Electron Microscopy Specialist Post Doctorate Scheme

Job Introduction

Job Description for Electron Microscopy Specialist Post Doctorate Scheme: 

NNL have launched a new Post Doctorate Early Careers Scheme which will commence in October 2021. The successful applicant to this role will become part of this new scheme. More details on the NNL Post Doctorate scheme can be found at Post Doctorate | National Nuclear Laboratory (nnl.co.uk)

NNL has a world-class active electron microscope suite, including high-end TEM, FIB and SEM instruments. The company supports both national infrastructure and academic research, through university interactions. The Electron Optics team provides information on fuel and reactor material performance, supporting the operation of nuclear facilities.

We are looking for a post-doctoral researcher to join the Electron Optics team as it expands its role in this exciting area of nuclear science. The role supports the team’s active microscope operations. This includes the preparation of active samples, characterisation of material using electron microscopes and production of technical reports for customers. The role holder will also provide input to new project proposals and coordinate work through the laboratories 

Role Responsibility

Main Responsibilities for Electron Microscopy Specialist Post Doctorate Scheme: 

• Operation of electron microscopes (SEM, TEM, FIB) and production of high-quality images and analysis data.
• Maintenance of appropriate records and analysis of data.
• Production of reports for issue to customers.
• Support maintenance, commissioning & upgrades of microscopes.
• Preparation of active samples for microscope analysis.
• Production of work control documentation, including safe system of work packs.
• Contribute to commercial proposals for new work.
• Support the development of new equipment and techniques for measurement and analysis.
• Communicate with staff within and across teams.
• Build relationships with the industrial and academic customer community.
• Training and supporting end users.

The Ideal Candidate

Essential Criteria for Electron Microscopy Specialist Post Doctorate Scheme: 

• PhD degree in physics, chemistry, materials science, mineralogy or equivalent - with demonstrated hands-on experience in FIB-SEM.
• Knowledge and hands-on experience of:
  • FIB lift-out techniques
  • Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS)
  • Image processing with standard electron microscopy software (e.g. ImageJ/FIJI).
• Willingness to learn maintenance and diagnostic techniques for FIB-SEM and provide support to users.
• Ability to communicate complex or conceptual ideas to those with limited knowledge and understanding.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to liaise effectively with academic/research staff, research students, general/technical staff and external clients.
• Interest in materials and applied sciences.
• Computer literate: Word, Excel, Powerpoint etc.
• Ability to achieve SC level clearance. 

Due to the security requirements associated with this role, the candidate must be a UK national

Desirable Criteria for Electron Microscopy Specialist Post Doctorate Scheme: 

• Hands-on expertise in other microscopy & related techniques (e.g. TEM, APT, beam-line experiments).
• Previous experience with cryo-FIB processing of metals and ceramics for lift-out.
• Experience with time of flight mass-spectrometry.
• Previous experience training new electron microscopy users. 
• Experience providing input to multidisciplinary research and proposals. 
• Experience with ultramicrotomy. 
• Evidence of published work. 

About the Company

Grounded in robust science and decades of experience, National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) is the authoritative voice in the UK and beyond for technological development within the nuclear power sector.

Our unparalleled understanding of the science, challenges and opportunities makes us an unrivalled authority and partner in the field, providing experts, technologies, and access to cutting-edge facilities to organisations around the world.

Harnessing potential technologies and translating them into to industry-ready solutions means our pioneering approach spearheads international improvement and technological progress.

We work on projects as small as drilling a hole to analyse underground wastes with our integrated micro drilling technology, or as large as developing state-of-the-art power systems for spacecraft, based on radioactive materials

NNL has a vision for Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (ED&I) where NNL aims to be an inclusive workplace that attracts diverse talent through transparent and equal policies and procedures. We want you and the diverse mix of people that we employ, customers that we service and stakeholders that we influence to feel valued. We encourage a workplace culture where everyone can thrive with a sense of belonging.

Recruitment Agency Notice

We operate a strict Preferred Supplier List (PSL) for the provision of recruitment services. Only agencies on our PSL may provide CVs and only when the role is released to them by our recruitment team. We will not accept unsolicited CVs from suppliers not currently on our PSL. We explicitly reserve the right to add candidate details from unsolicited CVs from non-PSL agencies into our own candidate database and to pursue/hire such candidate(s) without any obligation, financial or otherwise, to the agency concerned.

United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory