Postdoctoral Appointee - Autonomous SAXS Beamline

Argonne National Laboratory • Lemont, IL

2d

About The Position

The X-ray Science Division at Argonne National Laboratory seeks a Postdoctoral Appointee to conduct fundamental and applied research in autonomous experimentation at a small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) beamline. The project will develop workflows and instrumentation for closed-loop experimentation at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) SAXS beamline, emphasizing wet-solution processes. Areas of research interest include critical-materials extraction and lipid nanoparticle assembly.

The appointee will work closely with scientists and engineers at the APS and across other divisions at Argonne National Laboratory. The role combines beamline experimentation, wet-chemistry synthesis, experimental strategy development, data analysis, automation, and scientific communication.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field, completed within the past 0–5 years.
• Experience with solution-phase SAXS data collection and/or analysis.
• Strong hands-on experimental skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively in a laboratory environment.
• Experience planning, designing, implementing, and troubleshooting complex experimental studies.
• Proficiency in Python programming for instrument control, data analysis, experimental automation, or autonomous discovery workflows.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare scientific publications and presentations.
• Demonstrated motivation for innovative basic and applied research, and ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with SAXS/WAXS, XRF, or synchrotron-based characterization methods.
• Expertise in in situ or operando characterization.
• Background in solution chemistry, ionic solutions, biochemistry, or soft-matter systems.
• Experience with lipid nanoparticles, self-assembly, colloidal systems, or related solution-phase materials.
• Experience developing automated experiments, robotic synthesis platforms, active-learning workflows, or closed-loop materials discovery systems.
• Familiarity with lipid nanoparticle or critical-materials extraction, separation science, or related chemical-processing applications.

Responsibilities

• Develop, operate, and maintain autonomous beamline experimentation capabilities, including a wet-chemistry synthesis platform.
• Conduct small-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) measurements at the APS 12-ID beamline.
• Develop and implement experimental strategies, including in situ and operando measurements.
• Design, prepare, and execute synchrotron beamtime experiments, including preparation of sample solutions and experimental hardware.
• Develop experimental plans; perform experiments independently and collaboratively; and analyze, interpret, and report experimental data.
• Build and refine data-analysis, automation, and closed-loop decision-making workflows using Python and related tools.
• Prepare manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals and present findings in conference presentations, technical reports, and other scientific forums.
• Collaborate with Argonne staff, users, and external research partners.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits are part of the total rewards package.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree