Engineer position (IE) for FluidFM/Live-Seq project (F/M)

Institut Curie - Research Center; France; On-site; EUR 29,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Collective catering

Transport reimbursement 70%

Health insurance

Job summary

The Institut Curie - Research Center is seeking a motivated research engineer to advance FluidFM and Live-Seq within the Single Cell Initiative. You will develop and optimize protocols and train users to implement their Live-Seq projects.

Requirements include a Master’s degree in Physics, Biophysics, Engineering, or related field, hands-on AFM and/or microfluidics experience, strong English, and excellent teamwork.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Physics, Biophysics, Engineering, or related field.
• Hands-on experience in a research laboratory is a plus.
• Strong English written and spoken communication.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize FluidFM protocols for Live-Seq applications.
• Train internal and external users on Live-Seq implementation.
• Explore FluidFM capabilities for single-cell manipulation and related approaches.
• Collaborate with CSCO and UMR 168 lab to advance technology.
• Support project execution from methodology development to data generation.

Skills

English proficiency

Communication & teamwork

Integrity & rigor

Education

Master’s degree in Physics/Biophysics/Engineering

Tools

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)

Microfluidics

Optical microscopy

Job description

Organisation/Company Institut Curie - Research Center Department Administration Research Field Medical sciences » Cancer research Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Master Positions Application Deadline 9 Nov 2026 - 00:00 (Europe/Paris) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 7 Oct 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The hosting structure

The Curie Institute Research Center

The Institut Curie is a major player in the research and fight against cancer. It consists of a hospital and a Research Center of more than 1000 employees with a strong international representativeness.

The objective of the Curie Institute Research Center is to develop basic research and to use the knowledge produced to improve the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutics of cancers as part of the continuum between basic research and innovation serving the patient.

Description of the project

Platform

The Institut Curie Single Cell Initiative is a strategic program bringing together several core facilities to advance next-generation single-cell and spatial omics approaches. Its mission is to foster technological innovation and enable cutting-edge research in fundamental, translational, and clinical oncology.

The initiative encompasses a broad range of approaches, including transcriptomics, epigenomics, multi-omics analysis, and spatial biology. It supports projects from methodological development through to data generation and analysis.

As part of this mission, the Single Cell Initiative continuously develops and evaluates emerging technologies with high scientific potential. Since 2023, it has established the Live-Seq technology at Institut Curie, which enables the extraction of a small fraction of the cytoplasm from a living cell without compromising cell viability (Chen et al., 2022). The RNA content of these cellular biopsies can subsequently be sequenced, enabling the dynamic study of cellular states and their evolution over time. This unique approach makes it possible to directly link a cell’s transcriptome to its subsequent behavior.

Position

Live-Seq is based on FluidFM (Fluidic Force Microscopy), a technology that combines atomic force microscopy for precise manipulation and force measurements with microfluidics for the controlled aspiration of picoliter volumes.

The Single Cell Initiative is seeking a highly motivated research engineer with strong expertise in atomic force microscopy and/or microfluidics to further develop and expand this technology at Institut Curie.

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and optimizing FluidFM protocols for Live-Seq applications, as well as training and supporting internal and external users in the implementation of their own Live-Seq projects.

The candidate will also explore the broader capabilities of FluidFM for single-cell manipulation, including applications such as cell injection, micromanipulation, and related approaches.

This project is a collaboration between the Single Cell Initiative and the Physics of Cells and Cancer Laboratory (UMR 168). Within the Single Cell Initiative, the successful candidate will interact closely with the engineers of the Custom Single Cell Omics (CSCO) platform, who provide expertise in biomolecular single-cell workflows involving low-input samples. The UMR 168 lab contributes specialized technical expertise in FluidFM technology.

Candidate profile

• Master’s degree (MSc, Engineering Degree, or equivalent) in Physics, Biophysics, Engineering, or a related field.
• Previous experience in a research laboratory (approximately 2 years) would be an asset.

Candidate profile

• Hands-on experience with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and/or microfluidics.
• Experience in optical microscopy and image analysis would be advantageous.
• Prior experience in molecular biology is not required. However, a strong willingness to interact closely with the engineers of the Custom Single Cell Omics (CSCO) platform and to bridge FluidFM-related challenges with molecular biology applications will be essential.
• Good command of English, both written and spoken.
• Proficiency with standard software tools, including the Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Word, etc.) and laboratory software such as GraphPad, Serial Cloner, or equivalent applications.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
• Integrity, rigor, and strong attention to detail are essential qualities, together with a genuine interest in the development and implementation of emerging technologies.

All our opportunities are open to people with disabilities

Contract information

Type of contrat: Fixed Term Contract

Start date: early 2027

Duration:18 months

Working time: full time

Salary: from de 29240€ à 31735€ /year according to current salary scales

Advantage: Collective catering, reimbursement of transportation fees up to 70%, supplementary health insurance

Faithful to the legacy of its founder, the Institut Curie is deeply committed to promoting equal opportunities, diversity, and inclusion. Convinced that diversity of backgrounds and experiences contributes to collective performance, we strive to provide everyone with a respectful and equitable working environment and encourage all candidates to apply for our job opportunities.