Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron science facility. Located at Harwell Science & Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, we enable world-leading research across a wide range of scientific disciplines and industrial applications.

We are seeking to appoint a PDRA to work on the structure of salt films associated with pitting corrosion. This is a fixed term appointment to continue and extend the analysis of data collected in the course of an EPSRC funded project undertaken by Professors Trevor Rayment and Andy Dent at Diamond Light Source, and Dr Alison Davenport at Birmingham University. The person appointed should have experience of structure solution methods for powder x-ray diffraction, synchrotron radiation techniques and electrochemical corrosion.

To continue and extend the analysis of data collected in the course of an EPSRC funded project  working on the structure of salt films associated with pitting corrosion.

• carrying out in-house research activities,
• carrying out experiments, analysing data and publication of results,
• maintenance of the beamline during operations,
• development and testing of new equipment and software,
• support of users in performing their experiments at Diamond,
• testing of samples sent to Diamond by users,
• assisting users with data analysis,
• keeping up with latest results and research directions internationally,
• developing experimental and data analysis techniques and implementing them on the beamline.

• Appropriate First Degree,
• Postgraduate degree,
• Relevant synchrotron research experience,
• Experience or knowledge of synchrotrons,
• Experience of beamline instrumentation,
• Knowledge of structure determination and refinement techniques using x-ray diffraction,
• Ability and initiative to get to the heart of the problem and take it effectively through to completion,
• Good interpersonal, communication and presentational skills,
• Ability to interact effectively with staff at all levels,
• Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team,
• Self motivated,
• Good laboratory research skills,
• Ability to write research papers,
• Ability to plan and then carry out a research project,
• Good Problem solving skills,
• Fault diagnosis abilities,
• Must be available to travel occasionally within the UK and abroad, including overnight absences.

• Knowledge of electrochjemical techniques.