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Assistant Beamline Scientist - Hard X-ray Nanoprobe
Posted Sep 17, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026
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Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
About your past
What experience do you have commissioning a beamline or a major instrument, and what did you learn from it?
What they are checking: Whether they can handle the uncertain, hands-on work of bringing 26-ID back into service after the upgrade.
Tell me about a time you supported a user experiment that ran into trouble. What did you do?
What they are checking: Whether they keep calm and solve problems during beamtime when the user's results are on the line.
How do you balance operating the beamline with presenting and publishing your own research?
What they are checking: Whether they can keep a research record growing while carrying operations duties.
What would you do
A nanoprobe scan shows drift that blurs your image. How would you diagnose and correct it?
What they are checking: Whether they understand the mechanical and thermal stability issues that limit nanoscale imaging.
How do you help a user from a different field, such as biology or electronics, design a good experiment at the nanoprobe?
What they are checking: Whether they can translate x-ray capabilities into useful experiments for multidisciplinary users.
What new instrumentation would you most like to develop for this beamline, and why?
What they are checking: Whether they have ideas for advancing methods that take advantage of the upgraded source.
About the work
Explain how x-ray nanodiffraction works and what kinds of questions it can answer about a material.
What they are checking: Whether they have the deep technique knowledge the posting lists as a strong background requirement.
How would you set up a laser or electrical pump-probe measurement at a nanoprobe beamline?
What they are checking: Whether they understand timing, synchronization and sample stability for time-resolved experiments.
What does coherent diffractive imaging require from the source and the instrument, and how does the upgraded APS help?
What they are checking: Whether they understand coherence, phase retrieval and stability needs well enough to develop methods.
How could AI or ML methods make data collection at 26-ID faster or smarter?
What they are checking: Whether they can apply AI-enabled automation to real beamline challenges, as the posting mentions.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Argonne National Laboratory.