Assistant Optical Engineer in the Centre for Advanced Instrumentation

The Role and the Department

The Department of Physics at Durham University is one of the leading UK Physics departments with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our students.

The Department is committed to advancing equality and we aim to ensure that our culture is inclusive, and that our systems support flexible and family-friendly working, as recognized by our Juno Champion and Athena SWAN Silver awards. We recognise and value the benefits of diversity throughout our staff and students.

The Centre for Advanced Instrumentation (CfAI) is a major research group in the Department of Physics with approximately sixty staff and research students. It has established a pre-eminent reputation in the development of complex instrumentation for high profile national and international collaborative projects. The group is distributed across two physical locations in the Durham area. Firstly there is the Department of Physics located in Durham itself, with its world leading reputation in academic research. Secondly, there is a dedicated technology facility based at NETpark in nearby Sedgefield, providing access to unrivalled technical facilities for the assembly and test of complex instrumentation.

CfAI develops state-of-the-art instruments and sub-systems for applications across a wide range of disciplines including astronomical instrumentation, biophysics, remote sensing and fusion diagnostics. For example, CfAI has provided major instruments for many of the world's leading astronomical facilities including the Anglo-Australian Telescope, William Herschel Telescope, Gemini Telescopes, Magellan Telescope, the Very Large Telescope and Southern African Large Telescope. CfAI is also currently involved in developing instruments for the Extremely Large Telescope.

An opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Optical Engineer to support the development of a range of astronomical, space-based and other instrument programmes. The appointee will undertake optical design & development activities within a varied portfolio of projects.