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Postdoctoral Appointee - Characterizing high pressure melts using coherence and nano-beams at HPCAT

Argonne National Laboratory · Lemont, IL · $72,879–$121,465 a year · Full time

Posted Jun 1, 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

Tell me about a time an experiment at a synchrotron went badly. How did you recover?

What they are checking: Whether they stay calm and make good decisions when beamtime is going wrong.

How do you support outside users at a beamline while also running your own research?

What they are checking: Whether they can serve the user community while still producing their own results.

Tell me about the most complex dataset you've analyzed and how you made sense of it.

What they are checking: Whether they have the analysis skill for the large, complex data these techniques produce.

What would you do

The posting expects you to expand the work to other materials. Which would you pick and why?

What they are checking: Whether they can drive their own science and see where these platforms could be used next.

About the work

How would you use BCDI or XPCS to study what happens to a transition metal across the solid-to-melt transition?

What they are checking: Whether they understand coherent X-ray techniques and how to apply them to melting under pressure.

What are the hardest parts of measuring a melt inside a diamond anvil cell at high temperature?

What they are checking: Whether they know practical problems like sample containment, heating stability and chemical reactions.

How would you get liquid structure from pair distribution function data at high pressure, given the background from the cell?

What they are checking: Whether they can handle PDF analysis with the background subtraction that cells create.

The APS upgrade gives much higher coherence and brightness. What new experiments does that make possible for high-pressure work?

What they are checking: Whether they have thought about how the upgraded source changes what HPCAT can measure.

How do you decide when a sample has melted during an experiment? What signals do you trust?

What they are checking: Whether they know the debates around melting criteria and how to avoid fooling themselves.

How would you handle radiation damage or beam heating with a much brighter, more focused nano-beam?

What they are checking: Whether they anticipate new problems created by the higher brightness beam.

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The full job description

As published by Argonne National Laboratory.

The overarching focus of the postdoc position and effort is on advancing the understanding of materials at high pressure-temperature conditions, and in particularly across the solid-melt transition and melt-liquid structure. With the recent APS-Upgrade project completed and new high coherence and brightness x-ray beam, HPCAT has concurrently made over $20M HPCAT investments in upgrading key infrastructure to advance x-ray platforms for studying matter under extreme conditions. The selected postdoc will have ample opportunities for career growth and cutting-edge scientific research with new platforms at HPCAT and across various featured beamlines of APS, as well as playing a critical role in growth of HPCAT long term. The selected postdoc will be responsible for continuing to push the boundaries of high pressure-temperature measurements with advanced x-ray platforms. This includes working in optimizing applicaton of APS-Upgraded high brightness and high coherence beam across APS and at HPCAT and implementing BCDI, XPCS, nano-beam and time resolved microscopy, PDF, 3D imaging techniques, PCI, and other techniques for advanced characterization of materials across solid-liquid and into melt. Measurements will be performed on various transition metals, but it is expected that the Postdoc would also drive scientific efforts and expand the capability to other materials, such as high entropy alloys, advanced manufactured materials, superconductors, and other materials proposed by the candidate. Likewise, the Postdoc is expected to continue driving scientific advancements and contribute to long term vision of HPCAT. Working with staff and extensive partner members (including LANL, LLNL, SNL, and numerous national and international academic and other institutions) The Postdoc will have long term career growth and future opportunities at HPCAT, APS, and beyond. Last, it is also expected that the position will continue to grow and/or implement various AI/ML capabilities coupled to advancing the overall research efforts. As such, we encourage applicants to consider how their data processing and software development capability fits into the proposed work and future direction. The Postdocs will be working directly with assigned HPCAT staff mentor and interacting on regular basis with HPCAT principal scientist and management. This is a two year term position (with expected impactful progress) and may be considered for extension and/or conversion to full time position. Position Requirements Candidates with either significant background in high pressure platforms and/or x-ray measurements are encouraged to apply, and candidates from various scientific backgrounds (Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Geoscience, and Engineering, etc.) will be considered. • Recent or soon-to-be completed PhD (within the last 0-5 years) in Physics, Chemistry, Material Science, Geosciences or Engineering. • Demonstrated experience with synchrotron x-ray techniques such as Bragg Coherent Diffraction Imaging (BCDI), X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (XPCS), Phase-Contrast Imaging (PCI), nano-beam and time resolved diffraction microscopy. • High-pressure background is not mandated for this position, but it is expected that PD would drive scientific efforts to expand the capability to the high-pressure research. • Able to implement various AI/ML applications. **Please include your CV and a s ummary of relevant experience and proposed scientific ideas within the scope of position posting (3 page max).** Application review will commence on June 08 latest and resume until position is filled. Inquiries regarding scientific scope of the position can be directed to HPCAT Director Nenad Velisavljevic ( HPCAT-Director@anl.gov ) and HPCAT Group Leader Maddury Somayazulu ( zulu@anl.gov ) . Job Family Postdoctoral Job Profile Postdoctoral Appointee Worker Type Long-Term (Fixed Term) Time Type Full time The expected hiring range for this position is $72,879.00-$121,465.00. Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as, but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, business considerations, internal equity, and external market pay for comparable jobs. Additionally, comprehensive benefits are part of the total rewards package. Click here to view Argonne employee benefits! As an equal employment opportunity employer, and in accordance with our core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity and teamwork, Argonne National Laboratory is committed to a safe and welcoming workplace that fosters collaborative scientific discovery and innovation. Argonne encourages everyone to apply for employment. Argonne is committed to nondiscrimination and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by law. Argonne employees, and certain guest researchers and contractors, are subject to particular restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Sponsored or Affiliated Activities, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. You will be asked to disclose any such participation in the application phase for review by Argonne's Legal Department. All Argonne offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes an assessment of criminal conviction history conducted on an individualized and case-by-case basis. Please be advised that Argonne positions require upon hire (or may require in the future) for the individual be to obtain a government access authorization that involves additional background check requirements. Failure to obtain or maintain such government access authorization could result in the withdrawal of a job offer or future termination of employment.

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