Postdoctoral Scientist: Fluorophore Chemistry for Advanced Microscopy

HHMI; Ashburn (VA); On-site; USD 63,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Comprehensive health benefits

On-site amenities

On-site housing

One-on-one mentorship

Conference attendance support

Shuttle service to D.C. area

Job summary

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Janelia Research Campus in Ashburn, VA seeks Postdoctoral Scientists in chemistry/biophysics for fluorophore development and multimodal imaging research. You will design and characterize next‑gen fluorophores, apply advanced spectroscopy, and collaborate across Tools@HHMI and Janelia.

Ideal candidates have a PhD, experience in photochemistry/chemical biology, and strong publication records, with the ability to work in a collaborative lab environment and

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in chemistry, physics, or related fields in the physical or life sciences.
• Hybrid background in photochemistry and/or chemical biology with strong grounding in organic chemistry.
• Hands-on experience performing organic synthesis of fluorophores and light-sensitive substances.
• Experience working with computational chemistry software packages including Gaussian and Orca.
• Additional skills in fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy, assay development, molecular docking, or fluorescence microscopy is an asset.
• Passion and perseverance to carry out high impact discovery science.
• Willingness to work collaboratively in a small lab atmosphere.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare technical reports and contribute to publications.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize multistep synthetic routes for new small molecule fluorophores and bioactive ligands for multimodal microscopy applications.
• Apply drug‑discovery models, molecular docking simulations, and quantum mechanical calculations to guide molecular design and optimize target engagement, bioavailability, and imaging performance.
• Develop high throughput spectroscopic assays, and single molecule methods to evaluate key properties, including spectral profiles, photostability, and bioavailability.
• Evaluate dye performance in live and fixed‑cell imaging, including widefield, confocal and super‑resolution methods.
• Establish structure–property relationships between molecular design and performance.
• Collaborate with other members of Tools@HHMI and the broader Janelia community to apply best‑performing labels to whole‑organism imaging challenge(s).
• Pursue creative research ideas that leverage your previous experience and align with your current and future scientific interests.

Skills

Photochemistry

Chemical biology

Organic synthesis

Computational chemistry

Fluorescence spectroscopy

Molecular docking

Collaborative skills

Scientific writing

Education

PhD in chemistry/physics

Tools

Gaussian

Orca

Job description

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Janelia Research Campus in Ashburn, VA seeks Postdoctoral Scientists in chemistry/biophysics for fluorophore development and multimodal imaging research. You will design and characterize next‑gen fluorophores, apply advanced spectroscopy, and collaborate across Tools@HHMI and Janelia.

Ideal candidates have a PhD, experience in photochemistry/chemical biology, and strong publication records, with the ability to work in a collaborative lab environment and