Research Assistant/Associate in 4D-STEM for Earth and Materials Sciences (Fixed Term)

We invite applications for a 3-year Post-Doctoral Research Assistant/Associate (PDRA) in the application of 4D Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (4D-STEM) to Earth and Materials Sciences at the University of Cambridge. We seek someone with practical experience acquiring STEM (and/or 4D-STEM, STEM-EDS, STEM-EELS, STEM tomography) data on natural or synthetic materials and the analysis of data using machine learning approaches. Experience using focussed ion beam (FIB) methods for standard TEM sample preparation and/or FIB slice-and-view nanotomography is desirable. The position is funded by Horizon Europe through the EXCITE2 network - a consortium of 18 research facilities spread across 12 European and associated partner countries providing transnational access to advanced imaging technologies for Earth and Environmental material research. 

The successful candidate will be hosted jointly by the Department of Earth Sciences and Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy under the guidance of Prof. Richard Harrison, Prof. Paul Midgley, Prof. Emilie Ringe and Dr. David Wallis. The post-holder will have access to the outstanding microscopy facilities and communities of both Departments. They will work as part of a broader team focussed on the development of techniques and software tools for electron microscopy throughout the EXCITE2 network. 

The post-holder will have two primary responsibilities: 1) research, development, and delivery of 4D-STEM microscopy workflows for Earth and Materials Sciences, including the use and development of complementary (machine learning) software; 2) supporting the delivery of Transnational Access (TNA) to the electron microscopy facilities based at the University of Cambridge. This project builds on the research-driven development of microscopy techniques (including machine learning/AI software tools) as part of the first EXCITE network (https://excite-network.eu/). These software tools (e.g. https://github.com/poyentung/sigma) are now accessible to all the EXCITE2 user community. 

Applicants must have (or be about to obtain), a PhD in a relevant scientific discipline. Applicants should have expert knowledge of scanning transmission electron microscopy, and experience in 4D-STEM and FIB methods is highly desirable. It would be beneficial if applicants had experience in the development of machine learning tools and proficiency in Python programming. The successful candidate will be highly motivated, have a strong publication record (commensurate with their career stage) and good communication skills. 

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years in the first instance. 

Earliest start date: The position is available from 1st September 2024. 

Salary ranges: Research Associate: £36,024 - £44,263 (Grade 7). Appointment at Research Associate level is dependent on having a PhD. Those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD, will initially be under-appointed as a Research Assistant (Grade 5, Point 38 - £32,982), moving to Research Associate (Grade 7) upon confirmation of their PhD award. 

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click on the apply button above.

Further information on the role can be found in the Further Particulars. 

Interested candidates should contact Prof. Richard Harrison for more information (rjh40@cam.ac.uk). 

Please ensure that you upload your Curriculum Vitae (CV), a covering letter and publications list in the upload section. If you upload any additional documents that have not been requested they will not be considered as part of your application. 

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. 

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

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