Open Postdoc Position – Rowland Institute

Harvard University; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 67,600 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Harvard University’s Rowland Institute invites applications for a postdoctoral fellow to develop an integrated optical platform for simultaneous whole-brain voltage imaging and targeted optogenetic stimulation in larval zebrafish. The project combines a high-speed light-sheet microscope, a two-photon holographic stimulation system, and software for control, synchronization, and image acquisition.

Applicants should have a Ph.D.

Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant field or soon to be awarded.
• Experience in optical imaging, microscopy or instrumentation is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop an integrated platform for simultaneous whole-brain voltage imaging and targeted optogenetic stimulation in larval zebrafish.
• Integrate high-speed light-sheet microscopy with a two-photon holographic stimulation system and instrument control software.
• Design, build, validate, and document the next-generation imaging platform for neuroscience research.

Skills

Optical design

Light-sheet microscopy

Holography

Laser optics

Microscope-control

Education

PhD in physics/optics/engineering/biomedical engineering or related field

Tools

Two-photon holographic stimulation system

High-speed imaging software

Job description

Open Postdoc Position – Rowland Institute

The brain computes through distributed neural circuits on millisecond timescales. To understand how the brain operates, the Z. Wang Lab at the Rowland Institute at Harvard develops optical tools to record and control neural activity across the entire brain at cellular and millisecond resolution. By combining advanced microscopy, genetically encoded voltage indicators, two-photon optogenetics, and zebrafish neuroscience, we aim to enable causal interrogation of brain-wide neural dynamics at single-cell and single-spike resolution.

We invite applications for a postdoctoral fellow to develop an integrated optical platform for simultaneous whole-brain voltage imaging and targeted optogenetic stimulation in larval zebrafish. The system will combine a high-speed light-sheet microscope, a two-photon holographic stimulation system, and software for instrument control, synchronization, and image acquisition.

This project builds on our recent paper, Nature Methods 2026, in press, preprint on voltage imaging of neurons distributed across the larval zebrafish brain at over 200 Hz. The postdoctoral fellow will play a leading role in designing, building, integrating, and validating the next-generation platform.

Applicants must hold, or expect to soon receive, a Ph.D. in physics, optics, engineering, biomedical engineering, or a related field.

Candidates should have experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Optical microscope design and construction
• Light-sheet or multiphoton microscopy
• Holography, spatial light modulators, or wavefront shaping
• Laser optics, high-speed imaging, or experimental control
• Microscope-control and data-acquisition software development

A strong record of research in optical imaging, microscopy, scientific instrumentation, or related fields is preferred.

Additional Qualifications: Experience in neuroscience, optogenetics, or zebrafish research is helpful but not required.

Salary Range: $67,600-$80,000/year. Pay offered to the selected candidate is dependent on factors such as years of experience, training or qualification, field of scholarship, and accomplishments in the field.

EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard’s academic purposes. Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university’s non-discrimination policy. Harvard’s equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.