Scientist II / Senior Scientist, Electron Diffraction Characterization
Lila Sciences
$128,000 - $198,000 / year
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Description
Your Impact at LILA
Lila Sciences is seeking a Scientist II / Senior Scientist, Electron Diffraction Characterization to join the Materials Science team within the Autonomous Science Platform. The Autonomous Science Platform combines experimental science, automation, AI, and software to accelerate materials discovery. This role turns electron diffraction and microstructure measurements into trusted, machine-readable data that supports crystal structure determination, materials characterization, automated workflows, and model development.
You will lead method development, validation, and operation for electron diffraction characterization workflows, with emphasis on micro-ED and/or EBSD. You will prepare samples, run measurements, interpret diffraction and microstructure data, troubleshoot data-quality issues, and establish workflows that make characterization outputs accurate, reproducible, and fit for purpose.
You will also translate electron diffraction expertise into scalable analyzer pipelines. Partnering with ML, software, automation, and experimental teams, you will define metadata, quality-control checks, provenance, and analysis workflows that make diffraction data reliable, traceable, and useful at scale.
The ideal candidate combines deep hands-on expertise in electron diffraction characterization with strong scientific judgment and a commitment to high-quality data. They can operate at the instrument, interpret complex structural and microstructural outputs, and help build the analytical infrastructure needed to scale characterization across Lila’s platform.
What You'll Be Building
- Lead micro-ED and other electron microscopy characterization workflows for materials discovery programs.
- Develop methods for crystal structure determination and microstructure analysis.
- Prepare samples, run measurements, interpret data, and troubleshoot quality issues.
- Define calibration, validation, QC, and reproducibility standards for electron diffraction workflows.
- Build structured, traceable diffraction outputs for downstream analysis and modeling.
- Partner with ML, software, automation, and experimental teams on analyzer pipelines.
- Translate project needs into fit-for-purpose characterization methods and analysis plans.
What You'll Need to Succeed
- PhD in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering, or a related field, or M.S. with equivalent hands-on characterization experience.
- Hands-on expertise in SEM and TEM including advanced diffraction analysis such as micro-ED.
- Strong understanding of diffraction principles, crystallography, crystal structure determination, and microstructure analysis.
- Experience preparing samples, validating methods, interpreting diffraction data, and troubleshooting workflow issues.
- Ability to translate characterization workflows into reliable, structured, machine-readable data.
- Experience collaborating across scientific, ML, software, automation, or data teams.
- Clear communication skills for documenting methods, explaining results, and driving cross-functional decisions.
Bonus Points For
- Experience with other EM techniques including EBSD, 4D-STEM is a plus.
- Familiarity with automated or high-throughput characterization workflows.
- Proficiency with Python or similar tools for scientific data analysis.
- Experience integrating instrument data with ML-ready datasets or analyzer workflows.
Compensation
We offer competitive base compensation with bonus potential and generous early-stage equity. Your final offer will reflect your background, expertise, and expected impact.
U.S. Benefits. Full-time U.S. employees receive a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer-paid life and disability insurance; flexible time off with generous company wide holidays; paid parental leave; an educational assistance program; commuter benefits, including bike share memberships for office based employees; and a company subsidized lunch program.
International Benefits. Full-time employees outside the U.S. receive a comprehensive benefits program tailored to their region. USD salary ranges apply only to U.S.-based positions; international salaries are set to local market.
About LILA
Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence™ to solve humankind's greatest challenges. We believe science is the most inspiring frontier for AI. Rather than hard-coding expert knowledge into tools, LILA builds systems that can learn for themselves.
LILA combines advanced AI models with proprietary AI Science Factory™ instruments into an operating system for science that executes the entire scientific method autonomously, accelerating discovery at unprecedented speed, scale, and impact across medicine, materials, and energy. Learn more at www.lila.ai.
Guided by our core values of truth, trust, curiosity, grit, and velocity, we move with startup speed while tackling problems of historic importance. If this sounds like an environment you'd love to work in, even if you don't meet every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply.
We’re All In
Lila Sciences is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.
Information you provide during your application process will be handled in accordance with our Candidate Privacy Policy.
A Note to Agencies
Lila Sciences does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to Lila Sciences or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Lila Science’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of Lila Sciences, and Lila Sciences will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.
Benefits
- health insurance
- vision insurance
- stock options
- parental leave
- disability insurance
About this role
Lila Sciences is building an autonomous materials discovery platform that pairs experimental science with AI and automation, and this role sits at the intersection of hands-on characterization expertise and scalable data infrastructure. As Scientist II / Senior Scientist for Electron Diffraction Characterization, you'll lead method development and validation for micro-ED and related electron microscopy workflows, working directly with instruments to prepare samples, collect measurements, interpret complex diffraction data, and troubleshoot quality issues. Your work will translate these characterization outputs into structured, machine-readable datasets that feed downstream analysis, modeling, and automation pipelines.
The ideal candidate brings deep hands-on experience in SEM and TEM with advanced diffraction analysis—particularly micro-ED—plus strong crystallography and microstructure analysis fundamentals. You'll need to operate comfortably at the instrument level while also thinking systematically about calibration, validation, and reproducibility standards. Beyond technical depth, the role demands the ability to partner effectively across materials science, ML, software, and automation teams, translating project needs into fit-for-purpose methods and helping build the analytical infrastructure that scales characterization across the platform.
A PhD in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, or a related field is expected, or an M.S. with equivalent hands-on characterization experience. Experience with EBSD, 4D-STEM, automated workflows, Python-based data analysis, or integrating instrument data with ML-ready datasets would strengthen your candidacy. The position is full-time and in-office in Cambridge, MA, with a base salary range of $128,000–$198,000 plus bonus potential and early-stage equity.
How this employer is doing
solid
- H1B: Sponsors Visas
- Recently Raised Funding
- Sponsors Visas
In the news
Lila Sciences in talks for $2B funding at $8.5B valuation - Bloomberg, Investing.com
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Pay for this role
$128,000 to $198,000 per year
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