Arbetsbeskrivning

The European Spallation Source is one of the largest science and technology infrastructure projects being built today. The project includes the most powerful linear proton accelerator ever built, a five-tonne, helium-cooled tungsten target wheel, 15 state-of-the-art neutron instruments, a suite of laboratories, and a super-computing data management and software development centre. In the context of its history and future as a scientific organisation, however, it is more than the sum of its parts. It is a brand-new Big Science organisation, built from the ground up.

Come and shape the future of Science with us!

About the role:

ESS is at an exciting turning point. It is in transition from being a construction site, to being an operating facility. To help us realise our goal of being the most powerful neutron source in the world, we are now looking for an Instrument Scientist for Polarised SANS to join our Large Scale Structures Division.

SKADI is a polarised small-angle neutron scattering instrument designed specifically with the needs of the complex soft matter, materials science, and hard condensed matter communities in mind. You will be supported by the SKADI team including the lead scientist, data scientist, operations engineer, and our in-kind partners - Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ) and Laboratoire Léon Brillouin (LLB). Your role will include developing the hard condensed matter programme for the instrument, performing hot commissioning activities, and preparing the polarised SANS capabilities of the instrument for user operations, including specifying data processing and data analysis requirements for polarised SANS.

The SKADI instrument team are responsible for completion of installation of the instrument, for commissioning of the instrument, both with and without neutrons, and for planning and implementation of further developments and upgrades of the instrument. The team will make delivery of state-of-the-art scientific capabilities for internal and external users to enable the wider science community to advance science and technology and for pushing the state-of-the-art capabilities of polarised SANS.

Responsibilities as an Instrument Scientist for Polarised SANS:

• Work with the SKADI team, and our in-kind partners FZJ and LLB, to plan and execute the instrument cold and hot commissioning.
• Support the user programme at ESS by performing local contacting duties and collaborative research.
• Help to prepare "Early Science" experiments to be carried out during the initial operation phase of ESS that will demonstrate the capabilities of SKADI.
• Provide expertise in the scientific application of polarised SANS and polarised SANS method development, including working with scientists from other divisions.
• Working with the Polarisation team on the development of 3He and solid state polariser and analyser solutions.
• Continue and develop your own research in line with the SKADI science case.
• Establish and maintain collaborations with universities, laboratories and other relevant actors.
• Engage with the international SANS community, e.g. through presentations at conferences/workshops and experiments at other facilities.
• Supervise postdocs and students as needed.

This is a full-time/fixed-term (around 3 years) position based at the ESS Campus in Lund, Sweden.

About you:

We require that you have:

• PhD in the physical sciences with research interests and publication record aligned with the hard condensed matter and polarised SANS aspects of the SKADI instrument science case.
• Experience and technical interest in polarised SANS, preferably using time-of-flight techniques
• Detailed knowledge of polarised SANS data treatment and modeling.
• Ability to work in a team with people of a variety of disciplines in an international collaboration.
• Excellent oral and written English skills

The project requires occasional travel between ESS and partner facilities, why it´s important that you have the flexibility to travel.

It's beneficial if you also have experience from operation and development of neutron instrumentation and/or instrument control, if you have programming experience in Python And/or complementary experience from and competence in X-ray reflectometry or grazing-incidence scattering.

A career at ESS gives you the opportunity to contribute to the future discoveries within neutron science at a stunning, brand-new workplace filled with innovative minds and brilliant people from across the globe. We offer market competitive, individualized compensation which is differentiated according to role, responsibilities, individual skills, abilities and achievements as well as monthly pension contributions on top of your salary. You can learn more about the exciting benefits of working at ESS on our https://ess.eu/careers.

To apply:

If you see yourself in what we're looking for, please provide your CV and motivation letter in English by clicking on "apply" and following the instructions. Please be aware that we can only accept direct applications made via the ESS website. Submit your application as soon as you can, last day to apply is on the 20th of May 2026.

This role requires additional background screening processes and health and safety checks, which will be performed during the recruitment and onboarding processes.

For further information regarding the recruitment process, please contact Talent Acquisition Specialist Sofie Berg on mailto:[email protected]

For information about the position, please contact Head of Division Large Scale Structures Andrew Jackson on mailto:[email protected]

For trade union information, please contact Unionen representative Nerusha Naicker on mailto:erusha. [email protected] or SACO/Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers representative Marc Kickulies at mailto:[email protected]