Research Scientist, Materials Characterization

Periodic Labs • Menlo Park, CA

97d

About The Position

Periodic Labs is an AI + physical sciences lab focused on building state-of-the-art models to facilitate novel scientific discoveries. We are well-funded and rapidly growing, with team members who are empowered to identify and solve problems without the constraints of bureaucracy. Our mission is driven by a commitment to learning new tools and science to advance our goals. As a Research Scientist, you will join a world-class team of scientists and engineers dedicated to pushing the boundaries of materials research. In this groundbreaking lab, AI and automation are utilized to unlock discoveries at unprecedented speed and scale. Your role will involve bringing AI predictions into reality through physics and measurement science, developing new material characterization approaches, and contributing to the development of autonomous discovery loops.

Requirements

• PhD in Physics, Materials Science, or related field
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in the field
• Deep expertise in physical property characterization including electronic and magnetic measurements
• Strong background in cryogenic measurements and low-noise techniques (lock-in methods, shielding/grounding, precision instrumentation)
• Proven track record of performing impactful research, demonstrated by publications in top-tier journals and/or inventions
• Recognized leadership in the field
• Proficiency with data analysis (e.g., Python/Jupyter) and disciplined data management
• Excellent scientific writing and collaboration across disciplines
• Strong ownership of experiment quality

Nice To Haves

• Experience with automation of physical property measurements
• Previous experience with computational prediction and experimental characterization design loop
• Experience with lab buildout and process safety
• Experience with handling data at scale

Responsibilities

• Develop and perform high-fidelity thermodynamic, transport, and spectroscopic measurements of materials
• Develop rapid property measurement schemes to scale up the material characterization process
• Implement automated data analysis and reasoning pipelines for screened materials in collaboration with the AI team
• Develop autonomous systems for property characterization leveraging robotics in collaboration with the engineering team

What This Job Offers

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