PostDoc in Scientific Imaging Data Reduction and Compression

MAX IV Laboratory; Lunds kommun; On-site; SEK 480,000 - 560,000; Full time

Job summary

MAX IV Laboratory in Lund is inviting a postdoctoral researcher to advance data reduction and lossy-compression methods for tomography and imaging. You will evaluate, develop, validate and deploy advanced data reduction techniques for large-scale imaging datasets.

You will work at the interface between scientific computing, image analysis and research infrastructures, collaborating with scientists, software engineers and computing specialists across Europe.

Qualifications

• PhD in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Scientific Computing, Image Processing, Data Science, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in scientific programming, scientific software development, or data-intensive computing.
• Experience with Python and at least one high-performance programming language such as C++, Rust, or Julia.
• Experience working with large-scale scientific datasets, image processing, computational imaging, tomography data analysis, or data compression.
• Experience with Linux-based computing environments and modern software development practices, including version control and collaborative software development.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary and international research environment.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and benchmark data reduction and lossy-compression methods using representative tomography and imaging datasets.
• Develop software tools, workflows and validation methodologies for adopting compression technologies in scientific environments.
• Collaborate with beamline scientists to evaluate impact of data reduction on data quality.
• Contribute to community guidelines, best practices and knowledge resources on scientific data reduction, compression and FAIR data management.
• Work with researchers and technical experts across European photon science facilities to facilitate knowledge exchange and technology transfer.
• Support and coordinate project workshops, training activities and dissemination events.
• Disseminate project outcomes through reports, technical documentation, presentations, workshops, and publications.

Job description

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities. The University has around 46 000 students and 8 500 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard equality, equal opportunities and diversity as a strength and an asset.

The Scientific Data Group

You will join the Scientific Data Group within the Technical Division of MAX IV Laboratory. We develop and operate high-performance data acquisition systems for cutting-edge detectors and provide data processing, visualisation and analysis solutions that enable researchers to rapidly interpret results from X-ray scattering, imaging and spectroscopy experiments. Our systems routinely handle data rates of several GB/s and support large-scale scientific data workflows. To support sustainable data management at next-generation photon science facilities, we are seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to advance scientific data reduction and compression workflows for tomography and imaging applications in collaboration with European research infrastructures.

The Position

The rapid growth of data volumes generated by modern imaging experiments is creating significant challenges for data storage, transfer, processing and long-term preservation. Through a collaborative European initiative involving leading photon science facilities, MAX IV is developing sustainable approaches to scientific data reduction and scientifically validated lossy-compression methods for tomography and imaging applications.

As a PostDoc you will contribute to the evaluation, development, validation and deployment of advanced data reduction and compression methodologies for large-scale imaging datasets. Working at the interface between scientific computing, image analysis and research infrastructures, you will collaborate closely with scientists, software engineers, beamline scientists and computing specialists across the European photon science community.

The project is carried out in close collaboration with leading European photon science facilities through the LEAPS community. The position offers a unique opportunity to engage directly with MAX IV's full-field X-ray imaging and tomography activities. These span the established tomography capabilities at DanMAX and ForMAX, together with the development of TomoWISE, a dedicated next-generation tomography beamline currently under construction. The successful candidate will work closely with scientists and engineers developing future imaging capabilities at MAX IV while collaborating with experts in tomography, scientific computing, data management and research software engineering across Europe.

Your work will contribute to practical solutions that significantly reduce data volumes while preserving scientific quality and reproducibility. The project combines scientific research, software development and international collaboration, offering opportunities to influence community-wide best practices for data handling at large-scale research facilities. Activities include benchmarking and validating compression algorithms, developing software tools and workflows, establishing quality metrics and best practices, collaborating with partner facilities, organising workshops and training activities, and disseminating results through publications and presentations.

Your primary responsibilities will include

• Evaluate and benchmark data reduction and lossy-compression methods using representative tomography and imaging datasets from MAX IV and collaborating facilities.
• Develop software tools, workflows and validation methodologies that support the adoption of compression technologies in scientific environments.
• Collaborate with beamline scientists to evaluate the impact of data reduction methods on scientific outcomes and data quality.
• Contribute to community guidelines, best practices and knowledge resources related to scientific data reduction, compression and FAIR data management.
• Work with researchers and technical experts at European photon science facilities to facilitate knowledge exchange and technology transfer.
• Support and coordinate project workshops, training activities and dissemination events.
• Disseminate project outcomes through reports, technical documentation, presentations, workshops, and scientific publications, as appropriate.

To be successful in this role you need to have the following qualifications

• A PhD in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Scientific Computing, Image Processing, Data Science, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in scientific programming, scientific software development, or data-intensive computing.
• Experience with Python and at least one high-performance programming language such as C++, Rust, or Julia.
• Experience working with large-scale scientific datasets, image processing, computational imaging, tomography data analysis, or data compression.
• Experience with Linux-based computing environments and modern software development practices, including version control and collaborative software development.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary and international research environment.

The following qualifications are considered an advantage

• Experience with synchrotron, neutron, electron microscopy, medical imaging, or other large-scale imaging facilities.
• Experience with scientific data formats and technologies such as HDF5, NeXus and Zarr.
• Knowledge of FAIR data principles and research data management.
• Experience with high-performance computing, cloud computing, GPU acceleration, or distributed data processing.
• Experience participating in international scientific collaborations and/or multi-institutional research projects.

Appointment to the position of postdoc requires that the applicant has a PhD or an international degree deemed equivalent to a PhD, within the subject of the position, completed no more than three years before the application deadline. Under special circumstances the PhD can have been completed previous to the aforementioned three years.

Further information

This is a full-time, fixed-term employment for two years. A postdoctoral fellow is employed under a period of at least two years and at most three years. The period of employment is determined in accordance with the agreement "Avtal om tidsbegränsad anställning som postdoktor-2022-02-01" ("Agreement on fixed-term employment as a post-doctoral fellow, 2022-02-01").

What we offer

When you join our MAX IV team, you enter a world of cutting-edge science. We make the invisible visible by supporting scientists from all over the world, generating scientific results for the benefit of society. We offer you a multicultural work environment with great opportunities for personal development with respect for a healthy work-life balance.

For further information, please visit:

https://www.maxiv.lu.se/about-us/careers/compensation-benefits/

MAX IV is a Swedish national large-scale research infrastructure hosted by Lund University. It provides scientists from Sweden and abroad, with intense x-rays and state-of-the-art instrumentation for research in areas such as engineering, physics, structural biology, chemistry and nanotechnology. Its 16 beamlines receive up to 2 000 scientists annually, conducting ground-breaking experiments in materials and life sciences using the brilliant X-rays.

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