Who w​e are 

The Technology Department is a centre of excellence for advanced scientific engineering, working to push the boundaries of science.

As one of the largest departments at the Science and Technology Facilities Council, we bring together more than 300 talented individuals and span two of the organisation's three sites.

Our role at STFC is to empower researchers to solve global challenges through the invention, development and application of cutting-edge technologies.

With multidisciplinary teams, we enable a diverse range of research projects and support large-scale facilities, delivering impact on a local, national and global scale.

From specialist detector and electronics engineering to cryogenics, data acquisition solutions and accelerator engineering , we offer a vast array of expertise and can deliver specialist technology for niche environments.

This work has driven breakthroughs in fields such as renewable energy, quantum computing, particle physics and space exploration.

Central to a global network of scientific excellence, we foster partnerships with academia, industry and specialised facilities including renowned organisations like CERN and the European Space Agency.

And our world-leading training programmes are equipping the next generation of STEM talent with the critical skills and knowledge they need to enable future scientific breakthroughs.

STFC is one of UK Research and Innovation's (UKRI) nine councils. Visit UKRI's website for more information.

Our sites​​

We are located across two sites: Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) and Daresbury Laboratory (DL). RAL has existed on the Chilton site, in one form or another, since 1957, named after famed physicists Ernest Rutherford and Edward Appleton. The laboratory is located on the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire and features several sophisticated scientific facilities including the Central Laser Facility, the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, RAL Space, the Scientific Computing Department, the Particle Physics Department, and Diamond Light Source. 

​DL, founded in 1962, is an internationally recognised, world-leading scientific facility. Based in the Liverpool City Region and a part of the Sci-Tech Daresbury Campus, the laboratory hosts key activities in accelerator science, scientific computing, data science, technology, and nuclear physics.

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Our teams

Led by our Director, Dr Anna Orlowska, Technology comprises four divisions: 

• Applied Science (ASD) – Developing state-of-the-art instruments and devices that solve real-world challenges, with skill sets in magnets and materials, cryogenics, high-power targets and more.

• Detector and Electronics (DED) – Creating specialised instruments for a variety of use cases, with expertise in sensor material design, high-rate data acquisition, semiconductors and more.​ 

• ​Microelectronics Support Centre (MSC) – Providing academic institutions across Europe with access to cutting-edge electronic design techniques, tools and specialised training. ​

• Technology at Daresbury Laboratory (TDL) – Underpinning national laboratories and strategic programmes, with particular strengths in accelerator engineering, controls and electrical engineering, and nuclear physics.​​

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