Dear SEES Community –

Please see the following opportunity at Stanford University for a SEES Staff Research Scientist.

Working Title: Staff Research Scientist

Classification Title: Academic Staff, Researcher, Engineering

To Apply: Send email with CV and cover letter to Dr. Sam Webb (samwebb at slac.stanford.edu)

Due Date: September 8, 2025; 11:59 PM PDT

Stanford University is seeking an Academic Staff, Research Engineer within the Department of Earth Systems Science. The position will work closely with the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL, a Directorate of SLAC, and a national research facility for scientific applications in synchrotron radiation) with the goal of enhancing support and increase scientific throughput for synchrotron users through partnership with the NSF funded SEES (Synchrotron Earth and Environmental Science) Program.  SEES will develop, manage, operate, and support user access to U.S. synchrotron-based experimental and analytical capabilities necessary to advance Earth and environmental sciences. SEES will enable cutting-edge research and train the next generation of scientists with a focus on generating new understanding of the Earth System and environmental material properties, processes, and behavior under the full range of conditions found on and within the Earth, from the atmosphere to the deepest interior. SEES will provide expanded access and support for the Earth and environmental science community at beamlines across the DOE User Facility Complex. SEES will place emphasis on collaborating with and expanding the Earth system and environmental science synchrotron community. It will also conduct a significant portfolio of education and outreach activities, working collaboratively with education and outreach programs at synchrotron light sources. 

The successful candidate will possess strong methodological, scientific, and technical skills in micro-x-ray fluorescence imaging (m-XRF) and x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The Stanford-SEES program seeks to sustain and enhance the general user program through excellent support, training, and dissemination.  The Stanford Earth System Scientist Research Scientist will work substantially at SSRL/SLAC and will provide beginning to end support for the Earth system and environmental sciences users at the high demand beam line operations of XAS and m-XRF Imaging. This beginning to end support will entail working with NSF-funded geoscience users throughout their entire synchrotron experience, including the crafting and submission of beamtime proposals, experimental and data collection assistance, data processing and analysis, and publication of results. m-XRF facilities at SSRL include a number of beam lines that enable research in wide number of research areas, with a particular focus on geological, environmental, chemical, and materials sciences. The beamlines together support a wide range of overlapping spatial and energy resolutions and necessitate a highly varied approach to instrumentation, sample environment, data acquisition, and analysis. The beam line facilities are made available to a national and international scientific user community, with SSRL staff providing scientific and technical support in their use. The activities within this opening will be dedicated towards enhancing the scientific user community whose research is closely aligned with the Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) within NSF and will include technological and methodological development, user-engagement and support and training and dissemination. 

Your specific responsibilities include:

• Work as part of the m-XRF/XAS team to provide specialized technical and methodological support for beamline developments and scientific user research.
• Independently provide training and experiment support on the use of these beam lines, including instrumentation and software, for external scientific users.
• Provide guidance to scientific users in designing optimized data collection during experiments, a significant part of which is expected to be managed through remote-access approaches.
• Contribute to the definition, design, construction, and commissioning of in-hutch instrumentation, for example in-hutch optics systems; sample cells/environments ranging from cryogenic to high temperatures, and/or manipulation of complex bespoke chambers for anoxic, or controlled humidity environments.
• Collaborate with other SEES staff at other supported facilities to maximize the user experience for all NSF-EAR users.
• Work occasional evenings and weekends as part of the on-call user support program.
• Other duties may also be assigned.
• Develop a robust training and dissemination program that will lower the barrier to entry for synchrotron-based spectroscopy and imaging experiments for geological and environmental users.
• Routinely develop and execute research projects with novice EAR-NSF researchers.

To be successful in this position you will bring:

• A Ph.D. in geological or environmental sciences with strong focus on synchrotron-based imaging and spectroscopy techniques.
• Direct experience and knowledge of synchrotron radiation x-ray absorption spectroscopy beam lines.
• At least 4 years of post-doctoral experience in development and/or application of synchrotron-based m-XRF and XAS to geological and environmental research.
• Demonstrated excellence in teaching, training and dissemination and translational user-support activities at a synchrotron facility.
• Demonstrated excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Demonstrated strong ability to interact effectively with a diverse group of scientists, technical staff and user groups; to work well in a team; as well as ability to take individual independent initiative, all in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.

Stanford ESS/SLAC employee competencies:

• Effective Decisions: Uses job knowledge and solid judgment to make quality decisions in a timely manner.
• Self-Development: Pursues a variety of venues and opportunities to continue learning and developing.
• Dependability: Can be counted on to deliver results with a sense of personal responsibility for expected outcomes.
• Initiative: Pursues work and interactions proactively with optimism, positive energy, and motivation to move things forward.
• Adaptability: Flexes as needed when change occurs, maintains an open outlook while adjusting and accommodating changes.
• Communication: Ensures effective information flow to various audiences and creates and delivers clear, appropriate written, spoken, presented messages.
• Relationships: Builds relationships to foster trust, collaboration, and a positive climate to achieve common goals.

Physical requirements and working conditions:

• Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job.

Work Standards:

• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
• Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for environment, safety, and security; communicates related concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned. 
• Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University's Administrative Guide, http://adminguide.stanford.edu