Scientist – Materials Characterization

AeroVironment•Bath Township, OH

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Materials Characterization Facility (MCF) is seeking a highly motivated Staff Scientist to join our advanced microscopy team. This role is designed as a growth-oriented position, offering the unique opportunity to work at the cutting edge of electron optics while receiving direct mentorship from senior research staff to develop world-class technical mastery. The successful candidate will bridge the gap between high-end instrument operation and active research development, focusing on the characterization of advanced electronic devices and material defects. A key pillar of this role involves leveraging state-of-the-art software to develop automation routines that increase facility throughput and data precision.

Requirements

Ph.D. or M.S. in Materials Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
Proven experience with TEM/STEM imaging and diffraction.
Functional knowledge of EDS and EELS data acquisition and quantification.
Hands-on experience with FIB-based TEM lamella preparation (lift-out).
Proficiency (or strong aptitude) in Python or similar scripting for data manipulation.
This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants will be asked to provide specific documentation to verify U.S. person status under the ITAR and the EAR. A “U.S. person” according to their definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee, or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15.
Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

Nice To Haves

Experience with electronic device failure analysis and defect engineering.
Familiarity with 4D-STEM or other emerging electron optic modalities.
Strong communication skills and a desire to work in a collaborative, multi-disciplinary environment.

Responsibilities

Advanced Electron Microscopy & Spectroscopy Expert Operation: Provide primary technical support and high-level operation of Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEM/STEM).
Analytical Spectroscopy: Execute and interpret complex chemical and structural analysis using EDS and EELS.
Device Characterization: Perform detailed analysis of electronic devices, specifically targeting defect characterization, interfacial phenomena, and dopant/strain mapping.
FIB Operations: Utilize Focused Ion Beam (FIB) systems for the site-specific preparation of high-quality TEM lamellae.
Advanced Thinning: Master in-situ lift-out and precision thinning/cleaning protocols to ensure optimal samples for aberration-corrected imaging.
Routine Development: Develop and deploy custom automation routines using manufacturer APIs and scripting (e.g., Python, DM Script) to streamline data collection.
Software Integration: Leverage state-of-the-art software suites (e.g., Velox, GMS3) to implement high-throughput workflows.
Data Pipelines: Establish standardized processing pipelines to handle large datasets generated by high-speed detectors.
Direct Research Support: Partner with the research team to develop novel analytical techniques tailored to specific materials of interest.
Methodology Innovation: Transition from executing established protocols to authoring new ones for beam-sensitive or complex heterostructured material.
Partner with senior scientists to acquire specialized technical intuition in advanced TEM and aberration-corrected microscopy.
Be empowered to dedicate time to mastering new hardware, such as in-situ biasing or heating holders.
Grow into a technical leadership role within the facility, with opportunities for co-authorship on high-impact publications.