About Us
Diamond Light Source serves as the UK’s national synchrotron science facility. By accelerating electrons to nearly the speed of light, Diamond produces incredibly intense beams of light, spanning from infra-red to X-rays, which are utilized in research and development across numerous scientific fields. These include structural biology, physics, chemistry, materials science, engineering, earth sciences, and environmental sciences, benefiting both academia and industry.
Software development plays a vital role in enabling Diamond’s cutting-edge scientific advances. Our software systems manage every aspect of operations: from low-level control of synchrotron and beamline hardware to the planning, execution, and monitoring of experiments. They also handle data archiving, retrieval, processing, and visualization, in addition to enabling the application process for beamtime and capturing remote experiment plans and samples. Our software engineers work collaboratively with scientists to create innovative, reliable solutions that maintain Diamond’s standing as a leader in scientific research.
About the Role
We are seeking a Software Developer to join the Scientific Information Management Systems (SIMS) group at Diamond. This team is responsible for supporting and redeveloping key administrative systems that serve our scientific users.
The current User Administration System (UAS) acts as the gateway to Diamond for thousands of international scientific users. This bespoke system facilitates the management of complex workflows, enabling staff at Diamond to allocate scientific resources to researchers worldwide. UAS is central to a broader ecosystem of services and plays an essential role in Diamond’s operational success. However, as the platform nears the end of its lifecycle, we are embarking on the exciting challenge of building its next-generation replacement.
Key Responsibilities:
- Design and develop new micro-services and websites to meet future operational needs.
- Contribute to the overall architecture of Diamond’s scientific software systems.
- Develop integrations with third-party systems, both internal and external, to support the international scientific community.
- Support the User Office by closely interacting with scientific team leaders and senior beamline staff. This includes diagnosing and resolving faults, addressing escalated technical issues, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality service and outputs.
- Collaborate with the SIMS team to develop, maintain, and improve user administration software in partnership with Scientific Computing and other departments.
- Work with internal and external stakeholders to enhance software systems, ensuring they are robust, adaptable, and user-friendly for developers.
- Apply technical expertise to identify opportunities for improving processes and technical solutions across the beamlines supported by the team.
About You
You will have a degree in engineering, computer science, or equivalent professional experience, and demonstrable knowledge and experience in the following areas:
Essential Skills:
- Expertise in JavaScript, HTML, and CSS for web application development, with proficiency in modern JavaScript frameworks like React and Next.js.
- A portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing previous work on web applications and dashboards, especially SaaS products, B2B platforms, internal web tools, or data-intensive systems.
- Strong technical understanding of software engineering practices, including source control, code reviews, and continuous integration.
- Familiarity with SCRUM and Agile methodologies for software development.
Desirable Skills (not required):
- Knowledge of service-oriented architectures and microservices design.
- Experience using design tools like Figma or Sketch.
- Exposure to JavaScript testing frameworks (e.g., Jest, Vitest, Cypress, Jasmine, etc.).
- Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines and techniques.
- Familiarity with GraphQL, OpenAPI specifications, JSON Schema, and SQL/NoSQL databases.
- Experience working with MonoRepo structures (e.g., TurboRepo).
- Experience with API development using Python frameworks such as FastAPI.
Benefits
Diamond prioritizes a healthy work-life balance and supports its staff with an extensive benefits package, including:
- 26 days of annual leave, in addition to public holidays, Christmas closure, and 2 annual volunteering days.
- Flexible working hours to suit individual needs.
- A competitive defined benefit pension scheme.
- Access to on-site facilities such as a nursery, cafes, restaurant, and sports and leisure amenities.
- Relocation support (where applicable).
This role offers a hybrid working model, with a minimum requirement of 3 days per week on-site.
To Apply
Please apply via our online application process, detailing why you are the best candidate for this role.
Closing Date: 9th November 2025
Note: Applications may be reviewed, and interviews conducted prior to this date, so early submission is encouraged