Senior Laboratory Research Scientist – High resolution CLEM

Senior Laboratory Research Scientist in the Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform at The Francis Crick Institute (London, UK).

PROJECT SUMMARY

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has funded the VP-CLEM-KIT consortium to develop a pipeline for democratising volumetric visual proteomics:

Creating a Pipeline for Expanded Access to Volumetric Visual Proteomics

Putting proteins in focus

The VP-CLEM-KIT team is led by Dr Lucy Collinson from the EM STP at the Francis Crick Institute, with Professor Paul French (at Imperial College London) and Professor Ricardo Henriques (at Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal). The project will deliver a disruptive cost-effective pipeline for high resolution correlative light and electron microscopy (HR-CLEM) that can be implemented in any light microscopy facility by removing the dependency on advanced EM expertise and equipment. Our international multidisciplinary team has the necessary expertise (in probes, sample preparation, advanced imaging, optics, open-source hardware and software, image analysis, machine learning, workflow integration and user experience) to enable this pipeline to be used by biologists and clinical researchers to visualise, measure and analyse proteins in the context of cells and tissues in health and disease.

The role of Senior Laboratory Research Scientist (SLRS) will work between the EM and MP teams and in close collaboration with the French and Henriques labs to conceptualise, develop, test and deploy the new pipeline for high precision correlative light and electron microscopy. In this role, the post-holder will use their knowledge of EM workflows to guide the technology development in order to ensure the novel instrumentation is as user-friendly and broadly accessible as possible. The role will require advanced skills in sample preparation for electron microscopy, ultramicrotomy, fluorescence microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, volume EM and bioimage analysis. The post-holder will have experience of, or a strong interest in, technique and technology development in the imaging sciences to answer biomedical and clinical research questions, as well as a creative and innovative approach, and the ability to work with multiple stakeholders to deliver results in a defined timeframe.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

These include, but are not limited to:

• Work closely with technology developers towards the design of critical hardware and software elements of a new correlative microscopy workflow.
• Work closely with electron microscopists and end-users to ensure newly developed technologies are user-friendly and accessible.
• Train electron microscopists and other end-users in the application of the newly developed technologies.
• Continuing professional development in the field of bioimaging and instrument development

KEY EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES

The post holder should embody and demonstrate our core Crick values: bold, imaginative, open, dynamic and collegial, in addition to the following…

ESSENTIAL:

• A degree in a relevant field
• Experience of fluorescence microscopy for imaging cells and tissues
• Experience in sample preparation for EM, including room temperature fixation and resin embedding of cells and tissues, and cryo preparation by high pressure freezing
• Experience of ultramicrotomy, including serial sectioning
• Broad skills in using transmission, scanning and volume electron microscopes for imaging cells and tissues
• Experience of using a range of open source software for image analysis in light and electron microscopy
• Experience of contributing effectively to the work of a team
• Ability to work independently when required
• Flexible and cooperative approach to working with others
• Excellent project planning, time-keeping, organisational and record-keeping skills
• Enthusiastic, well organised and able to prioritise workload
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to think creatively and problem-solve

DESIRABLE

• A PhD in a relevant field
• Experience of Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy
• Experience of In-Resin Fluorescence workflows
• Experience of alpha and beta testing new instruments and software
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary environment
• Experience of instrument development and integration for high-precision research applications
• Experience of writing software in a common language, e.g. python, MATLAB, Java or C
• Experience of computer vision or image analysis in a common software platform, e.g. python, MATLAB, C/C++, Java or ImageJ

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