Senior DAQ Hardware Engineer

Requisition Id 15450

Overview:

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) and the High-Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) are world-leading facilities producing neutrons for science. We are seeking a Senior DAQ Hardware Engineer in the Data Acquisition Hardware Group who will use your skills architecting, constructing and programming data acquisition hardware systems composed of field programmable gate array (FPGA) devices, multi-core computer processors and in-network computing. You will have ample opportunity in these areas for on-the-job training, and you will take part in ensuring the proper operation of these systems for both facilities.

As part of our team, you will work closely with other group members and interface with external scientific users, instrument scientists, and scientific associates at HFIR and SNS. You will also work with other technical groups including data acquisition software, information systems, detector development, data reduction and data analysis software developers. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with system architects and builders at other international facilities and with the scientific user community. This position resides in the DAQ Hardware Group in the Neutron Instrument Technologies Section, Neutron Technologies Division, Neutron Sciences Directorate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an impressive 80-year legacy of addressing the nation's most pressing challenges. Our team is made up of over 7,000 dedicated and innovative individuals Our goal is to create an environment where a variety of perspectives and backgrounds are valued, ensuring ORNL is known as a top choice for employment. These principles are essential for supporting our broader mission to drive scientific breakthroughs and translate them into solutions for energy, environmental, and security challenges facing the nation.

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

• Develop hardware, FPGA firmware and embedded software for real-time data acquisition systems.
• Support the scientific mission of HFIR and SNS by designing, developing, testing, supporting, maintaining and troubleshooting a variety of new hardware for reliable neutron instrument data acquisition and control systems.
• Collaborate with group members and scientific staff in the successful operation of currently installed and newly developed systems.
• Provide documentation and training for electronic system operation. Maintain design files and software code in a central repository using a version control system. Develop and use software quality assurance procedures.
• Provide operational support for the Instrument Data Acquisition and Controls system.
• This position operates during typical daytime office hours, but some off-hours and weekend support is required to support the 24/7 operational needs of the HFIR and SNS.
• Deliver ORNL's mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote equal opportunity by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• BS in engineering, science, or physics plus 15 years relevant experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in at least one of the following: data acquisition systems engineering for scientific research or, design of digital signal processing systems for high-speed data acquisition for scientific user facilities.
• Ten or more years leading FPGA firmware development with AMD/Xilinx FPGAs in VHDL with the Vivado tool suite including demonstrated expertise in high-speed data acquisition, clocking architectures, I/O buffers, SERDES, PCIe, MGTs, and timing closure.
• Fluency with standard laboratory tools including oscilloscope, multimeter, function generator, protocol analyzer
• Demonstrated success in working with a multi-disciplinary team in a dynamic environment.
• Experience with collaborative development tools (version control, issue tracking, task-based workflow, and documentation).

Preferred Qualifications:

• MS or PhD equivalent in engineering, science, or physics.
• Proficiency in time synchronization protocols (e.g., GPS, White Rabbit, IEEE 1588 PTP, event timing systems) and precision timing distribution.
• Experience with PCB schematic capture & layout tools such as Cadence, Mentor Graphics, Altium, or KiCAD.
• Experience implementing DSP algorithms on FPGAs.
• Experience with Vivado High-Level Synthesis (HLS) implementations.
• Working knowledge of C++/C, Python, Verilog.
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory.
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever changing needs.

Security, Credentialing, and Eligibility Requirements:

• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain an HSPD-12 PIV badge.
• For employment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a Real ID compliant form of identification will be required.
• Additionally, ORNL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as mandated by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 473.1A, which requires a favorable post-employment background investigation.
• To obtain this credential, new employees must successfully complete and pass a Federal Tier 1 background check investigation. This investigation includes a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture within the last year. This includes marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws.

For foreign national candidates:

• If you have not resided in the U.S. for three consecutive years, you are not eligible for the PIV credential and instead will need to obtain a favorable Local Site Specific Only (LSSO) risk determination to maintain employment.
• Once you meet the three-year residency requirement, you will be required to obtain a PIV credential to maintain employment.

Benefits at ORNL:

We offer competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain hardworking people The laboratory offers many employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to help you and your family live happy and healthy. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also provided for convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, and Employee Discounts. Relocation Assistance is available for certain positions.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email:

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

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ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply. UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.