Organizational Overview

The mission of the Collider-Accelerator Department (C-AD) is to operate, maintain, improve, and upgrade the suite of electron, proton, and heavy ion accelerators used to carry out a program of accelerator-based experiments at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). To support this program, the C-AD must design, fabricate, assemble, test, install, and operate unique research equipment to generate, transport, transfer, accelerate, focus, track, collide, and absorb high intensity particle beams up to energies of 250 GeV.  This includes a combination of custom designed and built parts and vendor produced components developed by a collaboration of the C-AD scientific, engineering, and technical staff. The C-AD supports an international user community of over 1,500 scientists. The C-AD performs all these functions in an environmentally-responsible and safe manner, under a rigorous conduct of operations approach.

Position Description

The Collider-Accelerator Department (C-AD) has an opening for an experienced control system hardware engineer to lead a group of 18 engineers and technicians. Using a mix of custom hardware and commercial off-the-shelf equipment, the group is responsible for designing, developing, and deploying new data acquisition and control systems used in the operation of various accelerators and injectors within the C-AD complex, including the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC).  Additional responsibilities include maintaining and upgrading existing systems already in operation.  The group works closely with controls software staff, engineering staff from other groups, C-AD physicists, and operation specialists. The group also collaborates and supports the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) project, which will build a new, one-of-a-kind nuclear physics research facility based on the existing and highly optimized RHIC.  This position has a high level of interaction with an international and multicultural scientific community.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate experience in planning the work of major engineering projects and systems, and for conceptualizing, planning, and conducting research in engineering areas of significant scope and complexity. Ideally, the successful candidate will demonstrate experience in unusually broad and complex projects, from formulation, development, to finished products using advanced and innovative engineering approaches and techniques. 

This includes, but is not limited to:

• Collaborate with C-AD physicists, engineers, operators, and fellow Controls Group members to understand equipment interface hardware needs at C-AD
• Collaborate and support the development of the EIC controls system hardware interfaces
• Design, develop, test, document, and maintain hardware interfaces as a member of the Controls Hardware Group
• Delegate and oversee the design, development, testing, QA, documentation, and maintenance of equipment hardware interfaces by subordinate group members
• Direct, supervise, and evaluate all efforts of the engineers and technicians of the Controls Hardware Group to efficiently meet the department’s goals and operational needs
• Provide group labor and material estimates as well as scheduling information for department projects

Position Requirements

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field
• 10+ years experience in accelerator or industrial controls to include planning of major projects, scheduling, and direct supervision of engineers and technicians
• Demonstrated digital design expertise, including working with high density gate arrays
• Skilled in the use of computer design tools, including schematic capture and simulation
• Experience with hardware/software integration and system engineering
• Knowledge of generic parallel bus architecture
• Demonstrated troubleshooting ability using common test instrumentation such as oscilloscopes, function generators, analyzers, etc.
• Clear and concise oral, written, and presentation communication skills
• Must be able to work in a team environment within an international and multicultural scientific community

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Experience with analog signal interfacing
• Experience with PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers)
• Experience using LabVIEW programming and National Instruments hardware
• Experience with Machine Learning or Artificial Intelligence
• Experience with EPICS software
• Experience with LINUX
• Experience with higher level programming languages such as C++, Python, etc.
• Prior work experience in a scientific/engineering work environment

OTHER INFORMATION:

• Appointment level will be commensurate with experience and qualifications
• This is an on-site position and a relocation allowance will be provided

At Brookhaven National Laboratory we believe that a comprehensive employee benefits program is an important and meaningful part of the compensation employees receive. Our benefits program includes, but is not limited to:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Care Plans
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Paid Time-off and Leave Programs (vacation, holidays, sick leave, paid parental leave)
• Lab-funded Retirement Plan
• 401(k) Plan
• Flexible Work Arrangements
• Tuition Assistance, Training and Professional Development Programs
• Employee Fitness/Wellness & Recreation:  Gym/Basketball Courts, Weight Room, Fitness Classes, Indoor Pool, Tennis Courts, Sports Clubs/Activities (Basketball, Ping Pong, Softball, Tennis)