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This job was posted by https://illinoisjoblink.illinois.gov : For more information, please see: https://illinoisjoblink.illinois.gov/jobs/11836231 Research Scientist

Materials Research Laboratory

The Grainger College of Engineering

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The Materials Research Laboratory (MRL) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is seeking to hire a highly motivated Research Scientist to work in its electron microscopy (EM) shared instrumentation core facilities. The Research Scientist will serve as member of the MRL Central Research Facilities staff with a focus on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), in addition to sample preparation techniques (ion beam polishing, focused ion beam processing, etc.) and related analytical techniques such as energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), etc.

This staff position will engage in training, support, and scientific collaboration with various local and regional users on active research projects. Facilities highlights of the MRL EM core are an aberration-corrected Thermo Themis Z S/TEM with monochromator, EDS, EELS and EMPAD direct-electron detection, a Hitachi H9500 dynamical environmental TEM, a Thermo Talos S/TEM with EDS and EMPAD detectors, a Thermo Glacios cryo-TEM system with a Falcon 4 direct electron detector, and three JEOL TEM systems (models 1400, 2100 and 2010), all supported by two dual-beam focused ion beam systems from Thermo (a Scios2 with EDS and electron backscatter diffraction detectors) and a Helios 600i.

The successful candidate will become member of the dedicated staff of approximately 25 scientists and engineers, who maintain major research instruments in the MRL\'s core facilities for electron microscopy in addition to other cores of shared instrumentation for scanning probe microscopy, laser and optical spectroscopy, surface, thermal and physical properties analysis, x-ray scattering and nanofabrication facilities. Approximately 1,000 researchers from across our campus as well as other academic institutions, industry, and national laboratories use the facilities, logging about 90,000 user hours annually. The lab is recognized as one of the premier mid-sized user facilities in the nation. For details, please visit us online at https://mrl.illinois.edu/facilities .

JOB DUTIES

• Prepare and deliver primary and advanced training on the various techniques and instrumentation available in the electron microscopy (EM) core, particularly in TEM/STEM (transmission/scanning transmission electron microscopy) techniques and related sample preparation methods (including dual focused ion beam systems).
• Formulate, compile, and distribute suitable suggestions for documentation improvements for collective staff scientist review. Incorporate approved modifications into training documents and procedures. This includes the creation of videos and multimedia tutorials.
• Actively participate in research using electron microscopy techniques in new materials, such as ceramics, metals, semiconductor multilayers and super lattices, polymer, and biological materials, etc. Actively participate in technique development and instrument improvement using those EM tools. Attendance of related technical conferences and authorship and co-authorship of scientific publications are encouraged.
• Perform routine preventative maintenance tasks which vary daily, monthly, and annually for assigned laboratory instrumentation. Examples include daily checks to ensure instruments are running correctly; monthly proactive checks to ensure no hazards are present; annual maintenance service on vacuum pumps and supporting mechanical equipment.
• Identify hazards and/or potential failure modes by com aring equipment usage and performance to establish safety protocols while conducting user training or performing maintenance. If the equipment is not operating within tolerances or any engineering safety controls are malfunctioning, determine corrective actions to hardware, operating procedures or user training in conjunction with the assigned staff scientist and implement the changes.
• Crosstrain in other facility techniques in order to act as backup for other staff members and increase knowledge and experience.
• Give oral presentations to large audiences, including recording training material for media outlets, and online, live video streaming. Actively participate in development of EM-related workshops, classroom lectures and educational instrument demonstrations.
• Conduct department or campus specified lab inspections for assigned operating areas and participate in reviews of non-assigned areas as requested.
• Assume additional responsibilities to promote the unit\'s mission as needed.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• M.S. degree or higher in engineering, chemical, physical sciences, or related field.

{=html} <!-- --> - Three years of hands-on experience in the following areas:

o operation of transmission electron microscopes, including detailed knowledge of main physical principles, concepts, and applications of electron microscopy

o training researchers in th