SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

SLAC Job Postings

Position Overview:

Join us for an exciting summer internship at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory! This internship is ideal for motivated college students interested in cutting-edge scientific research, machine learning, and data management technologies.

As part of our team, you'll play a crucial role in developing a comprehensive vector database capturing the scientific literature generated by SSRL users, along with manuals and technical documentation for our advanced beamline instrumentation. Your work will directly contribute to a broader initiative aimed at creating a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) application. This innovative tool integrates a Large Language Model (LLM) to assist SSRL staff and users in efficiently:

• Setting up instruments and experiments
• Planning and optimizing measurements
• Understanding prior research conducted at SSRL
• Drafting macros for beamline controls
• Summarizing best practices through streamlined, intuitive interactions

Your contributions will significantly enhance user experience and operational efficiency at SSRL, enabling scientists to quickly access and apply valuable contextual information during their experiments. Interns will gain hands-on experience in advanced data structures, scientific computing, machine learning applications, and collaborative research environments.

Specific responsibilities (include but are not limited to):

• Extract, preprocess, and convert scientific literature and documentation into embeddings suitable for storage in a vector database, ensuring accurate representation and efficient retrieval.
• Programmatically mine the OSTI repository to identify, collect, and organize scientific papers published by SSRL users.
• Develop scripts and automation tools to streamline data extraction, processing, and database population workflows.
• Test and evaluate various embedding algorithms and approaches to optimize accuracy and retrieval efficiency for scientific literature and documentation.
• Document methodologies, results, and findings clearly to support future development and implementation phases.

Opportunities and Benefits

• Growth and mentorship from exceptionally talented engineers and scientists from SLAC and Stanford University.
• A mission-driven, stable, collaborative, highly interdisciplinary, and supportive work environment.
• Opportunity to experience a multidisciplinary research environment, integrating knowledge from many subject areas spanning computer science, data science physical sciences, and software development.

Note: This is an hourly, non-benefits eligible temporary-nonexempt, internship position (work at 50% full-time equivalent or more), not to exceed 980 hours in six consecutive months. Eligible applicants must be at least 18 years of age, currently enrolled in an educational program or recently graduated, and have US work authorization. The on-site internship program is for a period of eight weeks and takes place between May and Mid-August, with the start date being contingent on the convenience of the candidate.

To be successful in this position, candidates should:

• Pursuing a undergraduate degree in a science, engineering or equivalent discipline.
• Strong communication skills.
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment.
• Passionate about innovative solutions for Science & Engineering problems.
• Strong python competency.

SLAC Employee Competencies:

• Effective Decisions: Uses job knowledge and solid judgment to make quality decisions in a timely manner.
• Self-Development: Pursues a variety of venues and opportunities to continue learning and developing.
• Dependability: Can be counted on to deliver results with a sense of personal responsibility for expected outcomes.
• Initiative: Pursues work and interactions proactively with optimism, positive energy, and motivation to move things forward.
• Adaptability: Flexes as needed when change occurs, maintains an open outlook while adjusting and accommodating changes.
• Communication: Ensures effective information flow to various audiences and creates and delivers clear, appropriate written, spoken, presented messages.
• Relationships: Builds relationships to foster trust, collaboration, and a positive climate to achieve common goals.

Physical requirements and working conditions:

• Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job.

Work standards:

• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
• Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for environment, safety and security; communicates related concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned. Meets the applicable roles and responsibilities as described in the ESH Manual, Chapter 1¿General Policy and Responsibilities: http://www-group.slac.stanford.edu/esh/eshmanual/pdfs/ESHch01.pdf
• Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University's Administrative Guide,http://adminguide.stanford.edu.

• Classification Title: SLAC Intern Students [ Level II/III]
• Job Code: 0901
• Duration: Temporary

The expected pay range for this position is $25.41 - $29.73 per hour. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory/Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.