XFEL Controls & Data Systems Engineer

SLAC; Menlo Park (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, CA seeks a Controls and Data Systems Integration Engineer to design, implement, and sustain advanced hardware and software for scientific instrumentation. The role focuses on distributed control and data acquisition systems across detectors, motion control, vacuum, timing, and laser diagnostics.

You will lead architecture and integration efforts, collaborate with scientists and engineers, and drive upgrades to meet evolving experimental

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree plus at least three years of relevant experience in scientific instrumentation, control systems, software development, or systems engineering.
• Ability to quickly learn and apply a broad range of hardware and software systems.
• Strong programming skills in C/C++ and Python in Linux/Unix environments.
• Strong written and oral communication skills for a research setting.
• Proven skills in project management, planning, prioritization, and organization.
• Ability to understand the scientific function of complex instrumentation.

Responsibilities

• Plan, execute, and validate experimental system installations with requirements development, ICDs, commissioning, and acceptance testing.
• Manage full lifecycle of controls and data systems: design, commissioning, operation, upgrades, and sustainment.
• Design and maintain architectures spanning PLCs, fieldbus I/O, embedded controllers, timing systems, and Linux-based IOCs.
• Develop EPICS-based control and data acquisition software, including device support and operator interfaces; maintain documentation.
• Integrate and support controls and data systems hardware and software across detectors, motion systems, vacuum, lasers, and facility infrastructure.
• Collaborate with scientists and data engineers to optimize data acquisition, metadata handling, and data flows.

Skills

C/C++

Python

Project management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in physics, computer science, engineering, or a related field

Tools

EPICS

Job description

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, CA seeks a Controls and Data Systems Integration Engineer to design, implement, and sustain advanced hardware and software for scientific instrumentation. The role focuses on distributed control and data acquisition systems across detectors, motion control, vacuum, timing, and laser diagnostics.

You will lead architecture and integration efforts, collaborate with scientists and engineers, and drive upgrades to meet evolving experimental