Postdoctoral Scientist - Fluorophore Design & Imaging

Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI); United States; On-site; USD 45,000 - 74,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site childcare

Free gym

Available on-campus housing

Shuttle bus to DC metro area

Job summary

Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Lincoln Lab in Ashburn, VA, seeks a Postdoctoral Scientist to design and characterize next-generation fluorophores for multimodal imaging.

The role blends synthetic chemistry, photochemistry, and advanced imaging, with opportunities in live-cell and super-resolution techniques. A strong research record is preferred, and collaboration across HHMI teams is encouraged.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in chemistry, physics, or related fields in the physical or life sciences.
• Hybrid background in photochemistry and/or chemical biology with a 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.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to publish.

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 challenges.
• Pursue creative research ideas that leverage your previous experience and align with your current and future scientific interests.

Skills

Photochemistry

Chemical biology

Organic synthesis

Fluorescence spectroscopy

Single molecule imaging

Communication skills

Education

Ph.D. in chemistry or physics or related fields

Tools

Gaussian

Orca

Job description

Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Lincoln Lab in Ashburn, VA, seeks a Postdoctoral Scientist to design and characterize next-generation fluorophores for multimodal imaging.

The role blends synthetic chemistry, photochemistry, and advanced imaging, with opportunities in live-cell and super-resolution techniques. A strong research record is preferred, and collaboration across HHMI teams is encouraged.