Description Science and Technology Facilities Council Salary: £23,493 per annum Contract Type: Fixed Term – 10 weeks Hours: Full-time Location: Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX Closing date: 8 th March 2026 Interview: Onsite in April 2026 Start date: Summer 2026 The Particle Physics Department (PPD) in STFC, is one of the largest Particle Physics groups in the UK. We work with people across the world to understand and discover the fundamental building blocks of the Universe. We design, construct and operate some of the most sensitive scientific instruments in the world, collaborating with partners in academia, industry and international laboratories such as CERN. We currently work with the ATLAS, CMS, LHCb, DUNE, Hyper-K, T2K, MICE, Lux-Zeplin, DEAP-3600, CERN DRDs, Electron Ion Collider and AION collaborations. At CERN, the ATLAS Detector will be upgraded. The biggest upgrade will be the construction of a new tracking detector called the Inner Tracker (ITk). At RAL, the PPD ATLAS group will build one part of the ITk – the so-called ‘Outer End-Cap' structures. These are carbon fibre support structures loaded with Silicon pixel sensors and electronics. To guarantee the success of the project, it is essential to test the Silicon sensors and electronics when they arrive at RAL. We are excited to offer a placement student the opportunity to contribute to the project which is focused on the implementation of a graphical user interface (GUI) to control and monitor Silicon sensor and electronics testing during production Summer Placements at STFC STFC’s incredibly diverse range of placements allow you to work alongside world leading engineers, scientists, and technicians in highly collaborative environments. Whichever you choose, you will become a critical member of the team in which you will be exposed to exciting projects and challenges from the start. You will also be supported every step of the way by our dedicated Early Careers Development Team Key Duties & Responsibilities With support and guidance from the ATLAS group, the main duties and responsibilities are the following: Develop a GUI for Linux machines. Call the existing test routines from the GUI. Implementation of the quality control procedures already put in place into the GUI. Implementation of the serial communication with power supply units into the GUI. Ensure that the GUI is user-friendly for users with wide background such as technicians, physicist, engineers, etc Test Silicon sensors and electronics using the developed tool. Help us build the ITk for the ATLAS Detector at CERN. Person Specification The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I). In order to apply for the role, we are looking for the following: Essential: You are in full time education at university, and will be returning to university/your studies to complete your undergraduate degree once the summer placement has concluded (S) You have the right to live and work in the UK for the duration of the placement (S) Studying an undergraduate degree in Engineering or Physics (S). Knowledge on any programming language such as python (S&I). Basic knowledge on electronics and silicon detectors (S&I). Shown interest in Research Facilities (I). Good communication skills (I) Collaborative (S&I) Desirable: Good at documentation writing (I). Basic Knowledge on Linux based Operative Systems (I). Employee Benefits We are offering a fixed term position with a whole host of benefits including: 30 days holiday pro rata Flexible working hours. Easily accessible public transport links/ free parking. Excellent learning and development opportunities. Link to more benefits: https://stfccareers.co.uk/rewards-and-benefits/ As this job does not fulfil the UK Government minimum criterion for obtaining sponsored migrant worker status, we will be unable to apply for sponsorship for anyone not eligible to work in the UK. At interview, all shortlisted candidates are required to bring with them identification documents and original documents that prove they hold or can obtain the right to work in the UK. You can check your eligibility here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y Application Guidance Please note that we can only accept a maximum of 2 applications per candidate. Part of our application process involves submitting your CV and a cover letter. Your cover letter should address your suitability for the opportunity based how you meet each essential criteria stated in this advert. Please note that we hold the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of applications have been received. We ask some of the biggest questions in the universe, to answer some of the biggest challenges in the world. Together, our scientists, technologists, engineers and business support team explore the unknown across every field you could think of. And they turn what they find into work that changes the world around us. What could you achieve with the world-leading facilities and experts of one of Europe's largest research organisations by your side? Join us and discover what's possible!