periodic-labs
XRD Facility Manager
$200K–$275K
Menlo Park, CA · On-site · Manager · Full-time · Posted Sep 15, 2026
- Experience
- 5+ years.
- Education
- PhD in materials science, physics, chemistry, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- Visa sponsorship
- Posting states: Must be authorized to work in the U.S. / Visa sponsorship available for exceptional candidates.
About the job
Manages Periodic Labs’ X-ray diffraction facility, overseeing instrument performance, measurements, maintenance, safety, user support, and data practices.
What you'll do
- Aligns, calibrates, maintains, troubleshoots, and commissions X-ray diffractometers across the facility.
- Develops standards, QC schedules, SOPs, and measurement protocols; ensures consistent recording of instrument and sample data.
- Trains and supports users, performs difficult measurements, and manages radiation safety and related compliance.
What they ask for
- 5+ years of hands-on experience operating and maintaining X-ray diffractometers.
- Strong XRD background in powder, thin-film, and capillary/transmission work; proficiency in phase identification, Rietveld refinement, and quantitative analysis.
- Experience maintaining several instruments and troubleshooting hardware.
- PhD in materials science, physics, chemistry, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
Nice to have
- Experience managing a shared user facility or commercial XRD lab.
- Experience with automation or other materials characterization techniques.
Pay
USD 200k-275k base salary; plus equity (amount not stated)
Tools
X-ray diffractometers, XRD, Rietveld refinement
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative