Beamline Scientist Extreme X-ray Diffraction

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s ( LBNL ) Advanced Light Source ( ALS ) Division has an opening for a Beamline Scientist for Extreme Condition X-ray Diffraction
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Photon Science Operations partners with ALS users to deliver cutting‑edge experiments and develop new techniques and instruments. This position leads the Diffraction at Non‑Ambient Conditions Beamline 12.2.2, collaborating with users on state‑of‑the‑art x‑ray studies while ensuring reliable operations, safety, and data quality. During the ALS upgrade, you will serve as the scientific lead for 12.2.2 adjustments and upgrades, using the pause in routine operations to plan and execute a clear roadmap for next‑generation diffraction capabilities and user training.

The Advanced Light Source is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national scientific user facility that produces exceptionally bright soft and hard x‑ray, ultraviolet, and infrared light. With a strong scientific reputation, expert staff, and advanced capabilities, the ALS attracts thousands of academic and industrial users each year in condensed matter and quantum materials research, energy sciences, biosciences, earth and planetary sciences and more.

The ALS is one of five Berkeley Lab user facilities that serve 15,000 users annually. Co‑located with the Molecular Foundry, NERSC supercomputing center, and Berkeley Lab's materials sciences, chemical sciences, biosciences, earth and environmental sciences, and other divisions, it provides an ideal collaborative environment for innovative scientific discoveries.

The ALS is a global leader in x‑ray science, and aims to maintain its leadership with ALS‑U, a major project to upgrade the facility to a fourth‑generation light source. This upgrade will position the facility among the brightest x‑ray light sources in the world, offering capabilities that no other facility can provide; planning for upgrades to beamline 12.2.2’s optics to take full advantage of the upgraded source is in progress.

• Manage daily operations and technical development of Beamline 12.2.2 (diffraction at non‑ambient conditions).
• Maintain and upgrade beamline instrumentation, sample environments, and computing infrastructure to support users and evolving research needs. Drive data acquisition and data processing developments.
• Collaborate with and advise/train the ALS users to conduct state‑of‑the‑art x‑ray experiments.
• Serve as scientific lead during the ALS Upgrade, overseeing beamline modifications, and defining the post‑ALS‑U diffraction roadmap including clear milestones for developments in sample environments, detectors, and optics.
• Ensure compliance with ALS, LBNL and DOE safety requirements. Note that Integrated Safety Management (ISM) is the DOE framework for how we protect ourselves and each other while pursuing the Lab’s mission, by systematically integrating safety into management and work practices at all levels.
• Build collaborations and partnerships with new and existing ALS users and develop a strong professional network. Engage closely with Approved Programs that supply additional support personnel and infrastructure to the beamline, including with NSF SEES, Synchrotron Earth and Environmental Science.
• Contribute to the broader scientific community through expertise, and committee service, peer review.
• Publish research findings in peer‑reviewed journals and present results at conferences and workshops.
• Lead or contribute to scientific R&D projects and funding proposals.
• Supervise or mentor students, postdocs, and colleagues as appropriate.
• Perform all responsibilities with a high level of independence, professional judgment, and initiative.

• Ph.D. or equivalent experience in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline with broad expertise in diffraction.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant post‑degree experience.
• Proven experience operating, maintaining, and developing scientific instrumentation, sample environments, and related beamline controls, data processing, computing and data systems.
• Hands‑on experience with x‑ray diffraction and hard x‑ray scattering experiments.
• Proficiency with diffraction data processing software.
• Fam…