My name is Josh, and I'm an Electronics Technician in the Technology Department, working for ISIS Neutron and Muon Source's Detector Systems Group at STFC. I wanted to share a bit about my experiences, starting as an apprentice to my current role supporting the innovative science that takes place at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL).
My Apprenticeship Journey
Joshua (left) and the Detector Systems Group Frontline Support Team
My time at RAL began in 2019, when I started my Electronics Engineering Apprenticeship at STFC. In my first year, I focused on learning foundational skills at Oxfordshire Advanced Skills at Culham Science Centre. These skills included milling, turning, soldering, and electrical assembly.
For the next three years, I gained hands-on experience on-site at RAL, working in a variety of departments such as the ISIS Detector System Group, Diagnostics, and the Technology Department PCB (Printed Circuit Board) Design Office. This experience allowed me to develop a wide range of electronics abilities, from fault-finding and testing to design and wiring.
After completing my apprenticeship in 2023, I officially joined the Technology Department and began working in the ISIS Detector Systems Group (DSG).
Working in the ISIS Detector Systems Group
As an Electronics Technician in DSG, my responsibilities involve the development, maintenance, and operation of the Data Acquisition Equipment (DAE) present on every ISIS instrument. DAE is used to gather and process data from an instrument’s detectors so it can then be analysed further by scientists.
Our team handles everything from the installation and commissioning of new DAE systems to the maintenance and repair of the existing DAE and detector electronics PCBs.
For ISIS' IMAT upgrade, I worked with my DSG colleagues to install the hardware into the racks and route the cables from the detectors to the DAE and between crates, network switches, etc.
DAE electronics for the IMAT instrument after the recent detector upgrades
These racks are used to store and organise equipment such as crates for powering our circuit boards, fans for managing the temperature of the equipment, PCs to run experimental control software, network switches to allow for network communication, and high and low voltage supplies for detectors.
Frontline Support
One of the most dynamic parts of my role is my involvement in the front-line support team. This team is a part of the electronics group that ensures that each instrument’s DAE is ready to collect data.
In the run-up to/during ISIS cycles, we’re on hand to quickly resolve any callouts, fixing any faults with an instrument’s DAE so data acquisition can continue. If any critical faults are not resolved, it would lead to experiments needing to be cancelled as data would not be able to be gathered.
After two years in the frontline support team, I have responded to callouts across Target Station 1 and Target Station 2, becoming increasingly familiar with each instrument and its equipment.
Since finishing my apprenticeship, I have been involved in everything from installing and repairing electronic equipment to programming and designing firmware. I have had a hugely hands-on and rewarding experience.
The advice I would give to any current apprentices or technicians new to STFC would be to always proactively seek out new work that would help to develop your skills. This will help to show your colleagues that you are engaged with your work and that you enjoy contributing to their shared goals.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to be managing the DAE upgrade for the Silicon Analyser on OSIRIS, a project that will be vital for the continued advancement of the experiments happening at ISIS. It has been a rewarding experience so far, and I'm looking forward to contributing more to innovative science in the future.
Written by Joshua Davies.
