Staff Scientist for Analytical Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Role details

The Electron Microscopy group, one of six scientific groups in the CFN, is composed of seven staff scientists and supports four electron microscopes for characterizing nanomaterials at the atomic scale in-situ and ex-situ (www.bnl.gov/cfn). In this position, you will be a member of the Electron Microscopy group working under the supervision of Dr. Judith C. Yang. Two first-of-its-kind aberration-corrected, monochromated scanning transmission electron microscopes (STEM) optimized for electron-energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) with sub-Angstrom spatial resolution will soon be added to the CFN.

With installation expected in 2025, the first EELS-STEM will be an ultra-low KeV STEM for low Z, radiation-sensitive, 2-dimensional, and quantum materials. The second EELS-STEM will be an ultra-high vacuum environmental STEM capable of a pressure range of 10-9 to 1 or 10 Torr at the sample area, with expected installation in 2026. The CFN also houses forefront surface science equipment and synchrotron-based X-ray probe tools within the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLSII) for multi-modal investigations.

The CFN is seeking an exceptional and creative scientist with outstanding expertise in the instrumentation development and application of advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy and spectroscopy within research areas relevant to energy security, such as heterogeneous catalysis, oxidation/corrosion, and battery materials; microelectronics; and/or quantum materials.

Your expertise and strong interest in hardware optimization of cutting-edge STEM as well as in a wide range of forefront electron microscopy and spectroscopy techniques is strongly preferred, especially in cutting-edge electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and you have significant interest in situ and operando microscopy. In this position, you will bear the primary responsibility for optimizing these two-incoming aberration-corrected monochromated STEMs and develop instrumentation science to be at the cutting edge of quantitative and analytical STEM.

You will establish your own research programs that align with the CFN’s Strategic Plan as well as collaborate with a broad range of users for a wide range of research projects that ultimately will benefit society, especially in energy, microelectronics and quantum materials.

Essential Duties

and Responsibilities: As a Scientific Staff member for the Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy and Spectroscopy, you will have these roles and responsibilities: You will be primarily responsible for these frontier NION electron microscopes. You will carry out impactful nanoscience and instrumentation science of your own, publishing papers, and giving external presentations on your research enabled by these cutting-edge tools. You will support the nanoscience user community and perform basic science research in the field of analytical scanning transmission electron microscopy.

You will be working with group members and contributing to the management of the Electron Microscopy facility user program, including user proposal reviews, allocations, and scheduling. You will work with other Electron Microscopy group members to oversee the day-to-day operations of the various electron microscopes, especially the analytical electron microscopy capabilities. You will mentor post-docs and graduate/undergraduate students and foster their professional development.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: You are qualified for this Staff Scientist position if: You have earned a Ph.D. degree in Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, or a suitable Engineering discipline, and a minimum of two years of experience after earning a Ph.D. degree. You have conducted high-impact research using and developing aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and spectroscopy, especially electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and EELS simulations, to understand the properties and performance of nanomaterials as demonstrated by frequent publications of research results in peer-reviewed journals.

You have technical expertise and keen interest for optimizing electron microscopes. You are an engaged member of the electron microscopy and materials science professional societies and regularly present your research at conferences and workshops. You are committed to working safely in the laboratory and fostering a respectful environment of safe-work practices. Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: You are well-matched to this position if: You have earned a Ph.D. degree in Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, or a suitable Engineering discipline, and a minimum of four years of experience after earning a Ph.D. degree.

You have experience with a wide range of electron microscopy techniques as well as advancing the development of forefront EM techniques (software and/or hardware), quantification of EM data (spectra and/or images), 4D-STEM, tomography, and in situ. You have demonstrated experience developing data analytics tools using Python or other programming languages for data analytics, processing, or machine learning on microscopy data, including spectroscopy. You have strong hands-on experience in operating and maintaining Nion STEMs.

You have excellent interpersonal and communication skills (writing and oral) and a passion for collaboration with other scientists and microscopists from multiple disciplines and institutions. You collaborate effectively in interdisciplinary teams, in both leadership and supporting roles. Other Information: On-Site Position. Brookhaven Laboratory is committed to providing fair, equitable and competitive compensation. The full salary range for this position is $103650 - $145733 / year. Salary offers will be commensurate with the final candidate’s qualification, education and experience and considered with the internal peer group.

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