Senior Software Engineer - Team Leader

About Us

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 monitor 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 Data Acquisition Group

The Data Acquisition (DAQ) group develops software to interface with and control the hardware which allows experiments to be performed and monitored as well as guiding the end user to tools for data reduction and analysis. The group works closely with scientists, controls, data analysis and information management engineers to continuously develop and improve software solutions for scientific data acquisition and on-the-fly monitoring and data analysis.

The current DAQ software platform is a client-server application called GDA (Generic Data Acquisition) which is written in Java and uses the Eclipse RCP framework. To facilitate the advanced scientific capabilities that are expected from Diamond-II (the planned Synchrotron upgrade) the DAQ software is being modernised and will result in a service-based architecture. The new Acquisition Platform, Athena, will be configured to deliver advanced state of-the-art Flagship experimental capabilities for a collection of Beamlines. Over the next few years existing beamline software will be migrated from GDA to Athena.

About the Role

We now have an opportunity for a senior software engineer within the DAQ group to lead a team supporting the Soft Condensed Matter (SCM) and Crystallography (X) Science Groups.

These science groups cover a wide range of scientific disciplines from life sciences, answering fundamental questions about life itself, through to the physical sciences, answering questions about advanced materials, formulations and processing.

As the team leader you will drive both the support for Diamond's data acquisition needs for our users today using our GDA (Generic Data Acquisition) software package, but also our needs for the future in the form of our next generation data acquisition endeavor - Athena.

GDA is in use on ~35 beamlines at Diamond, it is a highly matured, monolithic, software package written in Java from which, as part of our upgrade programme for Diamond-II, we are transitioning away from. However, during this transition phase support is required in order for this software to be maintained so that Diamond's users can continue to collect data.

Athena is a modernised experiment control/orchestration software platform being written for Diamond-II. In development with up-to-date technologies and software development practices, it aims to be easier to set up, support, extend and develop than GDA, which it is intended to replace.

Central to the Athena architecture is Bluesky and Ophyd-Async, a set of Python libraries for experiment control and collection of data. It is currently used at several facilities around the world.

You will be responsible for transitioning the experimental capabilities of GDA, to Athena, whilst offering new experimental capabilities to the beamlines.

You will actively collaborate with the beamline scientists and DAQ Core team members to deliver SCM and X DAQ features using the new Athena services and provide insight to the Core team to help them to refine Athena’s generic capabilities. You will also potentially participate in international collaborations within this domain, sharing best practice and supporting other facilities and synchrotrons within the collaboration.

About You

Suitable candidates will hold an appropriate first degree in a STEM subject, preferably with a relevant MSc or PhD. You will demonstrate experience in the Software Development Lifecycle, using a modern high-level language, and with an understanding of good software design principles and design for usability.

Knowledge and experience of developing software to control and monitor scientific or industrial equipment or IoT is preferable. Knowledge and experience of synchrotron or neutron central facility experiments is preferable.

Experience of working with large and complex code bases would be a distinct advantage, as would experience of Python, the HDF5 file format, Typescript, UI development, Java, the Eclipse RCP platform, REST and Kubernetes and asynchronous computing.

You should display good communication, interpersonal and analytical skills, with a personal interest or experience in science.

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 £3000 per annum.

As standard this role offers a hybrid working arrangement with a minimum of 3 days working onsite per week.

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 9th November 2025, however, we encourage early applications as some candidates may be interviewed before this date.