Lead Scientist - SSRL HAXPES Beamline

SLAC; Menlo Park (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is seeking a Lead Scientist to spearhead the HAXPES/PEEM beamline development, commissioning, and scientific program leadership. You will define technical specifications, guide instrumentation development, and collaborate with SSRL staff and the user community to advance microelectronics research.

You will lead frontier research in buried interfaces, thin films, and heterostructures, while ensuring safe, reliable beamline operations and strong engagement with

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in physics, applied physics, materials science, or a related discipline with ample post-PhD research experience.
• Demonstrated research excellence in materials science with strong publication record.
• Extensive knowledge and hands-on experience with HAXPES and/or PEEM techniques.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific leadership for beamline conception, design, construction, commissioning, and performance optimization.
• Develop and lead an independent, competitive research program aligned with SSRL’s mission.
• Build and grow the SSRL HAXPES/PEEM user program and engage with the user community.
• Oversee operations, safety, mentoring, and division-wide initiatives.

Skills

Scientific leadership

Collaboration

Written & verbal communication

Independent and team work

Education

Ph.D. in physics / materials science

8+ years post-PhD research

Tools

HAXPES expertise

PEEM techniques

Synchrotron facility operations

Job description

Position Overview:

The Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL), a Directorate of the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, is developing a state-of-the-art Hard X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy / Photoemission Electron Microscopy (HAXPES/PEEM) beamline with a strong focus on probing electronic and chemical states in buried layers of functional devices, particularly for microelectronics applications. We seek an outstanding Lead Scientist to play a leading scientific and technical role in the design, construction, commissioning of this new beamline, and - once in operation - in scientific program development and user support.

The successful candidate will join the Materials Science Division and become an integral member of a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment that combines staff-led scientific programs with close engagement and collaboration with the SSRL user community. This position offers a unique opportunity to shape a flagship SSRL beamline while advancing impactful research in microelectronics, semiconductor materials, quantum information science, and related fields.

You r specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Beamline and Endstation Development

• Provide scientific leadership for and contribute to the conceptual design, technical development, construction, and commissioning of the HAXPES/PEEM beamline and associated endstation. Promote and represent the scientific objectives of the beamline to internal and external stakeholders.
• Define and translate scientific requirements into technical specifications for beamline optics, monochromators, electron analyzer, and sample environments optimized for hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
• Work closely with the project manager, engineers, technical staff, and scientists to develop robust, high-performance instrumentation.
• Oversee system integration, testing, commissioning, and performance optimization.

Scientific Research and Leadership

• Develop and lead an independent and competitive research program using HAXPES/PEEM, aligned with the mission of the SSRL Materials Science Division.
• Conduct frontier research in areas such as microelectronics, semiconductor devices, thin films, heterostructures, and buried interfaces.
• Lead and participate in collaborative research projects involving SSRL staff, academic users, industrial partners, and other national laboratories.
• Publish high-impact scientific results and present research at conferences and workshops.

User Program Development and Collaboration

• Play a central role in establishing and growing the HAXPES/PEEM user program at SSRL.
• Engage with the user community to identify emerging scientific opportunities and guide the evolution of beamline capabilities.
• Support users throughout the experimental lifecycle, including experimental design, beamtime execution, and data analysis.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive user training and outreach activities, including workshops, tutorials, and documentation.

Operations, Service, and Division Engagement

• Manage routine beamline operations, endstation maintenance, and continuous performance improvement.
• Ensure safe operation of the beamline in accordance with SLAC and DOE requirements.
• Contribute to division-wide scientific initiatives, mentoring, outreach, and strategic planning.

Note:

Appointment at the Lead Scientist level is a regular-continuing position and requires a review and evaluation of documented scientific achievements, with approval by the Directorate Appointment and Promotion Committee.

SLAC is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) laboratory operated by Stanford University and based in Menlo Park, CA.

To be successful in this position, you will bring:

• Ph.D. in physics, applied physics, materials science, or related discipline, with a minimum of 8 years of post-PhD research experience.
• Demonstrated research excellence in materials science, supported by publications and experimental achievements.
• Extensive knowledge and hands-on experience with HAXPES and/or PEEM techniques.
• Demonstrated competence in developing, operating, and maintaining complex experimental systems at a synchrotron radiation facility.
• Experience with facility operations and user support.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment.

In addition, preferred qualifications include:

• Research experience in microelectronics or closely related fields.
• Technical expertise in synchrotron beamline or endstation development, including operando or in situ sample environments.
• Proficiency in data analysis, scripting, and scientific programming tools.