Postdoc at SPECIES beamline

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top 100 universities. The University has around 44 000 students and more than 8 000 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.


Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard gender equality and diversity as a strength and an asset.




Would you like to work at the brightest lightsource in the world?

MAX IV are looking for a postdoc to work as part of both APXPS and RIXS teams at the SPECIES beamline of MAX IV Laboratory for a two-year position.

The beamline consists of two branches – APXPS, which is in user operation, and RIXS which will start accepting users since the beginning of 2022. The APXPS branchline currently offers variety of sample environments for performing in situ and operando XPS at the interfaces between solids, gases, and liquids. The RIXS branchline hosts a high-throughput emission/RIXS spectrometers dedicated for solid-state samples. The unique property of the beamline is the high photon flux at low energies (below 100 eV), which enables research of Li compounds, for example as Li batteries using both APXPS and RIXS.



The successful candidate will be offered:

- Excellent possibilities to drive scientific research or instrumentation development in collaboration with the beamline team, and the users.
- A stimulating APXPS and RIXS groups where we help each and push the limits of scientific instrumentation.
- A unique chance to engage with a large number of research projects performed by our users.

The work tasks of the postdoc include, but are not limited to the following:

- Development of her/his own scientific project within area of Li batteries. The project must use possibilities and capabilities of the beamline (APXPS and RIXS techniques) and collaborations with the user groups.
- Interaction with and support of expert users and regular users during their beamtimes.
- Active participation in the continued commissioning of the beamlines and end stations in collaboration with the entire APXPS and RIXS teams.

The scientific project of the researcher can also make use of other beamlines at MAX IV or at other synchrotron radiation facilities. The general surface science environment of MAX IV (which includes a Scanning Probe Microscopy laboratory) can also be employed.

To be successful in this role you need to have the following qualifications

- The successful candidate must hold a PhD in physics, chemistry, materials science, or a related discipline.
- Documented extensive experience of performing and interpreting surface science experiments as well as working with (ultrahigh)vacuum instrumentation.
- Documented knowledge and experience in research in electrochemistry.
- Documented experience of performing synchrotron-based spectroscopy experiments and using either Ambient Pressure X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering, X-ray Absorption, or Emission Spectroscopy.
- Previous experience in the research of Li batteries is considered as an advantage
- Experience with the design and set-up of new surface science instruments is considered an advantage.
- Experience in programming is considered an advantage.
- Experience in user support at the synchrotrons is considered as an advantage.
- Experience in design and simulation software (Solidworks, Comsol, etc.) is considered an advantage

The ability work in a team, good communication skills and good command of the English language are mandatory.

On call services may apply in the future.



MAX IV is a Swedish national large-scale research laboratory hosted by Lund University. It provides scientists from Sweden as well as internationally, with state-of-the-art instrumentation for research in areas such as engineering, physics, structural biology, chemistry and nanotechnology. Fully developed it will receive more than 2 000 scientists annually, conducting ground-breaking experiments in materials and life sciences using the brilliant X-ray light.

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