RAL Placement details 2026

Group and Project Summary: 

Software Controls

Software Controls develop the control and diagnostic software for controlling our laser systems such as EPAC and Vulcan20-20. We use a range of software languages including EPICS (C++ based), python and C#, developing code from low level device controls through to high level GUIs.

The placement will involve writing software either for control of a device, to orchestrate several devices, or to display controls/readback information from one or more devices. It will also involve learning and partaking in our team’s agile process to give you a feel for the other parts of working as a software engineer aside from coding.

Length of placement: 2 weeks             Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Experience of writing software, preferably in python, C/C++, or C#.

Experience of working with embedded devices such as Raspberry Pi, Arduino, etc.

Discipline: 

Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

The STFC’s Scientific Computing Department provides computing and software facilities to research groups across the UK, and internationally through our partnership with CERN.

Within that department is the Cloud group. The STFC Cloud manages clusters of servers across 79,000 cores and 400TB of memory. These large servers are split down into virtual servers and made available to scientists to perform high-performance computing tasks. The Cloud team is responsible for offering and maintaining every part of this pipeline, from the physical servers to the user-facing software which runs on them.

A key part of the cloud team’s service responsibilities is the monitoring of servers and services; for both security and service performance.

During your placement in the Cloud team, you will gain access to our logging pipeline and perform data analysis on real logs and metrics. You will gain hands-on experience in Python and associated data analysis libraries; Linux; Git CI/CD; and various cloud technologies in our monitoring stack.

You will also be working alongside the friendly and experienced members of the Cloud team, and have lots of opportunities to ask questions and learn about our work at the STFC. As part of the placement, we will also arrange tours for you to learn more about the STFC’s work at RAL as a whole.

All skill levels are welcome to apply. You need not already be familiar with the technologies you might use on the placement, so long as you demonstrate enthusiasm and a willingness to learn! Personal experiences and projects you have done at home or school might be helpful to demonstrate this interest.

Length of placement: 2 weeks             Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

As stated above, you aren’t expected to already be familiar with the technologies we use in the Cloud team. The most important thing you can show in your application is enthusiasm to learn, which demonstrates that you will get the most out of the placement.

That being said, having some of the below traits might help you have a head start:

– Enthusiasm for computing and an interest in the work the STFC does, particularly in SCD and the Cloud team

– Some experience with a programming language, either at school or at home (Python experience is optional but recommended)

– Some confidence with basic statistics and reading graphs

– Personal hobbies, projects, or experiences related to technology or computing

– Ability to work independently, and as part of a team

– Curious, focused, and eager to learn; with a strong attention to detail, good organisational skills, and who are keen to get involved and make the most of their time with us.

Discipline: 

Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

Computed Tomography & Imaging

The Computed Tomography & Imaging group develops software and mathematical methods for X-ray and neutron computed tomography (CT).  We create tools that turn images taken from many angles into accurate 3D models of real objects, helping scientists and engineers see inside materials without cutting them open.

We also deliver a CT public engagement programme, communicating CT as an imaging technique to the public, with a particular focus on children, through a number of hands-on activities.

In this placement, you’ll help bring CT (computed tomography) research to life for the public. As part of our public engagement programme, we run a matching game pairing X-ray and neutron CT images with photos of real objects. You’ll work on expanding the game with new CT scans from scientific research areas, including ancient fossils, meteorites, and more. Working with real CT datasets, you’ll use a python software package to reconstruct detailed 3D models from hundreds of X-ray images and select the most intriguing slices to become new content for the game. At the end of the week, you’ll test your creation on members of the department and help shape how we communicate complex science to the public.

Depending on your interests, you can go even further — from building on our other engagement activities to exploring the CT software developed by the team, and learning how scientific researchers make use of it.

Length of placement: 1 week (6 – 10 July 2026 only) Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Essential:

– Interest in computing and imaging

Desirable:

– Interest in Python programming

– Interest in science communication / public engagement

Discipline: 

Computing, Other (Public Engagement)

Group and Project Summary: 

Accelerator Physics Group: Responsible for operation of the ISIS accelerators, theory, design, modelling,and understanding of current and future accelerators.

Accelerator Controls Group: Responsible for developing and maintaining the vast network of hardware that makes up the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source – in this case specifically the 11,000+ signals that ensure the accelerators work!

This project is jointly hosted by the Accelerator Physics and Accelerator Controls groups of ISIS Neutron and Muon Source. Building on 4 previous years of work experience projects, students will work in teams to bridge the ISIS accelerator controls system with our simulation model of the accelerator. Students will collaborate with staff to develop python based GUIs aimed at optimising operation of the ISIS accelerators, by communicating with the EPICS controls system and providing insight from models in real time. Applicants must have moderate python experience.

Length of placement: 1 week (20 – 24 July 2026) Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Moderate python experience is a prerequisite, the student would benefit from experience with numerical libraries such as; numpy, matplotlib, pandas, etc, as well as the GUI library Streamlit. Familiarity with git is useful. Please do give specifics on coding experience (projects done, libraries used etc.) in your application.

Discipline: 

Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

RAL High-Performance Computing (HPC) Operations

Data Centre Operations is the team that keeps all the organisation’s critical computer systems running safely, reliably and efficiently. We look after the physical spaces where servers, storage and networking equipment live.

Our work includes:

•            Monitoring systems to make sure servers, networks and cooling equipment are working properly 24/7.

•            Keeping the environment safe by managing cooling, power, fire protection and physical security.

•            Supporting IT teams by helping them install, remove or troubleshoot hardware.

•            Planning for problems through maintenance, risk checks and emergency procedures.

•            Ensuring reliability so services like email, websites, research systems and business applications stay online.

In simple terms, Data Centre Operations makes sure the technology behind the organisation never stops working. We protect the equipment, the data, and the people who depend on it every day.

During your work experience, you will learn about data centres, power, cooling and working within a dynamic team. You will also interface with other technical leads and understand software development to create dashboards, and use Microsoft Applications to create workflow plans.

Length of placement: 2 weeks             Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Students interested in software development, teamwork, and keen on developing tools using Microsoft applications such as Visio.

Discipline: 

Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

The Energy Research Unit (ERU) is a part of STFC that focuses on digital preservation of research and completing energy research projects. The Energy Data Centre (EDC) is a part of STFC’s ERU. This placement will be placed within the EDC team, which focus on digital preservation on datasets, grey literature and project metadata. The aim of our platform is to contribute to Open Science and help researchers find information they need and ensure it is accessible.

Our current focuses include embarking on a technical refresh to ensure that our service is modernised so that the information is more machine friendly. Within this technical refresh, there are three different products, all with a unique purpose that we are trying to launch. By the time of this placement, we may already have some of these deployed and we may be part way through development of others. Our team consists of software engineers and data stewards to focus on how the data is accessed and findable and well as ensuring that data is in the correct format and suitable for our platform.

Our team are about to embark on a technical refresh to to design and build a new system to replace the existing one which has lasted 20 years. As part of this, there will be many processes that will be improved. The system will be built using Python and there will be a public facing part where users can access any objects we hold as well as an internal tool for data management.

As part of this process, we will focus on continuous improvement, and on this placement, you will be helping us develop tools for the new platform.

You may complete work on the following:

* Creating system documentation.

* Creating deployment scripts.

* Developing tests to ensure that software is deployment ready.

* Developing monitoring systems to check the health of the system.

* Creating a data automation script.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

An interest in the following topics, could assist in this project:

* Coding in any language (Python is preferred)

* Software testing (understanding on why we test and the different types)

* Problem solving (thinking about what processes can be put in place to improve the system)

* Continuous Integration Pipelines (understanding why continuous integration is important to the software development lifecycle)

Discipline: 

Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

Computed Tomography and Imaging

Our group develops software and mathematical methods for X-ray and neutron computed tomography (CT). We create tools that turn images taken from many angles into accurate 3D models of real objects, helping scientists and engineers see inside materials without cutting them open.

This placement introduces you to the world of 3D imaging and software development. You will design a simple 3D shape using a free CAD tool and then learn how scientists use X-ray images from many angles to create accurate 3D models of real objects. Using Python, you’ll simulate this process, reconstruct your shape, and compare it to your original design. The project combines coding, geometry, and problem-solving to show how maths and software power modern imaging technology.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Essential:

Interest in maths and computing

Curiosity about technology and problem-solving

Desirable:

Interest in Python or CAD tools

Enjoys 3D modelling or visualisation

No prior experience needed – just enthusiasm to learn!

Discipline:  Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

Experiment Controls

We write the controls software for ISIS Neutron & Muon Source beamlines. This can be motors, temperature control, data taking, or many other things.

You will work with the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source (a world-leading centre for research in the physical and life sciences) Experiment Controls Group in order to contribute to their code base. If the placement proceeds as planned, your contribution will be used somewhere in helping make the operation of ISIS Neutron & Muon Source more effective.

The group support a software platform which allows the scientists who use ISIS to control a wide variety of hardware for science experiments and extract data from it. You will help write code to contribute to, or support, this platform.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

We are looking for a student with some experience of coding and an interest in how this could be applied to controlling hardware for science experiments.

Discipline: 

Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

High-Performance Computing (HPC)/IT Systems looks after the IT operations for the National Quantum Computing Center, including Cybersecurity, Networking, Cloud Services, and High Performance Computing for quantum simulation. We support the infrastructure behind the quantum computing research.

You’ll conduct a penetration test on a practice vulnerable machine, using Kali Linux.

You’ll work as a pair with another student to detect vulnerabilities, hack into a virtual machine, then possibly fix security holes. You’ll then create a technical pentest report of discovered vulnerabilities, with possible fixes, and present this to a mock ‘executive client’. We’ll also cover cybersecurity concepts such as cryptography and social engineering.

Ethical and legal considerations will be discussed. If there is extra time, students will attempt to patch the machine.

An introduction to Linux command line can be found at: LinuxCommand.org. Prior exposure is recommended. No ethical hacking experience is needed.

Length of placement: 2 weeks             Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Required: an interest in cybersecurity and ethical hacking.

Preferred: having studied Computer Science or IT at any level, or having done self-learning, is preferred. Any experience with Linux command line interface or cybersecurity tools would be helpful, however not required, as these will be taught.

Discipline: 

Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

Quantum Applications Team

Quantum computing is a novel form of computing that exploits the properties of quantum mechanics to potentially solve challenging problems much more efficiently. In recent years the field has exploded in size, and there currently exist more than a hundred small-scale quantum computers around the world.

The Quantum Applications Team’s work at the NQCC focuses on solving real-world problems using quantum computing. We implement and run quantum algorithms on a range of real and simulated quantum computers, including those we host ourselves, and engage in a number of other activities including developing application libraries, evaluating the performance of quantum computing systems, benchmarking, and noise modeling. The NQCC has a wider remit, including developing and building quantum computing hardware in specialised labs, and engaging with academia, industry, and government to promote the adoption of quantum computing.

In this placement, you will have the opportunity to work on a project that focuses on developing a quantum application. This will involve formulating a real-world problem mathematically, researching and implementing suitable quantum algorithms, running them on a real quantum computer, and analysing the results. We will suggest a problem for you to explore, but there is a significant amount of flexibility if there is a particular area or field you are interested in, if it sits within our ability to support it – we want you to get as much out of this project as possible! What you create may also form a part of the NQCC’s outreach work as a demonstration of what we do, helping young people like yourself get involved with the field.

 We do not expect any knowledge of quantum physics or quantum computing, as we will provide guided study to understand the basics. However, the project will require good maths and physics skills, as well as proficiency in Python, as the hands-on work is entirely computational.

Length of placement: 2 weeks             Year Group: Year 12/13

Discipline: 

Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

ATLAS High Level Trigger (HLT) group

The group contributes to ATLAS trigger (and tracking) software.

The students will be expected to contribute to some ATLAS HLT software, either by modifying it or writing new code.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Knowledge of Linux OS; proficiency in C++ and Python. Experience with Linux operating systems is desired.

Discipline: 

Computing, Science (Particle Physics)

Group and Project Summary: 

LHCb group

In order to successfully operate any Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiment, one needs to address multiple challenges. These challenges are very diverse: from detector hardware development to offline computing and physics analysis.

That’s why RAL LHCb group contributes to multiple aspects of the LHCb experiment, including:

 – Maintaining and operating RICH sub-detector;

 – Maintaining and overseeing Grid Computing infrastructure;

 – Developing hardware for detector upgrade;

 – Developing software for simulation.

To store and process data, the LHC community uses a sophisticated computing infrastructure called “the Grid”. The Grid should be available 24/7 to ensure that we can cope with very high data rates from the detectors. That’s why we need to constantly monitor the performance of this system and address issues promptly. To do this efficiently, proper monitoring tools are required.

The project aims to contribute to the development of the software tools for monitoring and accounting of the LHCb Grid resources.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Python programming skills will be helpful.

Discipline:  Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

CEDA (Centre for Enviromental Data Analysis) – JASMIN

CEDA supports environmental science, furthers environmental data archival practices, and develops and deploys new technologies to enhance access to data. We also provide services to aid large scale data analysis, such as JASMIN, which is a piece of Digital Research Infrastructure. It provides storage and compute facilities to enable data-intensive environmental science. The placement would be within the JASMIN team, which manages and supports this service for environmental scientists in the UK and around the world.

Students could have the opportunity to pick from a range of tasks depending on their interests. There is the opportunity to learn about and shadow the behind-the-scenes of running JASMIN, including troubleshooting users’ queries on the helpdesk, working on JASMIN’s documentation, or doing some development work on the backend services. We could arrange a tour of the machine room to see the hardware that makes up JASMIN. If they are more interested in development, we could bring them to daily developer stand-up meetings and give them the chance to interview different team members about their role and how they got there.

Length of placement: 1 week (Either 13 or 20 July 2026) Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Computing, software development, an interest in environmental science

Discipline:  Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

Inverse Problems Group, Computational Mathematics

STFC Scientific Computing has a strong history in computational mathematics, developing new algorithms for the solution of fundamental problems which then are implemented in world leading software. You can more details about the Inverse Problems group here: https://www.sc.stfc.ac.uk/research-and-expertise/computational-maths/

Ptychography is an important computational approach for high-resolution microscopic imaging of a wide variety of samples. This technique is particularly relevant for Diamond Light Source in the regime of coherent x-ray beams, which can achieve large penetration depths. From the perspective of biology, the potential to image large volumes will inform in areas of biomaterials, tissue regeneration, hypoxia, disease models/parasitology, neuroscience and cancer biology.

In collaboration with researchers from UCL, Diamond and Computational Mathematics theme we have created software for improving Ptychographic imaging for “thick” samples. The new approach is a competitor to the standard multi-slice approach and aims to increase depth resolution of 3D imaging by modelling how wave propagate through the sample.

The work experience student will use python based software to experiment with different probe overlap ratios, boundary conditions, focal points and simulated samples to explore under what conditions does this approach work the best and uncover situation it fails. This will play a key part in future publications and the development of the new approach.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 12/13

Discipline: 

Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

Data & Software Engineering Group (DSEG)

We design, develop, & support a wide range of high-quality software enabling large-science facilities & researchers in different domains to manage their data, while using, promoting, & developing policies & best practices around research software & data.

​The Data & Software Engineering Group (DSEG)’s main activities centre around the design, implementation and support of a wide range of software enabling researchers to catalogue and discover their experimental data; capture analysis workflows; make links between the different research outputs such as data, publications and software; support the research software development lifecycle; and use, promote and develop best practices around research software.​​

Students will have the opportunity to work on small, user-requested features. You will experience the full software development cycle, from writing code, testing, and reviewing, through to releasing your work onto the platform. You’ll also get the chance to learn from our development team about software engineering best-practices, and see the day-to-day life of a software engineer.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Some coding experience

Lots of enthusiasm!

Discipline:  Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

Structural Biology

Our group develops open-source software used by thousands of scientists around the world to determine the 3D shapes of proteins from experiments such as X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy. These structures help explain how biology works at the molecular scale and support research in areas like medicine and drug discovery. We combine scientific programming, data analysis, visualisation and interface design, and work closely with large experimental facilities and the Protein Data Bank. A student with us will gain hands-on experience using real molecular datasets and modern Python tools to solve genuine scientific problems.

Proteins are held together by tiny interactions called hydrogen bonds, and scientists need good tools to identify them accurately. In this project, you will help design and code a new hydrogen bond detection tool in Python, using modern scientific libraries and 3D molecular data. You will compare your tool with an older version, visualise the results in real molecular graphics programs, and explore how simple data science ideas can improve the quality of protein structures. The finished tool is expected to be used inside structural biology software that supports thousands of researchers around the world.

No biology knowledge is required, just curiosity, an interest in coding, and a willingness to learn.

Length of placement: 2 weeks             Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

We are looking for students who are curious about coding and enjoy working with data or problem-solving. Some experience in Python or another programming language is helpful but not essential, enthusiasm and willingness to learn are more important than prior knowledge. No biology background is required; we will teach you everything you need.

Discipline: 

Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

Detector Systems Software

The Detector Systems Software Group develops software for state-of-the-art detector systems, used for science experiments with X-rays, neutrons and more. Using a range of languages and tools, we make software to control and capture data from these detectors.

This placement will develop software to control and test one of our the performance detector systems currently under development. For this we use a range of software languages including Python and web development languages such as HTML, Javascript and CSS. The student will work alongside other members of the group on the project and will get experience of using software to control and interact with state-of-the-art hardware, which will be used in the future at facilities such as Diamond Light Source.

Length of placement: 2 weeks             Year Group: Year 10/11

Other Criteria: 

Some experience with programming in a language such as Python would be useful. But above all, an enthusiasm to learn and try new things is what we’re looking for!

Discipline: 

Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

The Central Laser Facility (CLF) Mechanical Engineering tackles a wide variety of projects, of varying sizes and timescales, supporting the CLF’s facilities including EPAC, VULCAN 2020, and ARTEMIS.

The division is made up of three groups: Mechanical Design, the Mechanical Workshop, and Mechanical Technicians.

Mechanical Design

The Mechanical Design team’s role is to conceptualise, verify, and design components needed for operations use or facility upgrades by the CLF. This involves producing detailed models and drawings for parts and assemblies, selecting and procuring required mechanical parts, supporting technicians and installers, and generating and producing documentation to support designs. These designs range from vacuum chambers, pipework and beampaths, to mission critical optic mounts that require microradian precision.

Mechanical Workshop

The Mechanical Workshop contains a fully equipped machine shop with manual lathes and mills, CNC 5-axis machinery, a wire EDM, and a diamond lathe. The workshop manufactures everything from simple fixtures and fittings to high-precision optic mounts and target components that support CLF experiments.

Mechanical Technicians

The Mechanical Technicians provide hands-on engineering support across the CLF. They install and commission equipment, and maintain the gas and cooling systems that serve the facilities. They also play a vital role in day-to-day operations, responding quickly to issues to help minimise experimental downtime.

Students will join the CLF Mechanical Engineering to design and verify parts and assemblies needed for operations use or facility upgrades by the CLF. These parts may be used in any of the CLF Facilities.

You will start off being introduced to Computer Aided Design (Solid Edge) to learn how to turn ideas and sketches into 3D models. These models will then be turned into technical drawings suitable for manufacturing. You will then be given a design task where you will used what you have learned to independently solve a given design task, and with support from your supervisor by the end of the placement, propose a full concept solution with accompanying technical drawings backed by engineering calculations to verify the design.

You may also be invited on some site tours including the Engineering Workshop, or some of your supervisors’ meetings, to help you get a better understanding of a day in the life as an engineer.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

We are interested in students who can demonstrate they are interested in engineering, and have a willingness to learn. In your application, please ensure you mention the following:

– An interest in scientific research, in particular the work done at CLF

– Enthusiasm and exposure to design or engineering – e.g through school clubs/subjects, things you’ve read, or relevant side projects

– Experience with or desire to learn CAD or other 3D software

Discipline: 

Engineering

Group and Project Summary: 

Composites and Materials Testing Group

In the Composites and Material Testing Group, we formulate custom composite materials and adhesives for unique scientific and engineering applications across site. Our expertise lies in the development of neutron shielding materials, which is an essential part of a neutron beamline and is used extensively at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source on site and the European Spallation Source in Sweden. Our group offers a comprehensive materials testing service, including mechanical testing from cryogenic temperatures (-269 °C) up to 300 °C, and a full suite of thermal analysis equipment used to understand how materials respond to heat. Our most recent addition to our capabilities has been employing additive manufacturing (3D printing) to produce neutron shielding materials, which offers a more cost effective and sustainable solution to our conventional composite manufacturing process.

The project will involve undertaking analysis which will help our team to understand the properties of some new radiation shielding materials. Subject to staff availability, students will begin by observing the operation of our 12 meter filament production/extrusion line to manufacture their own 3D printing filaments containing a known amount of neutron shielding material. This will be followed by learning how to use CAD software and our 3D printers to draw and produce test specimens for mechanical testing. The specimens will then be pulled apart on a mechanical testing rig giving the tensile properties of the material, and images before and after the tests will be taken using an optical microscope. Students will also be shown how to use other thermal and mechanical analysis techniques to further understand the properties of the material. Finally, students will produce a testing report and outline any conclusions that they have come to.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Students should have an interest in engineering or a related scientific field such as physics, chemistry or material science.

Discipline: 

Engineering, Material Science

Group and Project Summary: 

Electronics Systems Design Group

Our group designs, develops, maintains and installs all of the detectors and detector electronics used on the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source instruments. In the supervisor’s section of the group, they are focussed on Electronics design and support.

Our group designs, develops and maintains the electronics used for the neutron and muon detectors on ISIS. We’re an electronics engineering group who work closely with scientists to continually improve the scientific capabilities of ISIS instruments and to ensure that the existing equipment keeps working.

No previous experience with electronics is necessary, the project that we give you is designed to be an introduction to electronics but we can adjust it to your level of interest if you have previous experience.

The week will involve a project which includes surface mount soldering, circuit board assembly and Arduino programming. This will take roughly half of the week and you’ll spend the other half attending meetings with us, shadowing work that we do on ISIS and observing design reviews. 

This placement is one of the apprenticeship placements for Electronics Engineering, so it is ideal for students interested in an apprenticeship.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Discipline: 

Engineering

Group and Project Summary: 

Design team – Estates Department

Our team are responsible for designing new builds and refurbishments of construction projects on site. Our team has architects, electrical and mechanical engineers. We tend to manage the smaller designs ourselves. Developing the project brief, designing and producing drawings and specifications. We also work with external consultants on larger schemes. Representing the sites best interests through design and construction.

The project supervisor is one of the electrical engineers so deals with power, lighting, fire alarms, data, etc. The STFC Science Estate covers 180 acres and comprises of 120 buildings and in excess of 40,000 assets. The Design team are responsible for the successful technical design, and delivery of major and minor construction projects.

For projects we design internally we are responsible for preparation of design calculations and scheme designs, estimates, specifications, and tender documentation. On larger capital projects we represent STFC; ensuring STFC safety, sustainability, environmental and governance policies are incorporated in the design. This requires coordination with externally appointed professional teams of consultants and contractors. The design team consists of architects, electrical engineers, and mechanical engineers.

This work experience is for an electrical engineering placement. The intention of focusing on a single service is so the work experience student can take a design from early concept through to detailed design drawings.

Students will be looking at lighting and emergency lighting design for a refurbishment. They will need to visit the site, develop the brief, learn about design standards, develop models to support their design, and turn them into technical drawings.

Students will be invited to meetings with internal and external teams to help you get a better understanding of a day in the life as an engineer.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Interest in the built environment. Construction, architecture, engineering

Discipline: 

Engineering, Construction

Group and Project Summary: 

At Thermal Engineering Group (TEG), we specialise in the design, analysis, and testing of space and lander missions. Our primary focus is ensuring thermal survivability in harsh environments. This directly influences the structural mechanical design and the management of internal heat loads generated by onboard electronics.

The project will focus on the thermal analysis of a space instrument or spacecraft with consideration of space environment, material properties, and surface coatings. It will also include the development of a CAD design for geometry definition. Additionally, the student will have the opportunity to explore RAL Space’s advanced facilities, including thermal vacuum chambers, cleanrooms, mechanical dynamics shakers, and precision development labs etc. These visits will be complemented by guided tours and interactive sessions, offering broader exposure to various aspects of engineering.

Length of placement: 2 weeks             Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Discipline: 

Engineering

Group and Project Summary: 

Quality Assurance and Product Assurance

Quality and Safety Group – Our mission is to champion excellence and safety across all operations. We meticulously define and administer a quality management system that guarantees right-first-time, on-time delivery. Our focus is on creating efficient workflows and ensuring the safety of both personnel and hardware.

We are constantly on the lookout for ways to improve by monitoring process performance and observing practices within the organization. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in our adherence to multiple international standards, ensuring we maintain our certifications.

Our dynamic team also takes charge of managing internal audits for products and groups, and monitoring molecular contamination in our cleanrooms to uphold the highest standards of cleanliness and safety.

Join us in our quest for perfection and safety in every project we undertake! 🌟🔧

Product Assurance Group – Our Product Assurance team is the ultimate bridge between our company and our customers, ensuring that we deliver exactly what is expected, every time. Acting as impartial champions of quality, they guarantee that our products meet the highest standards.

Our team dives deep into project hardware inspections and multi-layer blanket inspections, meticulously checking every detail to ensure perfection. They are the unsung heroes who make sure that every product not only meets but exceeds customer expectations.

Join us in celebrating the dedication and precision of our Product Assurance Group, where excellence is not just a goal, but a standard! 🌟🔍

Project details:

At our cutting-edge space test facilities, our Quality Assurance and Product Assurance teams are the guardians of excellence, ensuring that every piece of space flight hardware meets the highest standards. We dive into every stage of a project’s lifecycle, from the initial design to the final delivery. Our mission includes:

•            Inspecting designs to ensure they meet rigorous standards.

•            Examining flight hardware to guarantee its readiness for space.

•            Maintaining pristine cleanrooms, keeping particulate and molecular contamination at bay.

•            Reviewing assembly procedures for flight hardware to ensure flawless execution.

•            Upholding compliance with ISO9001, EN9100, and ECSS standards.

We are committed to delivering top-tier space flight hardware that stands up to the challenges of the cosmos! 🚀✨

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

An eye for detail, someone who is inquisitive.

Discipline: 

Engineering

Group and Project Summary: 

ISIS Design Division

The ISIS Design Division uses mechanical design to complete a range of projects across ISIS, from delivering whole new beamlines to creating sample environments for specific experiments. We use tools such as CAD, engineering calculations, and finite element analysis to deliver safe and optimal solutions.

In this placement you will be given an ISIS design brief to work on and generate ideas to solve a real-life engineering problem through sketches, 3D CAD and maybe some simulations/calculations. No prior experience of any of this is required – your supervisor(s) will always be on hand to teach and guide you! One project may be: ISIS is testing out a new Ion Source for the facility in a separate test beamline and needs to stop the beam at the end of the test to absorb the ions using a beam dump. As a result of absorbing ions, the beam dump will heat up, so requires cooling, but also needs to withstand the forces of a vacuum. This project uses engineering calculations to design for combined thermal and pressure loads and can use computer simulations in the process.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Discipline: 

Engineering

Group and Project Summary: 

Engineering & Production

We design, analyse and test spacecraft & their scientific instruments from the conceptual mission planning (What should be built?) to the launch and operation (How should it be flown?). This involves a high-level design of each component of the spacecraft, which is then engineered in detail to ensure the spacecraft is capable of executing the mission. The analysis and simulation we do is then verified by testing in labs, vacuum chambers, and clean rooms on-site before the hardware is built (The ‘Production’ part) & goes to Earth orbit, the Moon or beyond.

Using industry standard open-source tools such as NASA’s GMAT and OpenOrbiter, you will be introduced to spacecraft systems engineering and the design of spacecraft subsystems based on a space science or exploration mission. You will learn how to create an initial flight plan in GMAT based on the mission objectives. You will then learn to fly the flight plan in OpenOrbiter to refine the spacecraft design requirements and validate if the mission is realistic.

Initially, a predefined mission and flight plan will be selected to demo the tools. Later on, you will define your own mission and run through the iteration loop with GMAT and OpenOrbiter.

The placement objectives would be:

– Learn the Basics of Spacecraft Systems Engineering

– Learn Orbital Mechanics Simulation as GMAT Does It

– Learn the Basics of Piloting using OpenOrbiter

– Create a new Mission Concept or Extend the Demo Mission Concept

– Document the work using a Requirements Table and Presentation

This project will also allow time for interviews with current Engineering & Production staff of the student’s choice. Tours of on-site spacecraft hardware testing facilities, like the thermal vacuum, shock & vibration facilities are included.

Length of placement: 2 weeks             Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Students in their application must: [All Required]

– Explain why they wish to learn mission design and spacecraft piloting skills

– Justify why a placement at RAL Space is suited to them, in contrast to other opportunities

– Show how they have a balance of relevant interests & learning potential versus experience

– Clarify what they wish to get out of this project and their time at RAL Space

Applications may have an advantage in selection if they show the student is: [One or More]

– Familiar with Newton’s theory of gravity

– Comfortable with piloting in simulators (Microsoft Flight Sim or similar)

– Well versed with the Kerbal Space Program game and it’s extensions

– Questioning their suitability for a career in STEM or Aerospace Engineering

– Suitably new to professionally working or researching

Discipline: 

Engineering, Science (theoretical)

Group and Project Summary: 

RAL Space (multiple disciplines)

RAL Space has many teams that collaborate to develop spacecraft and their technology, and use the data provided by spacecraft to discover more about the universe outside our home planet, and improve life here on Earth. Our Engineers work on innovative technologies and new designs, they build and test spacecraft and satellites, curate the data we receive back once a spacecraft is operating in space, and our scientists use the data to answer questions fundamental to improving our understanding and way of life.

Students will work in groups of ~5 to discover and conduct aspects of the work involved in developing a space mission, and spacecraft. This will potentially include designing & 3D-printing mechanical components, building and assembling parts, experiencing spacecraft testing and analysing satellite data to create useful information, among other activities providing a wide range of experiences of the professional disciplines required in the space sector. Students will learn engineering, science and evaluation skills, and develop teamworking, leadership and presentation skills.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

– Show interest in the space industry and space-related activities.

– Some programming experience (e.g. python) may be useful, but is not essential.

– Enjoy some STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) related subjects at school.

Discipline: 

Engineering

Group and Project Summary: 

Cryogenics and Magnetics

The Cryogenics and Magnetics group at STFC works on the design, assembly, and testing of mission critical cooling systems for many scientific applications on Earth and in Space. Our work has supported a wide range of ground-based astronomy, cosmology, and particle physics experiments. Although it is often behind the scenes, it is ground-breaking enabling technology without which the experiments and observations could not be made.

Currently our focus is on helping to design the active cooling system for The European Space agency’s latest M4 mission, ARIEL. ARIEL’s active cooling system is a closed-cycle Joule-Thomson mechanical cryocooler that uses neon as the working fluid.

~The Group~

The Cryogenics and Magnetics group at STFC works on the design, assembly, and testing of mission critical cooling systems for many scientific applications on Earth and in Space. Our work has supported a wide range of ground-based astronomy, cosmology, and particle physics experiments. Although it is often behind the scenes, it is ground-breaking enabling technology without which the experiments and observations could not be made.

~What is ARIEL and why do we need to make it cold?~

The Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-Survey (ARIEL) was selected for ESA’s Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 programme as their fourth medium (M4) mission. Performing a study in more detail than ever before, it probe the chemical composition and  thermal structures of 1000 exoplanets by observing their atmospheres. During its 4-year lifetime,  the mission will help astronomers answer fundamental questions such as:

• What are exoplanets made of?

• What are the physical processes shaping planetary atmospheres?

• How do planets and planetary systems form and evolve?

To operate effectively, the telescope detector channels must be cooled to ~40K; Which is where we come in, as will are providing it’s Active Cooling System (ACS)! This is a similar technology to the cooling technology in your freezer at home, but it can reach much colder temperatures and it designed to work in space.

~What should I expect on this placement?~

I have a background in Physics & Astronomy, so the work we do is not exclusively aimed at students interested in just engineering! Subjects such as Physics, maths, and D&T would be welcomed! The skills students should expect to develop (dependent on the project schedule at the time of placement):

-Design and engineering development

-Computer Aided Design (CAD)

-Lab work and testing

-Basic computing via LabView/Python

-Presentation and communication skills

-3D printing.

The work would most likely involve working along myself on design, manufacturing in the workshop, or lab-based testing in our cleanroom.  You will have the opportunity to develop skills in Engineering design, drawing, lab testing, cleanroom based work, and general manufacture as well as professional skills through attending meetings, presenting etc.

By the end of this placement, you will have contributed towards a project which will one day go to space!

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

The work not exclusively aimed at students interested in just engineering. Subjects such as Physics, maths, and D&T would be welcomed. People in the team have backgrounds in physics, engineering, and chemistry.

Discipline:  Engineering, Science (practical)

Group and Project Summary: 

Project Engineering Group

The project engineering group works on projects from a diverse range of scientific disciplines in conjunction with STFC departments, universities, and science funding agencies, both within the UK and overseas.

The group regularly undertakes the necesssary engineering work to deliver novel scientific equipment and experiments for a multitude of high-profile scientific projects.

It has made major contributions to the mechanical design of the ATLAS experiment at CERN, the LIGO observatory, and is currently working on designs for the XLZD dark matter detector, and NQCC quantum computers, along with many other projects.

This often includes skills in Computer Aided Design (CAD), drafting, Finite Eelement Analysis (FEA), and design for manufacture / assembly.

Due to the groups many ongoing projects, there will be no shortage of available engineering challenges for the students to get involved with. They will get the opportuinty to work on a real world project and be given a design task to solve. Depending on the project, they will develop designs in a CAD system, and produce accompanying calculations for verification, technical drawings suitable for manufacture, and prototypes for testing.

Throughout the week there will be an opportunity for tours across site, and to meet and talk with experts in their respective fields. They will not just produce designs but also see how they are made, measured, tested, and put to use across STFC.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Highly motivated, innovative and inquisitive.

Ability to read and understand technical information.

Interest in mechanical design and use of CAD systems.

Discipline: 

Engineering

Group and Project Summary: 

The Thermal Engineering Group (TEG) within RAL Space is responsible for the thermal design, development and testing of spacecraft scientific payloads, ground-based space instruments and calibration equipment. The group also leads a facility for the design and production of the Multi-layer Insulation used on spacecraft.

Our day-to-day work ranges from studies for future missions through to the design and testing of high-profile instruments, such as the Mid Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on the NASA James Webb Space Telescope observatory.

Mainly, we work on:

 – Thermal and cryogenic systems

 – Planetary/lunar landers and orbital missions

 – On-board blackbody calibration systems

 – Ground-based telescopes and instrument calibration facilities

 – Electronics thermal control

 – Multi-layer Insulation (MLI) design and manufacture

The project will focus on the entire lifecycle of the thermal analysis of a space instrument or spacecraft, with considerations for the space environment, materials and coatings used. This will also include manipulation of CAD software for geometry preparation as well as some coding.

Additional activities the student will partake in include a RAL Space facilities tour of the thermal vacuum chambers, visit of the cleanrooms, discovery of other space engineering fields and more. You will have the opportunity to visit other facilities on campus.

You will develop key skills in the field of thermal analysis (learn about the current technologies in the field, basic physics and assumptions, technical skills…), participate in meetings for ongoing space projects, develop your general knowledge of space engineering and experience the day-to-day life of a space engineer.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

There are no other requirements than an interest for space and engineering! We will cover the basics of thermal engineering during the week.

Discipline: 

Engineering

Group and Project Summary: 

Astra-Gemini

The Astra Gemini Laser is a dual-beam, petawatt-class laser system located at the Central Laser Facility (CLF), Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (UKRI-STFC). It delivers ultrashort, high-intensity laser pulses for experiments in high energy physics such as plasma physics, particle acceleration, and high-field science. Each beam delivers up to 10 J in 30 fs pulses at 800 nm. Gemini is used by the scientific community to investigate laser–plasma interactions, secondary radiation generation (x-rays, electrons, ions), and more!

Our group focuses on running Gemini as a user facility, working on diagnostics, development, and applications. We work on: Laser pulse characterization (temporal and spatial), beamline alignment, and performance optimization. We provide experimental support for researchers that come to use our facility, including target area setup and beam delivery.

This work experience placement will aim to provide students with a background understanding of how lasers work, the physics behind their operation, and how they are used in an experimental setting. The project will be working with eye safe lasers, investigating the properties of light they produce, and using them to identify and characterise unknown optics in the lab. Typical activities might include setting up or testing optical equipment, aligning laser beams, and using diagnostics to monitor key laser parameters such as pulse energy, divergence, and beam quality. Students will be required to keep a thorough lab notebook, and write up all of their findings at the end of their project as a report. They will then have the opportunity to present their final work to a small group.

Length of placement: 2 weeks             Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Students should have a keen interest in science, particularly physics, and enjoy hands-on laboratory based work. Experience in performing experiments, recording and analysing data, and writing reports is desirable but not essential. Students should be aware of general laboratory safety and be able to demonstrate safe working.

Discipline: 

Science (practical)

Group and Project Summary: 

Chilbolton Operations Group

We operate the Chilbolton Observatory, operating and maintaining instruments, working with colleagues and partners to deliver projects and test campaigns.

We operate the Chilbolton Observatory site including the various instruments hosted here. We develop radar technology which is used for various atmospheric science applications as well as satellite tracking. We also maintain and calibrate all the equipment, and support visiting groups when they are deploying their own instruments on site to take advantage of our location and existing data sets.

The Chilbolton Observatory, Hampshire, is a radio and space field station. We operate a range of facilities focused on atmospheric science, future telecommunications and space situational awareness. Most of our expertise lies in radar instruments, and we work with various other groups to develop and maintain the capabilities they need.

The Chilbolton Observatory is a radio and space field station that runs lots of science equipment. As well as maintaining the kit running 24/7, we develop new technologies for higher performance and reliability. Our work involves a lot of time in the field and the laboratory getting hands-on! We are looking for a work experience student to help gather data using some high-tech instruments. This may involve checking instruments, plotting graphs and lots of other fun laboratory experiments.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

A broad interest in enabling science – a desire to understand how we generate data and take measurements.

A means of transportation to reach the Observatory site in rural Hampshire each day is essential. There is no public transport that will enable this.

Discipline: 

Science (practical) Also links to engineering, science (theoretical) and computing

Group and Project Summary: 

Detector Systems Group at ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

The detector systems group develops and maintains the neutron and muon detectors used on instruments at ISIS. There is a strong focus on the research and development of new detector technologies to continually improve the scientific capabilities of ISIS instruments.

The project may include producing and testing new luminescent materials for neutron detectors or characterising material properties of novel scintillators. The student will gain hands on experience using a range of scientific techniques and be responsible for analysing and presenting their findings.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

• Interest in experimental physics or science

• Problem solving skills

• Enthusiasm for learning and trying new things!

Discipline:  Science (practical)

Group and Project Summary: 

The RAL CMS group consists of particle physicists working on the CMS experiment, one of the two general purpose experiments at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. We contribute to the design, construction and operation of the experiment as well as analysing the resulting data collected. We are particularly active in developing the system to which the detector uses to determine which events to save for offline analysis (know as the ‘trigger’), improving the understanding of how electrons and photons interact with the detector and generic searches for  new physics beyond the standard model.

This project will focus on trying to understand collision data from the CMS experiment.  We expect to be studying how electrons interact with the CMS calorimeter to improve our ability to accurately reconstruct their energies, ideally testing some machine learning techniques to do so. However research is rarely predicable and we may end up doing something else with CMS data which is similar but not this exact topic.

Length of placement: 1 week (Either 13 or 20 July 2026)          Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

The main requirement is  enthusiasm and curiosity about science.

While extensive computing experience is not required the student should be happy to spend much of their placement working with computers.

Specifically we will be using the python programming language to interact with the data so some basic familiarity with that language or another similar language would be highly beneficial to get the most out of this placement.

Discipline: 

Science (practical)

Group and Project Summary: 

Neutrinos

We design, build, and operate the gigantic particle detectors required to study the most elusive particle, the neutrino. We analyse data from these detectors to learn what we can about the fundamental properties of the three known types of neutrinos, electron, muon, and tau, and how they have been observed to mysteriously morph into each other after travelling for hundreds of kilometres via a phenomenon known as neutrino oscillation. We are especially focussed on studying whether neutrinos and antineutrinos undergo this oscillation process differently enough to explain why the universe is predominantly made of matter, rather than antimatter.

You will implement a simple mathematical model of neutrino oscillation in python and then fit it to data from the T2K neutrino experiment. From this analysis you will make a measurement of some of the fundamental physical properties of how neutrinos behave and compare it to world data. You will compare neutrino data and antineutrino data to see if you can find evidence of Charge-Parity symmetry violation!

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Desirable:

  Interest in programming (though no specific prior experience required)

  Interest in mathematical science

  Interest in data presentation (we will be making figures and plots in python)

Discipline: 

Science (practical)

Group and Project Summary: 

ATLAS Group

The RAL ATLAS group is building detector upgrades, operating the detector at CERN and analysing the data collected.We have particular interests and responsibilities in the tracking detectors that analyse particle trajectories and the trigger that selects which collisions to record. An enormous variety of studies are enabled by the LHC collisions and we participate in many of them.

The student will work on some aspect of LHC data analysis, likely related to the search for a different type of Higgs boson. Work will build on previous project taken on by past work expereince students and the team. In the 2023,  students worked on exploring models of new physics to see what we should look for, then in 2024, training AI to look and in 2025, analysing a strange phenomenon seen in the data when doing the search.

Length of placement: 1 week (Either 6 or 13 July 2026) Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

The work will be largely using and modifying computer models/data analysis tools built in C++ and running on linux, but extensive software expertise is not needed, just enthusiasm to try. This project will benefit someone considering further involvement in physics such as a degree.

Discipline: 

Science (theoretical), Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

ATLAS Inner Tracker (ITk)

For the high-luminosity era of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the ATLAS inner detector will be upgraded to an all-silicon inner tracker (ITk). This new tracker will enable data acquisition at a higher rate and will be able to withstand higher radiation environments. Our group is part of the effort to construct the ITk. We will build and test parts of the pixel detector.

Our group at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory works on building a part of the ATLAS detector’s Inner Tracker for the High-Luminosity era of the Large Hardon Collider at CERN. This part, the so-called Outer Endcap will be constructed from pixel modules mounted on a carbon-fibre structure. Our work involves testing pixel modules, mounting them on supports and performing an extended set of quality tests on the assembled structure. The test  and readout conditions closely resemble those of the operation in the detector and are done to evaluate the part’s health ahead of shipping to then be mounted in the ITk structure.

In this placement, you will get the opportunity to learn about the production process and even help to build a part of the ATLAS detector’s Inner Tracker. You will be doing hands-on work in a lab and cleanroom environment.

Length of placement: 1 week (July weeks only) Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Happy to work in the lab

Interested in particle detectors

Discipline:  Science (practical), Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

CMS Group

We are involved in all aspects of the CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, including operating it, doing physics analysis of the data, improving the software needed for run the experiment and process the data, developing upgrades to the detector and its associated electronics. We are running a small electronics testing laboratory at RAL, where we work with prototypes. One focus of our electronics work is infrastructure: providing power, monitoring performance and environmental conditions, etc.

We are running a small electronics testing and development laboratory at RAL, mostly for the CMS Experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Most of the lab users work with our prototype electronics remotely and are not physically in the lab itself. This means we need to have systems to monitor and control many aspects of laboratory operations online, from keeping an eye on environmental parameters to being able to control power to various types of equipment. We have a basic system running, but it needs lots of additions and improvements. This is important to keep us running and also to reduce power consumption in our lab, and even with some basic Python programming skills or web design experience you could really make a difference by helping us. The plan is for two students and one experienced staff member to push this forward together.

Length of placement: 1 week (Either 29 June or 6 July 2026) Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

We are looking for people who are interested in automation and control systems for scientific equipment. Some programming experience would be really helpful, either python or web application development.

Discipline: 

Science (practical) Computing

Group and Project Summary: 

Dark Matter Direct Detection

Despite the fact that mysterious dark matter makes up approximately 85% of all the matter in our Universe, we have not yet been able to directly detect it. A long-standing leading candidate for dark matter are Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), however as they have not yet been discovered, there is a growing increase to search for lower mass dark matter candidates. Our group works on experimental searches for lower mass dark matter particles using two different experiments: QUEST-DMC and DarkSide-20k. QUEST-DMC is a unique collaboration of ultra-low temperature and particle physicists within the Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics programme, and is projected to reach world-leading sensitivity to sub-GeV dark matter particle interactions using a superfluid helium-3 target. DarkSide-20k is a flagship international experiment constructing a 51-tonne detector at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) in Italy with a liquid argon target, and will reach more than a ten times increase in the sensitivity over current searches for WIMPs and low mass dark matter particles.

The QUEST-DMC experiment is an exciting search for the elusive dark matter that pervades our galaxy. The detector employs extraordinarily sensitive superfluid helium bolometer cells to detect minuscule changes in temperature in the superfluid, from dark matter collisions with helium atoms. There are a couple pathways for this project, both of which will contribute to the QUEST-DMC dark matter search: i) detector hardware upgrades to mitigate the impact of cosmic rays on the dark matter search, and ii) analytical work to increase sensitivity to low energy interactions. Students may work on either or both. For the former, there’s much overlap with other areas of tech development, particularly in quantum computing. For the latter, we will explore interesting analysis techniques involving coding and machine learning. And of course, if other ideas or opportunities arise, the student taking on this project can feel free to explore those as well!

Length of placement: 2 weeks             Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Enthusiasm is most important than anything. Prior experience in coding is not necessary, but would be very beneficial for this project.

Discipline: 

Science (practical)

Group and Project Summary: 

LHCb

We are the LHCb group at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. We work on particle physics experiments conducted at CERN. The LHCb experiment specializes in investigating the slight differences between matter and antimatter by studying a type of particle called the “beauty quark,” or “b quark.”

Our group focuses on upgrading the detectors, including the RICH and Mighty Tracker. Our research projects include sensor testing (HV-MAPS and SiPM), cooling system development, detector readout systems, detector geometry simulation, and data analysis (using Python and C++).

To build our detector test system, we design and prototype monitoring systems using Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and purpose-specific electronics. For sensor readout, we develop both firmware (FPGA) and software (in C++ and Python) for testing.

Studies involving detector geometry simulations allow us to analyze and optimize the design of the upgraded detectors.

I also maintain the PPD exhibition room and am happy to share my experience working in particle physics.

In this placement, you will work with one or more of the detectors projects, the tracker system or RICH (Ring-Imaging Cherenkov) detector. We will offer the placement students to work in the lab for sensor testing with laser or in different cooling conditions, using various electronics and readout system. There will be possible exercises to try out some data analysis or simulation with your programming skill too.

Our group (LHCb) is working on two upgrade projects, The Mighty Tracker and RICH  detector upgrade.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Happy to work in the lab

Interest in particle physics

Discipline: 

Science (practical)

Group and Project Summary: 

Dark Matter

Despite the fact that mysterious dark matter makes up approximately 85% of all the matter in our Universe, we have not yet been able to directly detect it. A long-standing leading candidate for dark matter are Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), however as they have not yet been discovered, there is a growing increase to search for lower mass dark matter candidates. Our group works on experimental searches for lower mass dark matter particles using two different experiments: QUEST-DMC and DarkSide-20k. QUEST-DMC is a unique collaboration of ultra-low temperature and particle physicists within the Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics programme, and is projected to reach world-leading sensitivity to sub-GeV dark matter particle interactions using a superfluid helium-3 target. DarkSide-20k is a flagship international experiment constructing a 51-tonne detector at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) in Italy with a liquid argon target, and will reach more than a ten times increase in the sensitivity over current searches for WIMPs and low mass dark matter particles.

We are working on the DarkSide-20k Experiment currently under construction at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) in Italy. DarkSide-20k is a direct dark matter detection experiment, which aims to detect dark matter particles through their scattering interactions with liquid argon atoms inside the detector. After 10 years of operation, DarkSide-20k is projected to reach world-leading sensitivity to high-mass dark matter candidates called “Weakly Interactive Massive Particles”, or WIMPs.

DarkSide-20k is an international project, with collaborators based all over the world across 14 different countries. Our group at RAL is covering several different activities on the project: characterisation, installation, and commissioning of the silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) photon sensors, development of the data acquisition (DAQ) system, and software and analysis development for the high-mass WIMP search. We are also involved in exploring new analysis strategies to search for a range of different, low-mass candidates for dark matter using the DarkSide-20k detector, other than WIMPs.

The project will revolve around one of these topics; however, since research is rarely predictable and the DarkSide-20k project is continuously evolving, specific details will depend upon the state at the time.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

No experience needed – just enthusiasm and a willingness to learn!

Discipline: 

Science (practical)

Group and Project Summary: 

Computational Biology

The Computational Biology group write software for structural biology and bioinformatics, with a particular focus on computationally demanding problems. This software is used by thousands of others worldwide in their research, and also by ourselves for our in-house research. We focus on the structures of biological molecules and how this structure affects their role in health and disease.
We have on-going projects to understand the molecular basis of important human pathogens, such as E.coli implicated in food poisoning or neglected tropical diseases such as leprosy. We use experimental data or AI predictions to model the structure of important molecules, and use this to understand how to design drugs and how the pathogen evolves to develop resistance to these drugs.

The project will involve using a combination of in-house software and online services to model particular molecules involved in virulence. The student will learn how to use computational biology software, how to visualise atomic structures, and will gain some insight into modern biomedical research. They will focus on a single virulence factor and generate a 3D atomic model for it using online tools. They will then collate data on mutations seen in isolate samples, and map these onto the 3D model to understand the effect on function. There may be the opportunity to do some simple Python scripting. The student will be introduced to other members of the group and external collaborators to see the bigger picture of how we build up knowledge of particular diseases.

Length of placement: 1 week               Year Group: Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Basic competence on a computer, but interest in biological science is more important.

Discipline: 

Science (theoretical)

Group and Project Summary: 

Innovation Clusters

The Innovation Clusters team at STFC drives the development of world-class campuses at Harwell and Daresbury, home to national scientific facilities and cutting-edge research. We foster clusters that bring together research institutions, large businesses, and innovative SMEs working across the key sectors of space, health, energy, digital and quantum technologies. Our work spans stakeholder engagement, business development, event organisation, hosting high-profile visits, strategic communications, and managing grant funding to accelerate collaboration and innovation.

This placement offers a unique opportunity to explore the Business and Innovation Directorate at STFC, including teams such as Innovations, Marketing and Events, Business Development, and the host team, Innovation Clusters. You’ll gain insight into the business ecosystem at Harwell Campus, discover how clusters drive growth, collaboration, and innovation, and learn how STFC’s National Laboratories support business development. The experience includes a week-long project worked on daily, culminating in a final-day presentation. As well as this, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet professionals across a diverse range of roles, ask questions, and tour the campus.

Length of placement: 1 week Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Students should have an interest in STEM and be keen to learn more about business development, innovation, marketing and events.

Discipline:  Other

Group and Project Summary: 

Marketing and Events

The Marketing and Events team within the Business and Innovation Directorate (BID) at STFC works to promote STFC’s opportunities and activities to businesses of all sizes.

This placement offers a unique opportunity to work with the Marketing and Events team, gaining insight into campaigns and events that drive innovation, business growth, start-up development, and campus activities. Experience working in a dynamic, creative, and fast-paced environment where no two days are the same.

This role offers an excellent opportunity to learn and develop skills in graphic design, multi-channel marketing, event planning, branding, website management, short and long form content and social media.

The experience includes a week-long project working alongside the Marketing and Events Apprentices, ending with a final-day presentation. As well as this, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet professionals across a diverse range of roles, ask questions, and tour the campus.

Length of placement: 1 week (Either 13 or 20 July 2026)          Year Group: Year 10/11

Other Criteria: 

Students should have an interest in creative design and be keen to learn more about marketing and events, business development and innovation.

Discipline:  Other

Group and Project Summary: 

Admin Team

The Business Administration team is part of the Operations function in Scientific Computing. We are a team of enablers who support the scientists across the department, in a variety of functions and capacities, including email/calendar management, purchasing, travel booking, meeting support & management, event coordination, licensing, project/programme support, website management and so much more. We are a cohesive supportive team with a vast array of skills, who take pride in their work and proactively identify and implement improvements in practices and processes to maximise our effectiveness and efficiency, and that of the department.

This short project will look at current time-heavy admin tasks regularly performed by members of the Admin Team, consider why these are so time consuming and explore how these can be streamlined by using AI agents and/or automated workflows.

During this placement, the students will

– gain an understanding of admin processes

– develop or further develop their use of CoPilot

– develop and test possible improved processes

– present their findings to the Head of Operations and Admin team

Length of placement: 1 week (July weeks only) Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

An interest in admin, using AI in a non-scientific way, and identifying ways of effective working would better enable the student to get the most from this project.

Discipline: 

Other (Admin)

Group and Project Summary: 

The Particle Physics Department (PPD) designs, builds, and operate detectors worldwide, analyses data, and supports the UK particle physics community. PPD work on a variety of neutrino, dark matter, and particle accelerator experiments. As a science communicator, it is my job to share and promote this work across social media, our website, internal communications and public outreach events.

Gain hands-on experience in science communication by supporting the creation and sharing of engaging content that showcases the department’s research and activities.

You might help to write news stories or social media posts, talk to scientists about their work, use graphic design tools to create content, or help to prepare outreach materials. Whatever activities you do, you’ll explore how complex scientific ideas are communicated to different audiences.

It is a great chance to see how communication brings cutting-edge research to life and inspires others to get curious about physics.

Length of placement: 1 week (Either 29 June or 6 July 2026) Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Interest in physics or particle physics

Interest in science communication

Enjoys writing and being creative

Some knowledge of social media

Experience with photography, graphic design, or content creation is welcome but not essential

Discipline: 

Other (Communications)

Group and Project Summary: 

Communications and Impact at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

Our group focuses on communicating complex scientific research in an engaging and accessible way. We work closely with scientists and engineers to showcase their work through a variety of channels including website articles, LinkedIn posts, Instagram content, and short video reels. By combining storytelling with visuals such as photography, videography, and graphic design, we help promote the impact of science and technology on society. Our goal is to make cutting-edge research understandable and inspiring for a wide audience, while supporting events and other communication initiatives that highlight the breadth of scientific innovation.

We are responsible for writing news articles and science highlights about the research done at ISIS Neutron and Muon Source and the people who work here, as well as sharing it on our website and social media pages like LinkedIn and Instagram. This includes interviewing, writing, photography, videography and graphic design.

We’re looking for a work experience student to help create creative content for our website and social media channels. This will involve writing a science highlight article and a case study, and may also include photography/videography, interviewing staff, and designing graphics.

During your week with us, you’ll get a taste of what it’s like to communicate science to the public. You will help draft short science highlights, design social media posts, take photos and even brainstorm ideas for videos and events. You’ll also see how we collaborate with scientists and engineers to make their work accessible and inspiring. This experience is perfect if you’re interested in both science and creativity maybe you enjoy writing, digital media, or visual storytelling, but also love learning about how science shapes the world.

Length of placement: 1 week (20-24 July 2026)         Year Group: Year 10/11 or Year 12/13

Other Criteria: 

Essential – Students will need to demonstrate the following:

A passion for science and eagerness to learn.

An interest in learning about a range of scientific areas.

Creative ideas for developing science-based content.

Interest in Content Creation

Good teamwork

Willingness to learn

Discipline: 

Other (Communications)