Microscopy Technician
$90,000–$125,000 year
On-siteSan Francisco, California, United States
Job Summary
Operate microscopes to acquire high-resolution 3D image volumes of expanded neural tissue, sustaining high throughput and instrument uptime. Set up, align, and calibrate microscopes and new experiments as the imaging pipeline scales, while handling mounting and storage of hydrogel specimens to protect sample integrity. Troubleshoot day-to-day imaging issues and perform routine maintenance on equipment, escalating complex problems. Implement and maintain imaging pipeline organization through specimen, throughput, and issue tracking. This hands-on role supports the end-to-end connectomics platform, from tissue preparation to brain simulation, requiring local Bay Area presence and a BS or MS with 2+ years of microscopy experience.
Required Qualifications
- Local (Bay Area, on-site)
- BS or MS
- 2+ years of hands-on experience operating microscopes
- ideally in a core facility, imaging center, or other high-throughput lab
- demonstrable experience independently operating and maintaining custom microscopy hardware
- demonstrated, hands-on understanding of the theory and practice of modern fluorescence microscopy and associated instrumentation
- Comfortable with day-to-day microscope alignment, calibration, and basic troubleshooting
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to keep a multi-step pipeline running smoothly with minimal oversight
- Familiarity with image acquisition and analysis software (e.g., Fiji, Imaris, or similar)
- Ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic, fast-paced research environment
Desired Qualifications
- Experience with expansion microscopy
- Hands-on familiarity with spinning-disk confocal or light-sheet systems
- Comfort working with custom or home-built optical setups (assembling optics, aligning lasers, and managing software issues)
- Basic scripting for acquisition or image processing
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