PostDoc Balder Beamline

Lund University, MAX IV, Hard X-ray group
Lund University, repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities, is seeking a motivated postdoctoral researcher to join the Balder beamline team at the MAX IV Laboratory in Lund, Sweden. MAX IV is a world-leading synchrotron facility, providing researchers with cutting-edge tools to advance knowledge across materials science, life science, chemistry and physics. This is a unique opportunity to drive hard X-ray spectroscopy applied to bio/geochemistry/environmental science research and support state-of-the-art synchrotron instrumentation.

The Balder beamline is dedicated to X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) experiments in the medium and hard X-ray energy range, 2.4 - 40 keV. The beamline is in user operation since 2019 and serves users from a magnitude of fields within material science, catalysis, chemistry, physics, biology, geology and environmental science. The beamline is specialized towards work with in-situ/operando X-ray spectroscopy and to handle dilute and sensitive samples, often in a multimodal fashion combined with XRD or XRF. The high brilliance from the 3 GeV storage ring in combination with the beamline design allows us to perform time-resolved measurements down to sub-second time resolution.

Part of your research will be carried out in collaboration with the Department of Soil and Environment at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala, Sweden. The Department has soil chemistry and soil physics laboratories and is managing a number of long-term field experiments. You would be associated with the Soil Chemistry group, where you would carry out research on the speciation and dynamics of metals in both contaminated and natural soils. Metals of particular interest are cadmium and arsenic, but other metals such as iron, manganese, lead and cobalt are also being investigated. At the department, you would take part in a strong and active scientific environment with other PhD students, postdocs and researchers.

Position Description:
As a postdoctoral researcher at Balder, you will split your time equally between supporting the beamline’s operational activities and engaging in research and developments to strengthen the life and environmental sciences user communities at Balder.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Beamline Support (50%): Assist with day-to-day operations of the Balder beamline, including user support as local contact and maintenance of beamline instruments. Occasional on call duties will apply
• Research and development (50%): In scientific collaboration with the user communities of life and environmental sciences, in particular the Soil Chemistry group (25%). Drive and develop methods/sample environments toward studies of heavy metals and sulfur in real systems.

Key Qualifications:

• PhD in a relevant field (physics, chemistry, environmental science or related disciplines) or equivalent
• Knowledge and practical experience in XAFS spectroscopy methodology (sample preparation and data acquisition) and profound skills in XANES & EXAFS data analysis
• Strong track record of publications in X-ray spectroscopy and a strong drive towards research publications
• Proficiency in English (written and spoken), with excellent communication skills
• Ability to work in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment, engaging with a diverse group of scientists and technical staff.

Desirable Skills seen as merit:

• Experience in use and/or operation of hard to tender X-ray synchrotron beamline
• Knowledge and practical experience in XES spectroscopy methodology and data analysis
• Good knowledge of Python language
• Knowledge in XRD and/or XRF analysis.
  
  

Eligibility
Appointment to the position of postdoc requires that the applicant has a PhD, or an international degree deemed equivalent to a PhD, within the subject of the position, completed no more than three years before the agreed first day of employment. Under special circumstances the PhD can have been completed before the three years.

Further information
This is full-time, fixed-term employment. A postdoctoral fellow is employed for at least two years and at most three years. A notice period of six months applies for both parties, in case of early termination of the contract. The period of employment is determined in accordance with the agreement “Avtal om tidsbegränsad anställning som postdoktor-2022-02-01” (“Agreement on fixed-term employment as a post-doctoral fellow, 2022-02-01”).

What we offer
When you join our MAX IV team, you step into a world of front edge science. We make the invisible visible by supporting scientists from all over the world, generating scientific results for the benefit of society. We offer you a multicultural work environment with great opportunities for personal development with respect for a healthy work-life balance.

Would you like to work in a challenging and supporting environment? Then join us and take the opportunity to make a real difference!

For further information, please visit:
https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/about-lund-university/work-lund-university
www.sweden.se
https://www.maxiv.lu.se/about-us/careers/compensation-benefits/