Precision Timing Engineer

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; California (MO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, CA seeks an Associate Engineer to develop, characterize, integrate, and maintain state-of-the-art timing and synchronization systems for the LCLS experiments.

The role involves collaboration with operations, controls, laser, and experimental teams to ensure femtosecond-level timing stability for XFEL science. You will design, test, install, and support timing infrastructure as part of a world-leading user facility.

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical Engineering or related field and 2+ years of experience in RF systems and timing tech.
• Experience with RF system test, verification, integration, and troubleshooting.
• PCB design, layout, manufacturing, and vendor coordination.
• Experience using oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, and power supply units.
• Data analysis with Python or MATLAB; automation and prototype evaluation.
• Experience leading technical initiatives and deployments from concept to operation.
• Strong analytical skills to troubleshoot complex systems and drive issue resolution.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain high-stability timing systems, RF electronics, and diagnostics.
• Collaborate with operations, controls, laser, and experimental staff to meet timing requirements.
• Diagnose, modify, repair, and troubleshoot timing systems and diagnostics; identify root causes.
• Support planning, installation, integration, and commissioning of timing hardware and infrastructure.
• Prepare and review engineering drawings, BOMs, procedures, and change records; follow configuration control.
• Contribute to projects that improve capability, maintainability, and operational readiness of timing systems.
• Provide on-call support, maintenance activities, and asset management.

Skills

RF systems

Troubleshooting

PCB design

Oscilloscopes

Python

MATLAB

Data analysis

System deployment

Education

BS in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Vector network analyzers

Phase noise analyzers

Power supply units

Job description

Job Description

Position Overview

The Precision Timing Department in the LCLS Engineering Division is seeking an Associate Engineer to develop, characterize, integrate, and maintain state-of-the-art integrated timing and synchronization systems in support of complex science and research programs.

The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is the world's first hard X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) and operates as a user facility for a global community of scientists, providing ultrashort, ultrabright pulses of X-rays to seven experimental instruments focused on specific areas of science. Femtosecond synchronization and stability of X-ray to laser coordination are integral parts of many of these experiments, and the Precision Timing Department is responsible for deploying and supporting cutting-edge timing systems for the groundbreaking scientific research at LCLS.

Major upgrades to LCLS are currently underway, representing well over a billion dollars of investment. Over the next years, LCLS will design and deliver an evolved suite of science instruments to transform this field, taking advantage of the orders-of-magnitude increase in X-ray beam power as the pulse repetition rate is increased from 120 pulses/second toward 1 million pulses/second. This drives the need for world leading performance of the timing systems that synchronize the optical laser pump sources to the X-ray beam.

This position will report to the Department Head for Precision Timing. Members of this group are responsible for the design, development, testing, facility integration, and operational support of timing systems integral to LCLS experiments.

SLAC is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) laboratory operated by Stanford University and based in Menlo Park, CA.

Your specific responsibilities include

• Timing System Development & Support: Develop, implement, and maintain high-stability timing systems, associated RF electronics and diagnostics, to meet the demanding requirements of the LCLS scientific program.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work collaboratively with operations, controls, laser, and experimental systems staff to meet the precision timing requirements of the LCLS scientific program.
• Troubleshooting & Reliability Improvement: Diagnose, modify, repair, and troubleshoot timing systems and associated diagnostic equipment. Investigate operational issues, identify root causes, and contribute to corrective actions that improve system reliability and performance.
• Installation, Testing & Commissioning: Support the planning, installation, integration, and operational acceptance of precision timing system hardware, diagnostics, and related infrastructure.
• Engineering Documentation & Configuration Control: Prepare and review engineering drawings, bills of material, procedures, checkout documents, engineering change records, and technical documentation. Follow configuration management and change control best practices.
• Technical Projects & Continuous Improvement: Contribute to engineering projects and initiatives that improve the capability, maintainability, and operational readiness of LCLS precision timing and synchronization systems. Assist with resource planning, equipment selection, and implementation activities.
• Operational Support & Asset Management: Support world-class operations through on-call responsibilities, maintenance activities, inventory management, instrumentation support, and critical-spares planning. Contribute to operational excellence by improving system reliability, developing maintenance and troubleshooting practices, and ensuring readiness of critical timing infrastructure.

To be successful in this position you will bring

• BS in Electrical Engineering or related field and at least 2+ years of experience in the following areas:
• Test, verification, integration, and troubleshooting of RF systems
• Troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, corrective-action implementation, and maintenance of complex electronic or timing systems
• Printed circuit board (PCB) design, layout, manufacturing, and vendor coordination
• Extensive experience using oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, and power supply units (experience with vector network analyzers and phase noise analyzers is a plus).
• Experience with data analysis using Python/MATLAB, experimental process development, automation, and development or evaluation of prototypes.
• Experience leading technical initiatives, system deployments, upgrades, or facility infrastructure improvements from concept through operation.
• Extensive analytical skills to troubleshoot complex systems, identify root cause, evaluate technical tradeoffs, and drive issue resolution.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and collaborative work environment while setting technical direction for assigned areas with minimal guidance.
• Demonstrated ability to work independe