Postdoctoral Researcher - Probing materials under high pressure

Science and Technology Facilities Council

Salary: £39,375 per annum

Hours: Full time

Contract Type: Fixed Term (24 months)

Location: Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Harwell, Oxfordshire

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As part of a recent collaboration between ISIS and PSI, a package of work relating to the development of new techniques for high-pressure neutron and muon measurements has been put together. Part of this work package includes funding for a postdoctoral researcher, to expand the high-pressure science program at both ISIS and PSI.

Background

The ISIS Neutron and Muon Source (ISIS) is one of the UK’s leading national research facilities for studying condensed matter at extreme conditions. As a central facility, ISIS has a strong scientific user programme with extensive national and international links. This includes the neutron and muon facilities in Switzerland, Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI, SINQ and SmS). This has resulted in the formation of a collaborative project between ISIS and PSI, looking to develop new programmes of study in high-pressure for both facilities.

This new research position will join the Crystallography Group at ISIS, working in collaboration with researchers at PSI. The ISIS Crystallography Group operates 7 neutron diffraction instruments, performing diffraction measurements covering a range of academic and industrial research. High-pressure measurements are routinely performed on many of these instruments, including on the dedicated PEARL diffractometer. PEARL is designed around the Paris-Edinburgh press, with working pressures up to ~25 GPa. However, there is a growing need to perform high pressure experiments with high precision over the 0-2 GPa range, over wide scope of temperatures.

PEARL can deliver very low-background, well corrected data from a wide range of different sample types. Some 'softer’, less stable, or highly polymorphic materials exhibit a very large response to pressure requiring a greater pressure control than can be obtained from a typical gasket/anvil assembly. For example, this is meaningful for the study of many molecular materials, which can also demonstrate exciting magnetic phenomena which can be studied uniquely with neutrons and muons. This is also the case for other crystallographically-complex samples where significant changes are often witnessed over a small pressure range.

We are looking to appoint a highly motivated research scientist to a two-year postdoctoral position at ISIS. The principal duties are to work with the instrument team on PEARL to develop the high-pressure diffraction capabilities available to the user programme at ISIS and PSI. In addition, independent research will be encouraged, though this should relate to high-pressure phenomena using neutron diffraction and muon spectroscopy.

List of Duties / Work Programme / Responsibilities

• Conduct high quality research using high pressure techniques.
• Develop large-volume high-pressure sample environment for use on neutron scattering instruments.
• Investigate the feasibility of extending these high-pressure developments to muon spectroscopy.
• Write beamtime applications for central facility access (ISIS, PSI and other central facilities).
• Provide supervision for students and team members (dependent on experience).
• Disseminate research via publications and conference presentations.
• Contacts and Communication.

You will interact with a broad range of ISIS staff, and form part of our new collaboration with PSI. You should be willing to travel and is expected to present their scientific work and represent the group at meetings (both at ISIS and PSI) and other international conferences. Additionally you will also interact with visitors, predominantly from higher education institutions and industry.

Please note: you will be expected to work in radiation areas, out-of-hours occasionally (at night and weekends), in confined spaces (2x2m2 floor area) and travel abroad where business needs.

The below criteria will be reviewed through shortlisting criteria (S) and or Interview criteria (I)

Essential:

• PhD, or about to receive a PhD, in a physical science or related field. (S)
• Proven scientific background in relevant field with evidence of a developing independent scientific profile in high-pressure, commensurate with experience. (S&I)
• Experience of working with neutrons and or muons (S&I)
• Experience of sample- environment development (S&I)
• Experience of high-pressure diffraction, including data analysis methods (S&I)
• Practical Engineering skills (S&I)
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (written and oral English) (S&I).
• Awareness of health and safety responsibilities. (I)
• Ability to work collaboratively, individually on complex problems and to act effectively on instructions from a team leader.(I)
• Good presentation skills.(I)

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