Research Scientist 4: Director, Advanced Light Microscopy & Image Analysis Core

The Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, is seeking an outstanding specialist in biological microscopy and image analysis to direct the Advanced Light Microscopy and Image Analysis Core. This facility operates multiple state-of-the-art instruments, including confocal (point scanning and spinning disk), wide-field, and super-resolution microscopes equipped with STED, TIRF, and FRAP capabilities, and is expanding to include correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM). This scientist will be providing expert support to research programs ongoing at the Wadsworth Center as well as advancing the Core’s capabilities by developing and adopting novel biological microscopy and image analysis approaches and techniques. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with Core users to identify microscopy techniques appropriate for their experiments, provide guidance and feedback on data acquisition, and customize image processing tools such as writing computational scripts and functions tailored to the specific needs of the Wadsworth Center laboratories. 

Minimum Qualifications: 
Non-Competitive: Bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences AND five years of post degree professional research experience* in an appropriate field.
*Substitutions: Master’s degree in an appropriate field may substitute for one year of experience, and Ph.D. in an appropriate field may substitute for an additional year of experience.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Extensive experience imaging bacterial and eukaryotic cells and tissues with a wide range of microscopy techniques, including: 
o  phase contrast and differential interference contrast (DIC) light microscopy; 
o  widefield and confocal fluorescence microscopy; 
o  stimulated emission depletion (STED) and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy;
o  fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP); 
o  conventional electron microscopy (EM) and correlative light/electron microscopy (CLEM). 

• Proficiency in image processing and analysis using FIJI/ImageJ, Imaris, Amira.
• Programing skills in MATLAB, Python, or other specialized platforms.
• Experience in coding for quantitative image analysis and ML/AI applications in biological imaging. 
• Strong teamwork and communication skills with a strong track record of publishing research in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at scientific conferences.