Principal Beamline Scientist

About Us

Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron science facility. By accelerating electrons to near light-speed, Diamond generates brilliant beams of light from infra-red to X-rays which are used for academic and industry research and development across a range of scientific disciplines including structural biology, physics, chemistry, materials science, engineering, earth, and environmental sciences.

We provide seven macromolecular crystallography (MX) beamlines to the international structural biology community. Alongside specialist MX beamlines for long wavelength, room temperature and micro-focus data collections we operate several high throughput and automated beamlines for cryogenically mounted samples. In 2028-2029 Diamond will undergo a major upgrade to its machine and beamlines (the Diamond-II project) which will involve an 18-month shutdown for enabling works to take place.

Beamline I04-1 has been at the core of Diamond’s fragment-based drug discovery offering with the adjacent XChem laboratory. With Diamond-II this will move to the K04 beamline - an entirely new automated, ultra-high-throughput, tuneable energy, high flux x-ray beamline linked to a fully automated XChem laboratory, enabling fragment-based drug discovery for academic, non-profit and industry users. The project is fully funded through the Diamond-II project and is well underway with the x-ray hutch constructed and optics, end-station and laboratory at various stages of development. First user operations are planned to begin in late 2029.

About the Role

We now have an opportunity for a Principal Beamline Scientist to work with scientists, engineers and software developers in the development of K04 and delivery of the user programme. You will have a keen interest in beamline development, automation, enabling technologies and software to enable MX at unprecedented speed and scale on the highly automated K04 beamline.

Duties include:

• Leadership of the Diamond-II K04 flagship project alongside colleagues at Diamond.
• Oversight of operations of beamline I04-1 until the Diamond-II dark period.
• Management of transition of operations from I04-1 to K04.
• Collaborating with the XChem facility to deliver fragment-based drug discovery at I04-1 and, post-upgrade, at K04.

About You

You will have an appropriate PhD degree or proven relevant experience, along with excellent interpersonal communication skills, an ability to collaborate and lead in large and complex cross-disciplinary groups and have a passion for enabling the best science.

Practical experience of beamline hardware and software, in particular with respect to experimental end-station and automation, and prior hands-on experience with macromolecular crystallography at a synchrotron is required. A keen interest in technology drivers of engineering and/or software development for scientific delivery is desirable. 

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.

This role qualifies for a non-pensionable allowance of £3500 per annum.

As standard this role requires a fully onsite working arrangement

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  2nd November 2025, however, we encourage early applications as some candidates may be interviewed before this date.

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