Optics Engineer

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top 100 universities. The University has around 46 000 students and more than 8 000 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.


Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard gender equality and diversity as a strength and an asset.




Your team
The Beamline Office is a group within the Science Division at MAX IV comprising three teams that address different tasks and responsibilities, all focusing on providing high-end support to beamlines at all stages, ranging from proposed projects to full user operation.

The Optics engineer would join the X-ray optics team that defines, assembles, and maintains X-ray mirrors, gratings, crystals, apertures, and lenses, then used to shape and deliver the X-ray light to the experiment. The team maintains an X-ray optics lab where state-of-the-art optical systems are assembled and measured for.

MAX IV is looking for an optics engineer who will take the lead when handling delicate X-ray optics as it is mounted or dismounted from the beamlines. The Optics installation inside the vacuum chambers is primarily done on-site at the Optics lab, during the project phase of each beamline. However, maintenance or upgrades to the optics systems are often needed as the beamlines age.
The beamlines are very complex machines with high precision; during commissioning, the beamline teams often do not reach the full extent of the specified capabilities. To understand these limitations, the optics team supports the beamline teams with ray tracing, heat calculations, etc, to further optimize alignment or improve the initial design. They also support the beamlines as the optics age; further performance degradation can be observed due to optics surface coating and heat-transfer degradation. The engineer within the optics team is expected to support the beamlines to maintain high efficiency.

Your main work tasks will be

- Take the lead when handling delicate X-ray optics as it is mounted or dismounted from the beamlines.
- Work with the beamlines for cleaning/maintenance of X-ray optics.
- Support in characterization and quality assurance routines of X-ray optics.
- Support new beamline projects during the design phase with e.g. ray-tracing simulations.
- Support internal and external users of the metrology lab.
- Partake in support of the beamlines for characterization of beamline optics by ray tracing.
- Collaborate with the optics team to plan and execute the increasing amount of optics-related projects (e.g. polarisation control, heat load and stability, corrosion prevention).
- Partake and represent MAX IV in different collaboration initiatives with other facilities.

To be successful in this role you need to have the following qualifications

- Ph.D. or engineering background combined with documented experience in X-ray optics design (X-ray simulations).
- Demonstrated experience with handling X-ray optics and instrumentation in UHV conditions.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently
- Good command of the English language, good communication, and team working skills

Below are seen as merits

- Experience with different types of nano focusing optics for synchrotron radiation.
- Working knowledge of 2D/3D CAD/CAM software
- Experience in service and maintenance of cryogenic systems.

As a person, you are organized, take initiative, and enjoy the combination of being 'hands-on' while having a deep theoretical of X-ray optics.  

What we offer
When you join our MAX IV family, you step into a world of front edge science. We make the invisible visible by supporting scientist from all over the world, generating scientific results for the benefit of society. We offer you a multicultural work environment with great opportunities for personal development with respect for a healthy work-life balance.

Would you like to work in a challenging and supporting environment? Then join us and take the opportunity to make a real difference!

For further information, please visit:
https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/about-lund-university/work-lund-university
http://www.sweden.se
https://www.maxiv.lu.se/about-us/careers/compensation-benefits/

Probationary period may apply. 

On call services may apply.



MAX IV is a Swedish national large-scale research laboratory hosted by Lund University. It provides scientists from Sweden as well as internationally, with state-of-the-art instrumentation for research in areas such as engineering, physics, structural biology, chemistry and nanotechnology. It will receive up to 2 000 scientists annually, conducting ground-breaking experiments in materials and life sciences using the brilliant X-ray light.

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