivalent experience.
• Good commutations skills and the ability to interpret scientific needs into clear software requirements.
• An interest in supporting scientific stakeholders coupled with strong analytical and communication skills is also essential.

We use an open-source development model in a not-for-profit institution, so knowledge of GitHub / GitLab would be useful. The remote systems provide the shop window to all services, so a passion for UX and quality are essential.

Benefits
Diamond offers an exceptional benefits package to support staff in achieving a positive work/life balance. This includes 26 days annual leave plus Christmas closure, public holidays, 2 annual volunteering days and flexible working hours. We also offer an excellent defined benefit pension scheme. Staff also have access to a range of amenities on site including a nursery, cafes, a restaurant and sports and leisure facilities. A relocation allowance may also be available where applicable.

To Apply
Please use the online application process to apply and tell us why you believe you are suitable for this role.

The closing date for applications is 17th March 2024, however, we encourage early applications as some candidates may be interviewed before this date.