Accelerator Controls Engineer (Al Ashley Fellowship)

Job ID

5725

Location

SLAC - Menlo Park, CA

Full-Time

Temporary

SLAC Job Postings

The Alonzo W. Ashley Fellowship Program (https://careers.slac.stanford.edu/the-alonzo-w-ashley-fellowship-program) was named in honor of Al Ashley, who retired from SLAC in 1999 after 31 years of dedicated and exemplary service, particularly in the area of championing diversity in the sciences and engineering. During his tenure at SLAC, Al pioneered programs that promoted diversity and encouraged career development for employees and career exploration for talented students. He was a recipient of a 2005 NSF Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring in recognition of his outstanding mentoring efforts and programs that enhanced the participation of historically underrepresented groups in science, mathematics, and engineering. Al served as a mentor to hundreds of emerging scientists and engineers during their journey to their chosen fields.

The program is intended for underrepresented post-graduate candidates with the longer-term objective of potentially moving them into regular employment with the lab.

Note: This is a 12-month fixed term position with the possibility of extension or conversion to a regular- continuing position. Assignment duration is contingent upon project needs and funding.

Position Overview:

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory seeks an entry-level Staff Engineer to support the Electronics Engineering Division (EED) in the Accelerator Directorate.

SLAC pushes the frontiers of human knowledge and drives discoveries that benefit humankind. Our 2-mile-long particle accelerator is the lab’s backbone. Once the scene of major discoveries in particle physics, today it generates the world’s brightest X-rays using our revolutionary X-ray laser, the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS).

The EED is responsible for electronics subsystems and associated software controls for the LCLS and other accelerators throughout SLAC. The successful candidate brings to the division a diversity of skills relevant to software engineering and industrial control. Opportunities for this position include the development of controls applications using Rockwell Automation/Allen-Bradley PLCs, working with industrial equipment, and supporting a wide range of technical equipment.

The successful candidate gathers requirements from project lead, hardware engineers, software engineers, physicists, and operators, produces documentation and participates in reviews; all the while communicating effectively with users, team members and management. They would program, test, deploy, commission, and support robust production level, control software applications. They would rapidly respond to and follow through with solutions for issues encountered during the operation of SLAC’s control systems. New employees are paired with an experienced mentor to ensure success and advance the learning process.

Given the nature of this position, SLAC is open to on-site and hybrid work options.

Your specific responsibilities include:

• Responsible for the design, development, test, integration, and operational support for accelerator control software applications and tools.

• Identify and quickly resolve diverse technical issues that may arise within the organization’s various Rapid Response Teams.

• Develop PLC software, integrate with controls hardware, develop control interfaces, Input / Output Controllers (IOCs) and control screens.

• Contribute to software infrastructure in support of various control systems.

• Troubleshoot electrical issues.

To be successful in this position you will bring:

• Bachelor's degree in computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, or related discipline

• Familiarity with source code control and a structured release environment.

• Programming skills with ladder logic, structured text, C/C++, Python, and experience with Linux/Unix (bash)

• Demonstrated knowledge of programming Human Machine Interfaces.

• Proficiency with design, development, test, and deployment of software applications.

• Ability to define and solve logical problems for highly technical applications.

• Effective communication skills with both technical and non-technical clients.

• Excellent planning and organizational skills.

• Strong problem-solving skills, independent decision-making, and the ability to work in a team environment.

• Demonstrated safety-oriented behavior

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in software controls development in an industrial or laboratory environment.

• Experience with real-time embedded programming.

• Experience with Object Oriented Analysis and Design, Python, Design Patterns, Software Development Cycle.

• Experience with git version control

• Experience using Rockwell Automation/Allen-Bradley PLCs

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: http://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

Classification Title: Staff Engineer 1

Grade: I

Job code: 0131

Duration: Fixed Term

The expected pay range for this position is $84,000 to $141,000 per 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.