Summer Internship: Heat Lift Characterisation & Analysis

We’re looking to hire an intern with a physics and/or mechanical engineering background to help support our engineering team in setting-up and executing heat lift tests on our GM product line. You can find more informaiton about the role below. To apply for this summer internship, email ocshr@oxcryo.com with your CV and cover letter attached

A 12 week summer internship opportunity at Oxford Cryosystems to test & validate our cryocooler components for cooling performance. We are offering a hands-on experience for a physics and/or mechanical engineering student while being part of our world-renowned engineering department in the outskirts of Oxford.

Oxford Cryosystems is developing and supplying cutting edge cooling technology to the global scientific community. We are the market-leading UK manufacturer of highly specialised scientific instruments and software for cryogenic cooling devices. Our devices can be found in high profile innovative laboratories around the world and we collaborate in partnerships with many of our customers to enable bespoke solutions that enables ground-breaking research.

To date, our products have contributed to advances in fields as diverse as pharmaceuticals, telecoms, green energy and astronomy. Customers include universities, high-tech manufacturers, drugs companies and research institutes throughout the world. In fact, more than 80% of production is currently exported and 90% of the company’s suppliers are British-based – and all manufacturing still takes place in Oxfordshire, just a few miles from the laboratory where it all began. Further information about Oxford Cryosystems can be found under: https://www.oxcryo.com/

Since the business is growing and our products are continuously developed further, an opportunity has arisen to re-test and validate our cryocoolers for cooling performance (heat lift). Therefore, we are looking for an intern with a physics and/or mechanical engineering background for up to 12 weeks to support our engineering teams to set-up and execute the necessary test and experiments within our labs. Results of the tests will feed into our product catalogues and also into our engineering teams to develop our products further.

Main objective: Heat lift characterisation and analysis of Oxford Cryosystems Gifford-McMahon Cryocoolers. Heat Lift is a cryocooler’s ability to remove heat from the cold tip while maintaining the stated temperature. The Heat lift characterisation will involve examining a cryocooler’s performance at several configurations including different compressor speeds, cryocooler speeds, temperatures, and differential pressures. Therefore, the project will involve the following tasks and activities:

• Assembling experimental apparatus consisting of temperature controllers, vacuum chambers, turbomolecular vacuum pumps, helium compressors, Gifford-McMahon cryocoolers, computer equipment, and data acquisition software
• Electrical and mechanical assembly of the test set-up
• Calibration of the experimental apparatus
• Design of the data acquisition process
• Visualising and processing the collected data using MATLAB and/or Python

During the internship, the student will be assigned to a supervisor and will be part of the engineering team. While carrying out the various tasks & activities, he/she will receive the necessary guidance, training and engineering support required. Throughout the 12 weeks internship, there will be various opportunities to learn more about the business and to be part of other engineering activities.

• Ideally with physics and/or mechanical engineering background
• Willing to learn about new methods, processes and engineering solutions
• Flexible and open minded individual who can work in a dynamic environment
• Able to work independently but also as part of a team
• Result driven, can-do attitude and with attention to detail
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Confident user of MS Office tools and ideally MATLAB and/or Python

Oxford Cryosystems provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, national origin, age or disability. We comply with applicable regional laws governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of internship and employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Our building has two floors with a wheelchair ramp/access to the lower floor. If necessary, the company can and will make the required adjustments to suit the student’s individual needs.

• Location: Long Hanborough (only 10 min from Oxford centre via train)
• Duration: 12 weeks
• Type: Full time – 9am to 5pm. Further arrangements are possible.
• Hours: 40 hours per week including 30 minutes unpaid lunchbreak each day (37.5 hours paid)
• Holiday: 2 days per months. Pay-out for unused holiday at the end of the 12 week period.
• Start date: To be agreed
• Salary: £8,000 (for 12 weeks / three months)