Graduate Commissioning Engineer Programme 2026

European Spallation Source ERIC

The European Spallation Source (ESS) is one of the largest science and technology infrastructure projects being built today. It will provide researchers with unique opportunities to explore the structure of materials at the atomic level. Neutron scattering at ESS will address critical questions in physics, chemistry, geology, materials science and life science. We are now looking for an Instrument Scientist for the HEIMDAL powder diffractometer. The position is with the Diffraction & Imaging Division. About the division The Diffraction & Imaging Division consists of the scientific staff that are leading the instrument construction projects and the staff that will eventually execute the day-to-day operations of six neutron instruments. The upcoming responsibilities of the division are Finalize the installation and commissioning of all instruments in the division Deliver state-of-the-art scientific capabilities for internal and external users to enable the wider science community to advance science and technology Deliver scientific results from the neutron instruments in collaboration with the user community and other divisions in the science directorate Plan and implement further developments and upgrades of the instruments Push the state-of-the-art capabilities of neutron instrumentation to make maximum benefit from the ESS source. Main Responsibilities HEIMDAL is a multiscale diffractometer that, in its full scope, will enable studies of functional materials across a wide range of length scales, from conventional powder diffraction to the small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) regime (possible future upgrade). The construction of the diffractometer part of the instrument is ongoing and expected to be completed in 2027. The immediate mission is to finalize the installation of the instrument and take part in the commissioning of the instrument without and with neutrons. The instrument scientist will work closely with the core instrument team at ESS, comprising another instrument scientist, an instrument computational scientist, and an instrument operational engineer, and in strong interaction with partner institutions and ESS technical services. The successful candidate must be active in a scientific field of direct relevance to HEIMDAL. Essential qualifications and experience: PhD in experimental studies in the physical sciences relevant to the HEIMDAL scientific programme, preferably in energy or nanoscaled materials. Practical experience in neutron powder diffraction Working knowledge of the data analysis for diffraction software GSAS-II, TOPAS, FullProf, Jana2006, PDFgui Evidence of an independent research profile in relevant science areas supported by a publication record Ability to work collaboratively and individually Good interpersonal communication and presentation skills, and the ability to interact effectively with staff and users at all levels. Flexibility to requests to work out-of-hours to support users Responsible attitude to personal safety and the safety of others Willingness to international travel Desirable experience: Experience with user operation at a large-scale neutron facility Experience with time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction Experience with PDF and ideally SANS measurements Practical experience in operating complex sample environments relating to neutron powder diffraction. Experience of working in an international environment is preferred and excellent oral and written English skills are prerequisites. Our work environment is characterised by fast growth, a fast pace of work, and an international atmosphere with highly skilled personnel. You must therefore enjoy the diversity of such an environment and have a personality suited for the challenges it presents. Our work environment is exciting and forward-thinking and relies heavily on personal initiative. Duration & Location The position is a 3 year fixed term role and the workplace will be situated in Lund, Sweden. Travelling is expected if the need arises. Application & Contact 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, individualised compensation which is differentiated according to role, responsibilities, individual skills, abilities and achievements as well as monthly pension contributions on top of your salary. If you see yourself in what we're looking for, please provide your CV and motivation letter in English by clicking on "apply" and follow 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, no later than August 16, 2026. The recruitment process will have one round of initial interviews via Zoom in end of August and beginning of September and onsite interviews at ESS in the end of September and beginning of October. Part of the onsite interview will be to hold a scientific talk (seminar) that will be open to all ESS employees. This role requires additional background screening processes and health and safety checks, which will be performed during the recruitment process. For further information regarding the position, please contact Talent Acquisition Specialist Louise Jönegård on louise.jonegardmailto:email@ess.eu or Hiring Manager Mikhail Feygenson on mailto:mikhail.feygenson@ess.eu. For trade union information, please contact Unionen representative Nuno Elias on mailto:nuno.elias@ess.eu or SACO/Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers representative Marc Kickulies at mailto:marc.kickulies@ess.eu We look forward to receiving your applications soon!

European Spallation Source ERIC

The European Spallation Source (ESS) is one of the largest science and technology infrastructure projects being built today. It will provide researchers with unique opportunities to explore the structure of materials at the atomic level. Neutron scattering at ESS will address critical questions in physics, chemistry, geology, materials science and life science. We are now looking for an Instrument Scientist for the DREAM powder diffractometer. The position is with the Diffraction & Imaging Division.   About the division  The Diffraction & Imaging Division consists of the scientific staff that are leading the instrument construction projects and the staff that will eventually execute the day-to-day operations of six neutron instruments. The upcoming responsibilities of the division are  Finalize the installation and commissioning of all instruments in the division Deliver state-of-the-art scientific capabilities for internal and external users to enable the wider science community to advance science and technology  Deliver scientific results from the neutron instruments in collaboration with the user community and other divisions in the science directorate  Plan and implement further developments and upgrades of the instruments Push the state-of-the-art capabilities of neutron instrumentation to make maximum benefit from the ESS source.     Main Responsibilities   The DREAM instrument is a neutron powder diffractometer that offers great flexibility for crystal and magnetic structure studies of ordered and disordered materials. The construction of the instrument is completed. The immediate mission is to commission the instrument with neutrons. Commissioning with neutrons is expected to begin in 2027 and continue through 2028, after which the instrument will transition into operation within the ESS user programme. The instrument scientist will work closely with the core instrument team at ESS, comprising another instrument scientist, an instrument computational scientist, and an instrument operational engineer, and in strong interaction with partner institutions and ESS technical services. The successful candidate must be active in a scientific field of direct relevance to DREAM.     Essential qualifications and experience:   PhD in experimental studies in the physical sciences relevant to the DREAM scientific programme, preferably in energy or nanoscaled materials.  Practical experience in neutron powder diffraction   Working knowledge of the data analysis for diffraction software GSAS-II, TOPAS, FullProf, Jana2006, PDFgui  Evidence of an independent research profile in relevant science areas supported by a publication record   Ability to work collaboratively and individually  Good interpersonal communication and presentation skills, and the ability to interact effectively with staff and users at all levels.  Flexibility to requests to work out-of-hours to support users  Responsible attitude to personal safety and the safety of others  Willingness to international travel      Desirable experience:  Experience with user operation at a large-scale neutron facility  Experience with time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction   Experience with pair-distribution function (PDF) measurements   Practical experience in operating complex sample environments relating to neutron powder diffraction.  Experience of working in an international environment is preferred and excellent oral and written English skills are prerequisites. Our work environment is characterised by fast growth, a fast pace of work, and an international atmosphere with highly skilled personnel. You must therefore enjoy the diversity of such an environment and have a personality suited for the challenges it presents. Our work environment is exciting and forward thinking and relies heavily on personal initiative.    Duration & Location  The position is a 3 year fixed term role and the workplace will be situated in Lund, Sweden. Travelling is expected if the need arises.    Application & Contact  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, individualised compensation which is differentiated according to role, responsibilities, individual skills, abilities and achievements as well as monthly pension contributions on top of your salary.  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, no later than August 16, 2026.  The recruitment process will have one round of initial interviews via Zoom in end of August and beginning of September and onsite interviews at ESS in the end of September. Part of the onsite interview will be to hold a scientific talk (seminar) that will be open to all ESS employees.   This role requires additional background screening processes and health and safety checks, which will be performed during the recruitment process.  For further information regarding the position, please contact Talent Acquisition Specialist Louise Jönegård on louise.jonegardmailto:email@ess.eu or Hiring Manager Mikhail Feygenson on mailto:mikhail.feygenson@ess.eu.    For trade union information, please contact Unionen representative Nuno Elias on mailto:nuno.elias@ess.eu or SACO/Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers representative Marc Kickulies at mailto:marc.kickulies@ess.eu   We look forward to receiving your applications soon!

European Spallation Source ERIC

The European Spallation Source (ESS) will soon be the world’s most powerful source of neutrons, providing researchers with unique opportunities to explore the structure of materials at the atomic level. Neutron scattering at ESS will address critical questions in physics, chemistry, geology, materials science and life science.   The Science Directorate at the European Spallation Source (ESS) invites applications for an instrument scientist for the dedicated Test beamline (TBL).   The Diffraction and Imaging Division is home to the instrument scientists and instrument operational engineers responsible for designing, constructing, and operating the DREAM, MAGiC, BEER, HEIMDAL, ODIN, and TBL instruments at ESS. New designs for a wide range of neutron instruments are being implemented to fully leverage the unique long-pulse time structure of the ESS neutron source.   The primary purpose of TBL is characterizing the target-reflector-moderator system and verifying the performance of the neutron source based on operating parameters such as proton beam energy, stability, pulse length, and beam rastering, as well as the moderator conditions. An important aspect of this work will be comparing the measured and simulated neutronic performance of the moderator, providing a crucial reference for various neutron scattering instruments. Additionally, the TBL will contribute to optimizing instruments and methods to fully exploit the unique long-pulse time structure of the ESS neutron source. The TBL will function as a local characterization station, supporting technical developments in areas such as neutron optics, polarization, and novel detectors. It is designed to support the user program by performing exploratory imaging experiments, neutron diffraction studies, and single-crystal alignment. Due to the flexibility of the instrument, a variety of detectors and sample environments can be fitted inside the experimental cave, allowing multipurpose measurements on not only thermal neutrons but also epithermal/fast neutrons and gamma rays. This includes but is not limited to a well-established technique such as time-of-flight transmission measurements, neutron tomography, neutron activation analysis, grating interferometry, etc. As the facility evolves, the modular design of the TBL will allow for modifications to meet new objectives, ensuring its continued relevance and utility in advancing neutron science. The construction of TBL is completed and the team prepares the instrument for the first neutrons.   About the role:  As the instrument scientist for TBL you will: Work closely with another scientist and the instrument operations engineer, forming the core instrument team. Participate in commissioning of the TBL beamline with neutrons. Develop a diagnostic plan for ESS Operation via the utilization of TBL Develop and implement new experimental methods using the TBL, including (but not limited to) spectroscopic imaging, diffractive imaging, polarized neutron imaging, grating interferometry, neutron depth profiling, prompt-gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA), and advanced sample environments, etc. Develop synergies with other neutron facilities and build links with universities.   The position is a 3-year fixed term role and the workplace will be situated in Lund, Sweden. ESS will support and encourage the candidate to take up an adjunct position at a university in an ESS partner country, in order to facilitate their own research.    Please read about the qualifications and experience needed for this position in the full job advertisement on ESS webpage: https://europeanspallationsource.se/careers/vacancies?rmpage=job&rmjob=2026&rmlang=UK   To apply: 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, individualised compensation which is differentiated according to role, responsibilities, individual skills, abilities and achievements as well as monthly pension contributions on top of your salary.   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, so submit your application as soon as you can. The last date for receiving applications is August 16th 2026.   For further information regarding the position, please contact Talent Acquisition Specialist Sofie Berg on sofie.berg@ess.eu or Hiring Manager Head of Diffraction & Imaging Division, Mikhail Feygenson on Mikhail.Feygenson@ess.eu   Please note that it might take longer than normal to answer questions due to vacation period.      This role requires enhanced security screening processes which will be performed during the recruitment and onboarding processes.For more information regarding the ESS recruitment process in general, please follow this link: https://europeanspallationsource.se/careers. For trade union information, please contact Unionen representative Nerusha Naicker on Nerusha.Naicker@ess.eu or SACO/Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers representative Marc Kickulies at Marc.Kickulies@ess.eu