Current XIA Research Programs

The following research programs are currently active at XIA, with either Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase I or II funding or internal R&D funding. Each scientist or engineer typically participates in several programs, depending upon areas of expertise, time constraints, and programmatic success. If you are skilled in several of the areas noted above and find these projects interesting, please contact us.

• PXI Card Coincidence Spectrometer - "PXI" (0 openings)
  This project involves modifying the design of our high precision digital gamma spectrometer so that 4 channels can operate on a single PXI card, while implementing high speed coincidence detection between channels on neighboring cards. The final cards will be used to instrument applications as diverse as small nuclear physics experiments to arrays of detectors for locating diverted nuclear materials. Outstanding project goals include: Refining the analog front end, developing inter-card communication protocol; designing and testing FPGA designs to implement the fast digital signal processing and the communication protocol; developing dsp code to control the board and produce spectra, and designing and coding appropriate PX drivers and interface softwareI. Applicable skills from the above set might include 4, 5, 7, 10, 12 and 13.. Probably requires an advanced degree in Physics or Electronic Engineering or equivalent experience.
  
  
• Position Sensitive Gamma-ray Spectroscopy - "GRETA" (0 openings)
  This innovative work involves digitally capturing and processing the transient induced charge signal in large arrays of cryogenically cooled Ge detectors with multiple electrodes. Its goal is to develop both the hardware and algorithms to determine both the location and deposited energy of gamma-ray interactions in the detectors so that Compton multiple scattering events within array can be captured and accurately reconstructed. Current work focuses on card and system design to push interaction location computations as close to the detectors in the data processing chain as possible. Applicable skills from the above list include 4, 5, 7, 10 and 13. Experience in designing nuclear or particle physics detector electronics would be highly valued.
  
  
• Position Sensitive Crossed Strip Detector Research - "Q-induced" (0 openings)
  We are currently building a 1 cm thick HPGe detector with 1-2 mm wide stripes from which we hope to attain 100 micron spatial resolution plus good energy resolution by capturing and processing transient induced charge signals on the neighboring or 'spectator' strips to the strips which actually collect deposited charge. The research will involve developing this Patented technology with the goal of imaging mouse hearts beating at 10 Hz. Work will include cryostat design (mostly complete), developing and installing low noise front end electronics, working with our DGF technology to capture induced charge signals, developing algorithms to locate charge centroids, coding these algorithms into onboard DSPs to attain position locations at high data rates, and developing image display software. Applicable skills from above list are 1, 3, 5, 9, 10, and 13. Ideal candidates would have a Ph.D. in Physics (Semiconductor, Radiation, X-ray, Nuclear, High energy, or Medical) with analog Electrical Engineering experience, recent research experience and some grant writing skills. Experience in designing nuclear or particle physics or similar detector electronics would be highly valued. We will also consider hiring two candidates with complimentary skill sets. We have funding for about 1.5 years, during which time we hope to generate additional successful proposals to continue the work.

Skills We Are Looking For

We are always interested in speaking with candidates who meet the qualifications below.

We will consider people with Bachelor's, Master's, Ph.D.'s or Post Doc's, with or without additional experience. If you have skills in the areas mentioned below, please let us know you are out there. Electrical engineers, engineering physicists, and experimental physicists are often well prepared to tackle our problems and are particularly encouraged to apply.

Candidates expertise should include, in no particular order:

1. Analog electronics design for very low noise (1-20 MHz region).
2. ASIC design, fabrication, and test, both Digital/Analog
3. Detector development (solid state, scintillator+CCD, or related).
4. Digital electronics design (gate arrays or Digital Signal Processing systems preferred).
5. DSP processor code design and development. (Analog Devices AD2181 and/or SHARC preferred.)
6. Graphical User Interface development, PC-based
7. Interfacing data acquisition and detector electronics to computers.
8. Production Engineering, PC board layout.
9. Radiation physics, medical x-ray physics experience.
10. Scientific Programming for non-trivial analysis or experimental control.
(C, Java, C++, LabView, X-windows).
11. Synchrotron Experimental Experience: XAS preferred, X-ray diffraction OK.
12. Test/Measurement instrument design at module or system level.
13. Writing: good scientific writing skills are quite important;
success with funded proposals a plus, of course.
14. X-ray instrumentation design for commercial applications

About the company

X-ray Instrumentation Associates (XIA) is a small high tech firm in the business of inventing, developing and marketing advanced digital data acquisition and processing systems for x-ray and gamma-ray detector applications in university research, national laboratories and industry . While our traditional source of support was from Federal Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grants, with minor support from product sales, the company has recently reversed that ratio. We currently manufacture and sell 9 instruments, in 4 product families, at prices ranging $500 to $15,000. We are located in Hayward, on the east, easy commute, side of San Francisco Bay.

XIA offers a friendly yet highly stimulating technical environment. Of our 14 current employees, 7 hold Ph.D.'s in Physics or Materials Research, 1 has an MS in Electronic Engineering, and 4 have BA's in Physics. We regularly collaborate with US National Laboratories and industrial partners, carrying out original, publishable scientific research, as well as more conventional product-oriented engineering. Our "corporate culture" is thus a challenging but rewarding mix of academic intellectual rigor and nuts and bolts engineering. Successful candidates will be intellectually stimulated both by working with top-level specialists, inside the company and out, and by developing products that significantly advance the state of the art.

As a company that is small but poised to grow, we require people who possess multiple areas of expertise and acquire new ones readily. For our research staff, we are therefore seeking individuals who not only excel at innovative research but also enjoy the engineering process required to reduce research to product practice. Since our customers engage in advanced research and we must understand (and sometime collaborate in) that research to meet their instrumentation needs. For our production staff, we are seeking individuals with the experience and discipline to create and operate the systems required to function efficiently as we continue to grow. We offer flexible work schedules, an informal working environment, and lots of interesting problems and opportunities for career growth. We'll give you as much opportunity as you can handle. We pay reasonable salaries and benefits and have an excellent retirement package. We are in the process of incorporating and developing programs for profit sharing and employee equity ownership. 

How to Apply

Please follow the links for current positions and read the instructions contained therein. To be considered for general employment at XIA LLC, please send a CV and a short letter summarising your interests and relevant background to:

Dr. William Warburton, President
XIA LLC
31057 Genstar Rd.
Hayward CA 94544

e-mail:
Phone: (510) 401-5760
Fax: (510) 401-5761

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http://www.xia.com/jobs.html, last updated June 8, 2012
© XIA LLC 2013