Lead Electrical Engineer, EIC Controls Systems - Brookhaven National Laboratory

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) was recently chosen as the building site for the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), a one-of-a-kind nuclear physics research facility.  The EIC will be a discovery machine for unlocking the secrets of the “glue” that binds the building blocks of visible matter in the universe. The machine design is based on the existing and highly optimized RHIC Ion-Ion collider.   It will consist of two intersecting accelerators, one producing an intense beam of electrons, the other a beam of protons or heavier atomic nuclei which are steered into collisions.  Beyond sparking scientific discoveries in a new frontier of fundamental physics, the Electron-Ion Collider will trigger technological breakthroughs that have broad-ranging impact on human health and national challenges.

Position Description

The successful applicant will provide engineering effort, leadership, strategic planning, and organization for a team that is responsible for the electrical and mechanical design, construction, testing, and support of core hardware infrastructure for the EIC Controls System.  This will include the Timing and Machine Protection Systems link generation and distribution equipment, as well as interfaces to critical equipment supported by other EIC Groups (ex. Power Supply & Beam Instrumentation controls).  Work activities may include software interface development for the same systems, in conjunction with a software development and IT team in the EIC Controls Group.  This position will report to the EIC Controls Group Leader.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain a strategic plan for hardware systems development, prototyping, testing and installation that helps achieve the project milestones for EIC.  This includes understanding requirements for Controls and other stakeholders, coordinating implementation plans, supporting internal and external technical reviews, and sharing status updates with Controls and other affected groups.  Cost and scheduling of all such activities will be tracked on a monthly basis.

• Support the technical development of all hardware systems under Control’s responsibility, including providing regular oversight of hardware development efforts by personnel contributing to Controls hardware projects.  Develop best practices and procedures that are required for meeting development, prototyping, testing, installation, and commissioning goals of all EIC hardware platforms. Controls will support a standardized platform for RF, Instrumentation, Vacuum, Power Supply systems as well as other accelerator equipment at the EIC Complex.

• Develop and support EIC hardware that will make extensive use of XILINX FPGA-based electronics and infrastructure supporting high performance distributed time synchronization systems, data distribution and analysis, as well as machine protection analysis and distribution. 

• Collaborate with all stakeholders on the project, including across disciplines: engineering staff, technicians, physicists, administrators, management, contractors, and all others that they may need to interact with as a part of their work activities.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Bachelor’s or more advanced degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or in a related field

• Minimum of ten years of experience in digital electronics design, including development experience in a complex computing environment, to include:

  • A minimum of five years of experience overseeing complex electronics designs

  • A minimum of five years of experience supporting high speed communication systems

  • A minimum of five years of experience of developing systems based on FPGAs

• Demonstrated ability to communicate with others, including through technical writing

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• A master’s or more advanced degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or in a related field

• Experience working with Particle Accelerator controls or similar distributed systems, especially involving the use or development of hardware and software interfaces

• Experience supporting timing generation and distribution systems

• Experience with analog circuitry design and development, including ADCs, DACs and Power Supply regulation applications and SPICE simulation software

• Experience implementing digital signal processing using FPGAs

• Experience using XILINX Vivado/Vitis design flow.

• Familiarity with high-speed digital PCB design and field simulation software

• Experience using high speed data transceivers in modern FPGAs

• Experience supervising a team of engineers

Environmental, Health & Safety Requirements:

• Must be comfortable working in industrial, construction and radiation environments.

• Will require occasional climbing ladders, moderate lifting, working in the vicinity of operating machinery, exposure to noise, and the willingness to wear proper PPE.

• Will be required to become a qualified Radiation Worker.

• May be required to occasionally work off-hours, nights and/or weekends to support mission critical projects.

Other Information:

• Occasional travel expected in support of publicizing work within the industry and coordinating with vendor

Brookhaven Laboratory is committed to providing fair, equitable and competitive compensation. The full salary range for this position is $125650 - $187400 / year. Salary offers will be commensurate with the final candidate’s qualification, education and experience and considered with the internal peer group.