Technical Director for MAX IV Laboratory

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities. The University has around 46 000 students and 8 500 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.

Lead the technical future of one of the world’s most advanced research facilities

MAX IV Laboratory is Sweden’s national synchrotron radiation facility and a world-leading research infrastructure hosted by Lund University. As the first operational fourth-generation synchrotron light source, MAX IV enables groundbreaking research in materials science, life science, chemistry, physics, engineering, and environmental science.

More than 1,700 researchers from academia, industry and public organizations use MAX IV every year, and this number is expected to grow in the coming years. The facility comprises a state-of-the-art accelerator complex and 16 operational beamlines, supported by more than 300 highly skilled employees.

We are now seeking an experienced and visionary leader to join the MAX IV Management Team as Technical Director.

The Role

This is an opportunity to lead a multidisciplinary technical organization within the international research infrastructure community.

As Technical Director, you will be a member of the MAX IV Management Team and report directly to the Director of MAX IV Laboratory.

You will lead the Technical Division, bringing together approximately 120 highly qualified engineers, specialists, and managers from seven departments:

• Infrastructure

• Software

• Electronics

• Scientific Data

• Central Project Office

• Engineering I

• Engineering II

Together, these groups provide the technological backbone of MAX IV, enabling reliable operations, continuous improvements and future developments across accelerators, beamlines, and scientific infrastructure.

You will lead through seven direct-report managers and be responsible for setting the strategic direction of the division while ensuring operational excellence, effective collaboration, and long-term capability development.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Technical Division and its management team.

• Contribute actively to the overall strategy and development of MAX IV as a member of the MAX IV Management Team.

• Ensure that the technical infrastructure, systems, and competencies support both current operations and future scientific ambitions.

• Drive organizational development and continuous improvement across a complex, multidisciplinary environment.

• Oversee strategic investments, resource planning, budgets, and prioritization across the division.

• Strengthen the collaboration between Technical, Accelerator, Science, and Administrative Divisions.

• Sponsor and support major technical projects, upgrades, and infrastructure initiatives.

• Foster a culture of innovation, safety, accountability, and technical excellence.

• Represent MAX IV in national and international collaborations, networks, and partnerships.

Your Profile

We are looking for a senior leader with a strong technical foundation and a proven ability to lead large, knowledge-intensive organizations. We recognize that exceptional candidates may come from different sectors.

You may currently hold a role such as Technical Director, Chief Technology Officer, Engineering Director, Head of Engineering, Research Infrastructure Director, or similar senior leadership position.

You are likely to bring experience from one or more of the following environments:

• Large-scale scientific research facilities

• Synchrotrons, accelerator laboratories, or particle physics organizations

• National laboratories and research institutes

• Semiconductor manufacturing and high-precision engineering

• Aerospace, defense, or advanced industrial technology

• Technology-intensive universities and research organizations

• Complex international engineering environments

Qualifications

• A Master's degree or PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or another relevant technical discipline.

• Leadership experience from senior management roles in technically advanced environments.

• Proven experience leading managers and highly specialized technical professionals.

• Experience from complex organizations where technology, operations and long-term development must be balanced successfully.

• Demonstrated success in organizational development and change management.

• Experience of participating in executive management teams and contributing to organizational strategy.

• Strong understanding of project and portfolio management.

• Excellent communication skills in English, both written and spoken.

• Proficiency in a Scandinavian language like Swedish, Danish, or Norwegian would be an asset.

Technical Background

You do not need expertise in all areas, but you should have substantial experience from one or several of the following:

• Scientific research infrastructures

• Accelerator facilities, synchrotrons, or large-scale laboratories

• Advanced software and control systems

• Scientific data management and large-scale data environments

• High-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning applications

• Electronics and instrumentation

• Automation and industrial systems

• Vacuum technology

• High-precision engineering and manufacturing

• Electrical systems and technical infrastructure

Who You Are

To succeed in this role, you combine strategic perspective with strong leadership and the ability to create trust across diverse technical disciplines.

More importantly, you are motivated by enabling others to succeed and by building organizations capable of achieving extraordinary results.

You are:

• A strategic thinker with a holistic perspective

• An inspiring leader who creates engagement and alignment

• Decisive and comfortable making decisions in complex environments

• Analytically strong and able to navigate competing priorities

• Skilled at leading changes and driving organizational development

• A collaborative relationship-builder with high integrity

• An excellent communicator who can engage both technical specialists and executive stakeholders

Why MAX IV?

Few leadership opportunities offer this combination of scientific impact, technical complexity, and societal relevance.

At MAX IV, you will:

• Lead one of the most diverse technical organizations in the international synchrotron community.

• Influence the future of a globally recognized scientific infrastructure.

• Work alongside world-leading scientists, engineers, and technology experts.

• Help shape future generations of scientific instruments, data platforms, and technical capabilities.

• Contribute directly to research addressing global challenges in health, energy, environment, materials, and technology.

This is an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy - not only for MAX IV, but for the international scientific community it serves.

MAX IV cooperates with Poolia for this recruitment. If you have questions regarding the position, please contact Senior Recruitment Consultant Peder Bjursten via peder.bjursten@poolia.se or +46 73 944 54 60.

If you are motivated by leading highly skilled people, developing advanced technical capabilities and contributing to scientific excellence on a global scale, we would be delighted to hear from you.

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