Scientist II / Senior Scientist, Electron Diffraction Characterization

Lila Sciences; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 128,000 - 198,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus potential

Equity

Job summary

Lila Sciences seeks a Scientist II / Senior Scientist specializing in electron diffraction characterization to advance micro-ED workflows and diffraction data pipelines. You will lead method development, validation, and operation, preparing samples, running measurements, and interpreting complex data to deliver reproducible, machine-readable results.

Collaborating with ML, software, automation, and experimental teams, you will define QC standards, metadata, and analysis workflows to scale

Qualifications

• PhD in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering, or related field, or MS with equivalent hands-on characterization experience.
• Hands-on expertise in SEM and TEM including advanced diffraction analysis such as micro-ED.
• Strong understanding of diffraction principles, crystallography, and microstructure analysis.
• Experience preparing samples, validating methods, interpreting diffraction data, and troubleshooting workflow issues.
• Ability to translate characterization workflows into reliable, structured, machine-readable data.
• Experience collaborating across scientific, ML, software, automation, or data teams.
• Clear communication skills for documenting methods, explaining results, and driving cross-functional decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead micro-ED and other electron microscopy characterization workflows for materials discovery programs.
• Develop methods for crystal structure determination and microstructure analysis.
• Prepare samples, run measurements, interpret data, and troubleshoot quality issues.
• Define calibration, validation, QC, and reproducibility standards for electron diffraction workflows.
• Build structured, traceable diffraction outputs for downstream analysis and modeling.
• Partner with ML, software, automation, and experimental teams on analyzer pipelines.
• Translate project needs into fit-for-purpose characterization methods and analysis plans.

Skills

SEM and TEM

Electron diffraction

Crystallography

Data interpretation

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

PhD in Materials Science

MS with hands-on experience

Tools

Python

Job description

Your Impact at LILA

Lila Sciences is seeking a Scientist II / Senior Scientist, Electron 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 electron diffraction and microstructure measurements into trusted, machine-readable data that supports crystal structure determination, materials characterization, automated workflows, and model development.

You will lead method development, validation, and operation for electron diffraction characterization workflows, with emphasis on micro-ED and/or EBSD. You will prepare samples, run measurements, interpret diffraction and microstructure data, troubleshoot data-quality issues, and establish workflows that make characterization outputs accurate, reproducible, and fit for purpose.

You will also translate electron diffraction expertise into scalable analyzer pipelines. Partnering with ML, software, automation, and experimental teams, you will define metadata, quality-control checks, provenance, and analysis workflows that make diffraction data reliable, traceable, and useful at scale.

The ideal candidate combines deep hands‑on expertise in electron diffraction characterization with strong scientific judgment and a commitment to high-quality data. They can operate at the instrument, interpret complex structural and micro‑structural outputs, and help build the analytical infrastructure needed to scale characterization across Lila’s platform.

What You'll Be Building

• Lead micro-ED and other electron microscopy characterization workflows for materials discovery programs.
• Develop methods for crystal structure determination and microstructure analysis.
• Prepare samples, run measurements, interpret data, and troubleshoot quality issues.
• Define calibration, validation, QC, and reproducibility standards for electron diffraction workflows.
• Build structured, traceable diffraction outputs for downstream analysis and modeling.
• Partner with ML, software, automation, and experimental teams on analyzer pipelines.
• Translate project needs into fit-for-purpose characterization 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 expertise in SEM and TEM including advanced diffraction analysis such as micro‑ED.
• Strong understanding of diffraction principles, crystallography, crystal structure determination, and microstructure analysis.
• Experience preparing samples, validating methods, interpreting diffraction data, and troubleshooting workflow issues.
• Ability to translate characterization workflows into reliable, structured, machine‑readable data.
• Experience collaborating across scientific, ML, software, automation, or data teams.
• Clear communication skills for documenting methods, explaining results, and driving cross-functional decisions.

Bonus Points For

• Experience with other EM techniques including EBSD, 4D-STEM is a plus.
• Familiarity with automated or high‑throughput characterization workflows.
• Proficiency with Python or similar tools for scientific data analysis.
• Experience integrating instrument data with ML‑ready datasets or analyzer workflows.

CompensationWe 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: $128,000 USD - $198,000 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 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. If this sounds like an environment you'll love to work in, even if you don't meet every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply.

We’re All In

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

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