Accelerator Scientist & Radiation Laboratory Facility Supervisor

Job no: 530329
Position type: Staff Full Time
Benefit Status: Benefited-Union
Campus: UMass Lowell
Department: Physics and Applied Physics
Salary: See posting section for salary range details.
Applications Open: Sep 29 2026
Applications Close: Open until filled

General Summary of Position:

The UMass Lowell Radiation Laboratory invites applications for an Accelerator Scientist and Facility Supervisor to provide scientific, technical, and operational support for the laboratory’s 5.5-MV Van de Graaff accelerator facility. The position combines hands-on responsibility for the safe, reliable, and effective operation of the accelerator with a research facing role supporting faculty, students, postdoctoral researchers, external users, and industry collaborators.

The successful candidate will operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and improve the accelerator and associated systems; support experimental research and facility users; train and mentor accelerator operators and student researchers; and contribute to the continued development of the facility. The position will also provide opportunities to contribute to grant proposals, technical reports, publications, and collaborative research projects and to participate in the development of new experimental capabilities, facility upgrades, and future accelerator initiatives.

The UMass Lowell Radiation Laboratory is a multidisciplinary research facility supporting university research and education as well as government and industry partnerships. The laboratory includes both a 5.5-MV Van de Graaff accelerator facility and a 1-MW Research Reactor, providing a distinctive environment for nuclear science, detector development, radiation effects studies, materials research, instrumentation development, and workforce training.

The Accelerator Scientist and Facility Supervisor provides scientific, technical, and operational support for the 5.5-MV Van de Graaff accelerator facility and associated beamlines within the UMass Lowell Radiation Laboratory. The position combines hands-on responsibility for safe and reliable accelerator performance with a research-facing role that supports faculty, students, postdoctoral researchers, external users, and industry collaborators.

Working under the direction of the Associate Director for the accelerator facility, the staff member is expected to maintain and improve accelerator operations, develop new capabilities, contribute to proposals and technical reports, mentor operators and trainees, and help shape future initiatives such as major upgrades or acquisition of new accelerator capabilities.

Accelerator Scientist and Facility Supervisor-Job Description.pdf

Minimum Qualifications (Required):

Education:

• Ph.D. in nuclear physics, accelerator physics, applied physics, nuclear engineering, electrical engineering, or a closely related discipline; or a master's or bachelor’s degree with substantial directly relevant accelerator experience and demonstrated readiness to perform at a comparable level.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of experience is preferred.
• Hands-on experience operating, maintaining, troubleshooting, or commissioning a charged-particle accelerator or comparable high-voltage/high-vacuum research system.
• Experience supporting experiments, users, or research programs in a laboratory, user-facility, or comparable technical setting.

Skills:

• Ability to diagnose and resolve complex technical problems independently and in collaboration with faculty, researchers, students, and technical staff.
• Working knowledge of accelerator operations, beam tuning, instrumentation, radiation safety practices, and laboratory documentation.
• Ability to mentor and train users and student personnel in a safe, inclusive, and research-productive environment.

Additional Considerations:

• Experience with Van de Graaff, tandem, Pelletron, compact cyclotron, or other small-to-mid-scale research accelerators.
• Experience with one or more of the following: electrostatic accelerators, ion sources, RF or pulsed systems, beam transport hardware, diagnostics, controls, vacuum systems, electronics, or data-acquisition systems.
• Machining, electrical and electronic expertise, hydraulics, pneumatics, cryogenic liquids, high pressure gasses, high-vacuum systems.
• Record of peer-reviewed research, technical publications, or presentations in nuclear science, accelerator science, or a closely related area.
• Experience contributing to grant proposals, sponsored research, user-facility development, or externally funded technical projects.
• Experience supervising or coordinating students, operators, or technical personnel.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to contribute to proposals, technical documentation, and presentations.
• Experience planning or leading upgrades, new diagnostics, commissioning activities, or capital equipment acquisition.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Only Internal Professional (SEIU 888 Professional Union) Bargaining candidates will be considered during the first 10 business days of the posting. All other candidates will be considered after that period.

This position is full-time, benefited and in the SEIU professional union in grade P21. Anticipated salary based on qualifications within the range: minimum: $94,293 25th quartile: $108,437 and midpoint: $122,581.

Initial review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. However, the position may close when an adequate number of qualified applications is received.

Please include a resume and cover letter with your application. Names and contact information of three references will be required during the application process.

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