Head of Applied Science Group
5-year Fixed-term Contract
ILL - Institut Laue-Langevin
Grenoble, France
Context

The Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) is a world-leading international research centre specialising in neutron science and technology, located in Grenoble, France. Renowned for its high-flux neutron source, the ILL supports cutting-edge research across a variety of fields, including condensed matter physics, chemistry, biology and materials science.

With the completion of the Endurance programme, ILL is entering into an operational phase in which its post-Endurance instrument suite is leveraged to maximise impact on both scientific and societal challenges, as outlined in the recently published ILL Science Strategy. The goal of the Science Strategy is to strengthen and demonstrate ILL's importance to European science and innovation, supporting political decisions on the future European neutron landscape. Among the actions outlined in the Strategy for enhancing our impact, ILL is implementing a substantial increase to our capabilities for neutron imaging, and a stronger emphasis on collaboration with industry.

Your tasks

In support of these aims, we are creating a new, fifth, instrument group for Applied Science in the Science Division. The new group will cover the instruments for neutron imaging (NeXT, MoTo, PorTo), strain-scanning (Salsa) and irradiation (Tenis), and will include the Industry Liaison Unit (ILU). The new instrument for neutron imaging using thermal neutrons (ThRILL) which is expected to come online in 2026, will also be part of the new group. These techniques have much in common in terms of the science they address, but also in their potential to attract and develop stronger collaborations with industry partners in line with ILL's strategic focus on societal impact.

The ILL is opening a position for a group leader for this new group with the following duties:

• Managing a group of about 15 persons composed of scientists, engineers, technicians, students and postdocs with an emphasis on group motivation and cohesion, in a way that promotes scientific life both within the group, at the ILL, and more broadly across the EPN campus, including the ESRF;
• Promoting and overseeing the development and implementation of new techniques to increase the impact of neutron imaging, strain-scanning and irradiation, while fostering synergies between these methods;
• Expanding and strengthening links with industry by developing new collaborations involving the group's instruments, while supporting broader industry involvement in all aspects of neutron beam science at ILL, including the sale of beam time and collaboration across instruments beyond the Applied Science group;
• Consolidating the orientation towards scientific excellence and user support through the ILL user programme;
• Creating and maintaining a working environment that encourages close cooperation with all ILL services to deliver integrated scientific and technical solutions;
• Actively pursuing a personal research programme using neutron instruments both within the group and across ILL;
• Establishing and maintaining strong links with universities and research laboratories through collaboration and training;
• Pursuing third-party funding to enhance the scientific and societal impact of the instruments in the group and across ILL;
• Taking an active role in teaching, training and mentoring, and promoting these activities within the group.

Your profile

• You possess an international reputation in integrated applied science, with expertise in neutron imaging and/or strain-scanning using neutron and/or X-ray methods;
• You have a proven ability to lead and manage scientific projects and collaborations;
• You have prior experience in working with industry and supervising students;
• You can demonstrate knowledge of large-scale research facilities and their operation;
• You are proficient in English as a working language.

What we offer
Quality of life:

This position is based in Grenoble, a hub for research and technology, ideally located in the heart of the French Alps (just 3 hours from Paris/Provence by train, 1 hour from Lyon international airport and 1 ½ hours from Geneva). It is important for us that our staff achieve a healthy work-life balance. We therefore offer home working (under certain conditions), generous annual paid leave entitlement and a host of other benefits that you will discover when you arrive!

Prospects:

We guarantee you a stable 5 years fix-term contract position in a multicultural scientific environment.

Benefits:

We offer generous social benefits (expatriation allowance, excellent health cover), moving and relocation assistance (under certain conditions) and an annual productivity bonus. We also offer language courses for you and your partner and subsidies for the use of public transport and the staff canteen, as well as for holidays and a variety of cultural and sports activities. For more details, visit https://www.ill.eu/careers/working-at-the-ill/employment-conditions.

Sounds interesting?

Then why not take your next career step with us by applying online - preferably in English - via our career portal by 15.09.2025, quoting reference number 25/40 with a list of publications and the names of 3 referees, including one from your present work place. Please note that all applicants are subject to administrative screening (background checks). For this post, medical fitness for work under ionising radiation is required.

We are committed to equal opportunities and diversity and therefore welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates.