SEM/FIB Laboratory Manager

LLNL•Livermore, CA

13d•$146,340 - $222,564•Onsite

About The Position

We have an opening for a SEM/FIB Laboratory Manager to operate, maintain, and advance scanning electron microscopy, focused ion beam, and dual-beam FIB/SEM capabilities. You will support materials characterization, sample preparation, micromachining, imaging, and analytical research for a broad user community. This position is in the MicroAnalytical Signatures Group within the Nuclear and Chemical Sciences Division. This position requires full-time on-site presence due to the nature of the work. This position will be filled at either level based on knowledge and related experience as assessed by the hiring team. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if hired at the higher level.

Requirements

Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. Citizenship.
Bachelor’s degree in materials science, physics, engineering, chemistry, geology, or a related technical field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
Demonstrated hands-on experience operating SEM, FIB, and/or dual-beam FIB/SEM systems.
Ability to apply established microscopy, sample-preparation, and analytical methods to moderately complex work.
Ability to diagnose routine to moderately complex instrument, software, vacuum, detector, and sample issues.
Ability to communicate technical recommendations clearly and work effectively with laboratory users and technical teams.
Ability to train users on equipment operation, laboratory safety, and established procedures.
Willingness and ability to work with radioactive and radiologically controlled materials in accordance with approved procedures, training requirements, and safety controls.
Significant hands-on experience operating and independently troubleshooting SEM, FIB, and/or dual-beam FIB/SEM systems.
Advanced knowledge in a relevant microscopy or materials-characterization specialty.
Demonstrated ability to independently develop, validate, and implement innovative FIB/SEM, micromachining, imaging, or sample-preparation methods.
Demonstrated ability to resolve complex technical issues involving multiple instrument, sample, workflow, and data-quality factors.
Experience establishing technical direction for laboratory workflows and advising users, collaborators, and management on complex technical approaches.
Demonstrated experience developing training, procedures, and technical guidance for users and collaborators.
Experience developing or integrating automation, image analysis, machine learning, and data-management capabilities into microscopy workflows.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or higher in materials science, physics, engineering, chemistry, geology, or a related technical field.
Experience handling delicate, particulate, valuable, contaminated, radioactive, or radiologically controlled samples.
Experience with particle manipulation or recovery of scarce, bespoke, or high-value samples.
Experience developing or adapting microscopy, micromachining, imaging, or sample-preparation methods.
Experience with Python, C#, C++, image analysis, automation, databases, or large-data workflows.
Experience coordinating laboratory maintenance, vendor service, consumables, safety documentation, and shared-user laboratory operations.
Experience developing or applying machine-learning approaches to microscopy, image analysis, or instrument automation.

Responsibilities

Operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and support SEM, FIB, and dual-beam FIB/SEM systems for imaging, characterization, micromachining, cross-sectioning, and sample preparation.
Develop, validate, document, and implement safe, repeatable FIB/SEM workflows and preparation methods for complex, scarce, high-value, time-sensitive, radioactive, or radiologically controlled samples.
Perform manipulation, recovery, and characterization, while ensuring compliant handling of radiologically controlled materials.
Diagnose and resolve instrument, software, vacuum, detector, and sample-related issues; coordinate preventive maintenance, repairs, vendor support, service contracts, and laboratory readiness.
Improve throughput, reproducibility, data quality, automation, traceability, and accessibility through new capabilities, image-analysis tools, scripts, and data-processing pipelines.
Establish and maintain microscopy data-management practices, including cataloging, metadata, provenance, backups, retrieval, and long-term preservation.
Manage laboratory operations, documentation, scheduling, inventory, user access, safety, and resource allocation.
Train and assist users; provide technical consultation, SOPs, guides, training materials, and outreach to internal and external collaborators.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Independently lead complex SEM/FIB technical work involving ambiguous requirements, competing priorities, and multiple instrument, sample, workflow, and data-quality considerations.
Develop and implement innovative microscopy, micromachining, imaging, and sample-preparation methods that expand laboratory capability.
Set technical direction for major workflows, including automation, image analysis, machine learning, and microscopy data management.
Serve as a technical authority on experiment design, sample suitability, analytical strategy, capability investments, and resolution of complex instrument or sample-related problems.
Lead laboratory improvements and technology integration to increase throughput, reproducibility, reliability, traceability, and data quality.
Develop advanced training, SOPs, qualification approaches, and technical guidance; mentor users, staff, students, and less-experienced personnel.
Contribute to laboratory strategy, capability planning, technical prioritization, and organizational program objectives.