Scientific Software Engineer

xLight is on a mission to build the next-generation light source to power the future of semiconductor manufacturing. Our approach harnesses the power of free-electron lasers, utilizing accelerator-based methods in use globally at scientific user facilities. Extending this technology, we are developing an industrial-grade light source, engineered for continuous operation, to meet the sophisticated demands of next-gen patterning, metrology, and inspection applications.

xLight is seeking a skilled Software Engineer to join our team in developing cutting‑edge machine learning systems for particle accelerator control and modeling. Working closely with our team of physicists and ML researchers, you will play a crucial role in advancing autonomous accelerator operation through the development of AI/ML algorithms and software frameworks. This position offers the opportunity to work on a collaborative project with SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, focusing on automated startup, control systems, and digital twin technologies for next‑generation industrial accelerators.

The ideal candidate will excel in the fast‑paced nature of a start‑up environment and demonstrate a proactive approach in a collaborative, interdisciplinary team. You will be instrumental in translating research concepts into robust, production‑ready software solutions that enable continuous, autonomous operation of complex accelerator systems.

• Design and implement software infrastructure for chaining together automated accelerator startup and control tasks, enabling sequential optimization workflows.
• Build robust software tools from existing machine learning algorithms for automated emittance measurement and optimization, ensuring industrial deployment readiness.
• Develop software frameworks for online system modeling and digital twin applications, integrating continual model adaptation algorithms that track accelerator behavior changes.
• Transform research ML system modeling approaches into scalable software that incorporates physics constraints and adapts to new operating conditions.
• Collaborate with physicists to transform research prototypes into production‑ready scientific computing software, ensuring code quality and maintainability.
• Assist in preparing publications on new ML results, contributing code documentation, reproducibility, and software implementation details.
• Contribute to open‑source software ecosystems and tools that can be deployed across scientific user facilities and industrial accelerator environments.

In addition to the core responsibilities, candidates with the following skills will have a distinct advantage:

• Experience with physics simulations and computational modeling for accelerator systems.
• Familiarity with national laboratory environments and collaborative research processes.
• Previous experience working with particle accelerators and accelerator physics control systems.

• BS or MS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in software engineering with a focus on scientific computing, machine learning applications, or physics‑based systems.
• Proficient in Python programming with emphasis on clean code practices, comprehensive documentation, and unit testing.
• Familiarity with the following Python libraries is desired: numpy, pytorch, pydantic
• Experience with version control systems (Git) and collaborative development workflows including pull requests and code reviews.
• Familiarity with high‑performance computing environments and cluster computing systems (i.e. SLURM or equivalent).
• Experience with software testing, continuous integration, and deployment practices.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills for effective partnership with research teams, external collaborators, and interdisciplinary groups.
• Ability to work independently in a fast‑paced startup environment while maintaining attention to detail and code quality.

• This is a full‑time appointment.
• We are looking for an applicant able to come on‑site for a hybrid work schedule
• xLight offers a comprehensive compensation and…