Scientific Computing Engineer AI and Big Data | French national synchrotron facility

Oct 27 2021

SOLEIL is the French synchrotron radiation center, located on the Saclay plateau near Paris. It is a multidisciplinary instrument and a research laboratory, whose mission is to conduct research programs using synchrotron radiation, to develop cutting-edge instrumentation on beamlines and to bring them to light. available to the scientific community. The SOLEIL synchrotron, a unique tool for both academic research and industrial applications, opened in 2008. It is used annually by several thousand French and foreign researchers, across a wide range of disciplines such as physics, biology, chemistry, astrophysics, environment, earth sciences, etc. SOLEIL relies on a source of radiation that is remarkable both in terms of brilliance and stability. This Very Large Research Infrastructure, a partner of the University of Paris-Saclay, is incorporated as a private company founded jointly by the CNRS and the CEA.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is identified at Synchrotron SOLEIL as an essential tool for research and experiment understanding, for example as a filter to absorb and sort huge volumes of scientific data, as an alternative or complementary method of supporting data processing. numerical simulations and analytical methods. But there is also a clearly identified interest within the Accelerators and Engineering division facing an increasing complexity of the systems to be simulated, analyzed and operated. In addition, our beamlines can benefit from AI with continuous control to maximize the effective measurement time, or even the control of complex equipment.

This position is part of SOLEIL’s Experimental Data Reduction and Analysis Group (GRADES), made up of 8 people, including 5 permanent. GRADES’s mission is to provide beamlines with the means to process experimental data. This includes the provision of data reduction and analysis software, data processing services (Notebook, remote data processing environment), methods and documentation, training, etc.

I.Mission

Your main mission will be to develop artificial intelligence algorithms for the needs of the SOLEIL Synchrotron. This includes, for example, technological watch activities in the field, the prototyping of new artificial intelligence methods (machine and deep learning) applied to beamlines and the accelerator, the delivery of “AI” oriented services for data processing, simulation and optimization of systems.

You will work closely with beamline scientists and engineers both at SOLEIL and at other facilities involved in similar projects.

This mission will be carried out under the supervision of the head of GRADES (SOLEIL’s Experimental Data Reduction and Analysis group), with joint monitoring of projects in partnership with the Accelerator Physics group.

II.Responsibilities and tasks

You will evaluate, prototype and put into production “IA” and Big Data methods applied to scientific data processing, optimization and simulation of equipment (beamlines, accelerator).

You will conduct a technological watch, participate in the definition of priorities and technical choices, advise and report on your progress to scientists and engineers in this field.

You may be required to supervise interns, doctoral students, and post-docs.

III.Education and experience

This job is suited for a doctor of science or an engineer in physics or mathematics, with an “IA” orientation proven by practical applications in scientific data processing.

This position corresponds to a permanent contract. It is aimed at candidates who are engineers and / or doctors in science (physics, mathematics, computer science). It is to be filled on January 1, 2022. The place of work is Saint-Aubin (Essonne). The position is opened to CNRS and CEA staff, or universities, or other officials as part of a secondment.