Beamline Scientist - (I07) Surface and Interface High Resolution Diffraction

Salary: £41,414 to £45,510 (Discretionary range to £52,337)

Location: Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire

Employment type: Full time – Based onsite

Reference: 11841

About Us

Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron, serving scientists and researchers from around the world. It is a not-for-profit joint venture, providing academic and industry researchers access to facilities that enable world-changing science. I07 is a beamline designed for grazing incidence diffraction and scattering experiments. The beamline uses an intense, high energy x‑ray beam (6–30 keV) to study the structure and morphology of solid and liquid surfaces and interfaces through the techniques of surface x‑ray diffraction, x‑ray reflectivity and grazing incidence small angle x‑ray scattering. The beamline operates two end‑stations, and is equipped with a UHV diffractometer, a double crystal deflector (for liquid interfaces) and a multipurpose diffractometer. With its flexible configuration, I07 supports experiments in very diverse research areas including thin films, 2D materials, soft matter, heterogeneous catalysis and electrochemistry, with a special focus on in‑situ/operando experiments for the investigation of surface dynamics.

About The Role

We now have an opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated Scientist to join the I07 team in the position of Beamline Scientist. The selected candidate will have the possibility to take advantage of the unique capabilities of the beamline and lead their own research activities on the beamline and elsewhere, as well as participating in the in‑house research programme on in‑situ/operando characterization of interfacial chemical reactions and the development of setups for multiscale experiments (e.g. SXRD/HAXPES). The Beamline Scientist will also contribute to continuous technical development and maintenance of the I07 end‑stations and provide user support as a local contact by assisting visiting scientists in carrying out a wide range of experiments. Diamond Light Source is undergoing an upgrade that will deliver a 4th generation synchrotron; the position will provide the opportunity to exploit this state‑of‑the‑art facility as well as contribute to potential beamline upgrades and define and lead some of the development projects.

About You

• You should hold a Ph.D. in a scientific field relevant to the post (e.g. physics, physical chemistry, chemistry or materials science).
• Be motivated with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Have well‑developed experimental skills and a demonstrated ability to conduct high‑quality original research.
• Have a background in surface or interface science, electrochemistry, soft matter or catalysis.
• Have proven knowledge of surface X‑ray diffraction/scattering techniques (SXRD, GIXD, GIWAXS, GISAXS, XRR, …), including instrumentation and methodologies for structure solution and refinement.
• Have knowledge of ultra‑high vacuum (UHV) techniques, experience with surface characterisation methods, and software development and programming are desirable.

You must be able to travel occasionally and work flexibly with occasional weekend and out‑of‑hours working.

Benefits

Diamond offers an exceptional benefits package to support staff in achieving a positive work/life balance. This includes 26 days annual leave plus Christmas closure, public holidays, 2 annual volunteering days and flexible working hours. We also offer an excellent defined benefit pension scheme. Staff also have access to a range of amenities on site, including a nursery, cafes, a restaurant and sports and leisure facilities. A relocation allowance may also be available where applicable.