Scientist I/II, X-ray Diffraction Characterization

Lilasciences; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 127,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus potential

Early-stage equity

Job summary

Lila Sciences is seeking a Scientist I/II, X-ray Diffraction Characterization to join the Materials Science team within the Autonomous Science Platform. You will develop, validate, and operate XRD workflows (PXRD, XRR, GIXRD) and prepare samples, run measurements, interpret data, troubleshoot issues, and build reproducible, machine-readable results.

The role partners with AI, software and automation teams to scale workflows and ensure data provenance, quality control, and reliable decision

Qualifications

• PhD in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, or related field or MS with hands-on XRD experience.
• Hands-on experience with X-ray diffraction methods (PXRD, XRR, GIXRD).
• Ability to turn characterization workflows into reliable, machine-readable data.

Responsibilities

• Develop PXRD, XRR, GIXRD, and related XRD characterization methods.
• Operate XRD workflows for materials discovery and project support.
• Prepare samples, run measurements, interpret data, and troubleshoot issues.
• Define calibration, validation, QC, and reproducibility standards for XRD workflows.
• Build structured, traceable data outputs for downstream analysis and modeling.
• Partner with AI, software, automation, and experimental teams on analyzer workflows.
• Maintain instrument readiness through SOPs and documentation.

Skills

XRD characterization

Data interpretation

Experiment planning

Education

PhD in Materials Science or related field

MS with equivalent hands-on experience

Tools

XRD software

Python scripting

Job description

Your Impact at LILA

Lila Sciences is seeking a Scientist I/II, X-ray Diffraction Characterization to join the Materials Science team within the Autonomous Science Platform. The Autonomous Science Platform combines experimental science, automation, AI, and software to accelerate materials discovery. This role turns X-ray diffraction measurements into trusted, machine-readable structural, phase, and thin-film data that supports scientific decisions, automated workflows, and model development.

You will develop, validate, and operate XRD characterization workflows across a range of materials systems, including powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), X-ray reflectometry (XRR), grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), and associated analyses. You will prepare samples for XRD measurement, run measurements, interpret diffraction and reflectometry data, troubleshoot data-quality issues, and build methods that ensure characterization data is accurate, reproducible, and fit for purpose.

You will also help translate XRD expertise into scalable analyzer workflows. Partnering with AI, software, automation, and experimental teams, you will support data ingestion, metadata capture, provenance, quality control, and analysis pipelines that make diffraction outputs reliable, traceable, and useful at scale.

The ideal candidate combines strong experimental judgment in XRD characterization with a deep commitment to making scientific data "good": reliable, interpretable, reproducible, and trusted by the teams that use it.

What You'll Be Building

• Develop PXRD, XRR, GIXRD, and related XRD characterization methods.
• Operate XRD workflows for materials discovery and commercial project support.
• Prepare samples for XRD measurement, run measurements, interpret data, and troubleshoot issues.
• Define calibration, validation, QC, and reproducibility standards for XRD workflows.
• Build structured, traceable data outputs for downstream analysis and modeling.
• Partner with AI, software, automation, and experimental teams on analyzer workflows.
• Maintain instrument readiness through SOPs, documentation, and troubleshooting.
• Translate project needs into fit-for-purpose XRD methods and analysis plans.

What You'll Need to Succeed

• PhD in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering, or a related field, or M.S. with equivalent hands-on characterization experience.
• Hands-on experience with X-ray diffraction methods, including PXRD and related materials characterization workflows.
• Strong understanding of diffraction principles, phase identification, microstructure analysis (crystallite size, microstrain, texture), structure-property relationships, and common sources of measurement error.
• Experience preparing samples for XRD measurement, validating methods, interpreting data, and troubleshooting instrument or workflow issues.
• Experience with XRD analysis software, scientific data analysis, or scripting for data processing.
• Ability to turn characterization workflows into reliable, structured, machine-readable data.
• Clear communication skills for working across scientific, AI, automation, and software teams.

Bonus Points For

• Experience with PXRD, XRR, GIXRD, thin-film characterization, or texture analysis.
• Familiarity with automated or high-throughput characterization workflows.
• Experience developing SOPs, QC systems, calibration workflows, or reference standards.
• Proficiency with Python or similar tools for scientific data analysis.
• Experience working with commercial, time-sensitive, or cross-functional technical programs.

Compensation

We offer competitive base compensation with bonus potential and generous early-stage equity. Your final offer will reflect your background, expertise, and expected impact.

U.S. Benefits. Full-time U.S. employees receive a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer-paid life and disability insurance; flexible time off with generous company wide holidays; paid parental leave; an educational assistance program; commuter benefits, including bike share memberships for office based employees; and a company subsidized lunch program.

International Benefits. Full-time employees outside the U.S. receive a comprehensive benefits program tailored to their region. USD salary ranges apply only to U.S.-based positions; international salaries are set to local market.

Expected Base Salary Range $108,000 — $170,000 USD

About LILA

Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence to solve humankind's greatest challenges. We believe science is the most inspiring frontier for AI. Rather than hard-coding expert knowledge into tools, LILA builds systems that can learn for themselves.

LILA combines advanced AI models with proprietary AI Science Factory instruments into an operating system for science that executes the entire scientific method autonomously, accelerating discovery at unprecedented speed, scale, and impact across medicine, materials, and energy. Learn more at www.lila.ai.

Guided by our core values of truth, trust, curiosity, grit, and velocity, we move with startup speed while tackling problems of historic importance.

We’re All In

Lila Sciences iscommitted to equal employment opportunityregardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.

Information you provide during your application process will be handled in accordance with our Candidate Privacy Policy.

A Note to Agencies

Lila Sciences does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to Lila Sciences or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Lila Science’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of Lila Sciences, and Lila Sciences will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.