Staff Engineer 2 - Protection Systems

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Menlo Park (CA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory’s SSRL is seeking a Safety Systems Engineer in the Protection Systems Group to maintain and upgrade the Machine Protection System. You will balance operations with engineering, ensuring fast detection of faults and safe beam operation at the Stanford accelerator complex.

Responsibilities include migrating legacy MPS hardware to modern PLC-based interlock systems, developing PLC logic, HMI screens, testing, and documentation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering or equivalent.
• 2+ years of experience with PLC-based interlock systems.
• Experience trouble-shooting complex systems with mixed-technology environments.
• Experience documenting engineering changes and writing SOPs.

Responsibilities

• Infrastructure Modernization: migrate legacy MPS hardware to PLC-based interlock systems and design bridge interfaces.
• Legacy Facility Support: troubleshoot, repair, and calibrate legacy vacuum gauge controllers and relay logic.
• PLC Logic Development: architect and program interlock logic using Studio 5000; develop AOIs for valves, pumps, gauges.
• HMI & Diagnostics: develop HMI screens and data-logging for fault detection.
• Commissioning & Testing: develop test procedures and lead dry-run testing of interlock chains during shutdowns.
• Engineering Documentation: maintain system docs, adhere to change control and configuration management.
• Operational Support: participate in 24/7 on-call for critical MPS during beam operations.

Skills

Troubleshooting

Interlock systems

PLC programming

SOP documentation

Cross-functional communication

On-call support

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering

Equivalent practical experience

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Allen-Bradley PLCs

HMI development

Studio 5000 (Ladder/Structured Text)

EPICS

Job description

Job Description

Position overview:

Are you passionate about solving complex technical challenges in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment? Do you thrive in a world-class scientific research setting, contributing to breakthrough discoveries and working with cutting-edge experimental instrumentation? Join the Operations Division of the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) as a safety systems engineer in the Protection Systems Group.

The Machine Protection System (MPS) Engineer is responsible for the safety and reliability of the equipment of the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. This role is a balance of operational support and systems engineering: you will maintain the existing protection systems that keep this world-class particle accelerator facility running while leading the critical upgrade of our aging infrastructure to modern standards. You will ensure that vacuum failures, magnet faults, or beam instabilities are detected and mitigated in microseconds, protecting both the storage ring and the advanced scientific instrumentation that relies on it, critical in enabling the high-impact research performed by SSRL's international research community.

Your specific responsibilities include:

• Infrastructure Modernization: Drive the phased migration of legacy MPS hardware to modern PLC-based interlock systems. Design "bridge" interfaces that allow new PLC racks to communicate with existing legacy chassis during multi-year upgrade cycles.

• Legacy Facility Support: Act as the subject matter expert for the current protection interlocks. Troubleshoot, repair, and calibrate legacy vacuum gauge controllers and relay-based logic to minimize downtime for the SSRL scientific user program.

• PLC Logic Development: Architect and program safety-critical interlock logic using Studio 5000 (Ladder, Structured Text) . Develop Add-On Instructions (AOIs) for standardized control of vacuum valves, pumps, and gauges.

• HMI & Diagnostics: Develop HMI screens and data-logging routines to provide "First-Out" fault detection, allowing operators to identify the exact sensor that initiated a machine trip.

• Commissioning & Testing: Develop test procedures and lead "Dry Run" testing of interlock chains during maintenance shutdowns to verify that logic correctly inhibits beam operation under fault conditions.

• Engineering Documentation : Own and maintain system documentation, including interlock logic descriptions, I/O lists, test procedures, configuration records, and operational notes. Ensure updates are captured as part of upgrade, commissioning, and troubleshooting activities. Apply configuration management, version control, and formal change control practices to safety-critical protection systems in accordance with SLAC Conduct of Engineering.

• Operational Support : Participate in a shared on-call responsibility to provide 24/7 support for critical Machine Protection Systems, primarily during beam operations. Work closely with accelerator physics, operations, vacuum, controls, and experimental systems groups to ensure protection systems meet the evolving needs of SSRL's scientific user program.

To be successful in this position you will bring:

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

• Minimum 2 years of experience with PLC-based interlock systems

• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex systems, particularly in "mixed-technology" environments where modern PLCs must interface with legacy hardware.

• Experience documenting engineering changes and writing standard operating procedures (SOPs).

• Effective communication skills across multidisciplinary teams, including physics, engineering, and operations.

• Willingness to provide occasional 24/7 support for the assigned systems.

In addition, preferred requirements include:

• Master's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related field.

• 5+ years of experience with PLC-based interlock systems, preferably in the Allen-Bradley (Rockwell) suite.

• Hardware experience with Allen-Bradley PLCs and HMIs, or equivalent PLC architectures.

• Experience working in an accelerator facility. Experience with PLC interface and control software for: Power Supplies, RF, Beam Position Monitors and other beam diagnostics, digitizers, Motion Control, Thermocouples, Radiation Monitors, and vacuum instrumentation.

• Experience designing, engineering, and implementing safety instrumented systems in alignment with functional safety standards.

• Knowledge of Linux, Python, MATLAB, EPICS.

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 delivering 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 and maintains an open outlook while adjusting and accommodating changes.

• Communication: Ensures effective information flow to various audiences and creates and delivers clear, appropriate 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 his or her job.

• Given the nature of this position, SLAC will require onsite work.

Work Standard:

• 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

• As a national laboratory, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is responsible for adhering to the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 473.1A, which require employees to obtain and maintain a HSPD-12 Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Credential. To obtain this credential, employees must successfully complete the applicable tier of federal background investigation post hire and receive a favorable federal adjudication. The tier of federal background investigation will be determined by job duties and national security or public trust responsibilities associated with the job. All tiers of investigation include a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture within the last 1 to 7 years (depending on the applicable tier of investigation). Illegal drug activities include marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws.

• Classification Title: Staff Engineer 2

• Grade: K, Job Code: 0132

• Duration: Regular Continuing

The expected pay range for this position is $134,906 - $164,965 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 Affluent 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.