Postdoctoral Scientist - Lincoln Lab

Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI); Ashburn (VA); On-site; USD 67,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Facilities access

Mentorship and conferences

On-site amenities

Job summary

Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Research Campus is seeking Postdoctoral Scientists to design and characterize next-generation fluorophores for multimodal imaging. The role spans fluorophore synthesis, spectroscopy, chemical biology, and super-resolution imaging with opportunities to work on cryo-electron tomography related disciplines.

Strong candidates will have a track record in synthetic chemistry, photochemistry, and imaging methods.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in chemistry, physics, or related fields in the physical or life sciences.
• Hands-on experience synthesizing fluorophores or light-sensitive substances.
• Experience with computational chemistry tools (Gaussian, Orca).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to contribute to publications.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize multistep synthetic routes for new fluorophores and bioactive ligands for multimodal microscopy.
• Apply modeling and calculations to guide design and imaging performance.
• Develop high-throughput spectroscopic assays and single-molecule methods.
• Evaluate dye performance in live and fixed-cell imaging across modalities.

Skills

Fluorophore synthesis

Spectroscopy

Fluorescence microscopy

Collaboration

Written communication

Education

Ph.D. in chemistry or physics

Tools

Gaussian

Orca

Job description

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus is a pioneering research center in Ashburn, Virginia, where scientists pursue fundamental questions in the life sciences. Our integrated teams of biologists, computational scientists, and tool-builders innovate research practices and technologies to solve biology’s deepest mysteries. HHMI launched Janelia in 2006, establishing an intellectually enriching environment for scientists to do creative, collaborative, hands-on work. We share our methods, results, and tools with the scientific community.

About the Role:

We are seeking Postdoctoral Scientists with hybrid expertise spanning fluorescent dye development, spectroscopy, chemical biology, and super-resolution microscopy to join the Lincoln Lab. In this role you will help design and characterize the next generation of fluorophores to tackle multimodal, whole-organism, and/or super-resolution imaging challenges. Candidates with an excellent record of research achievement and experience in air and/or light sensitive chemical synthesis methods, photochemistry, spectroscopy, or in vitro/in vivo fluorescence imaging are particularly encouraged to apply. Exposure and training in additional techniques, including single molecule imaging, immunofluorescence, super-resolution techniques, as well as cryo-electron tomography and related disciplines, may be required over the course of these projects.

About the Lab:

With a research background grounded in photophysics, organic chemistry, chemical biology, and high-resolution optics, our lab uses experimental photochemistry, computational modelling, and physical chemistry to engineer fluorophores and molecular tools to tackle the challenges at the forefront of fluorescence microscopy. As a part of the Tools@HHMI initiative at Janelia, we strive to challenge the boundaries of fluorophore/probe development for dynamic biological imaging that will revolutionize the imaging projects during the next chapter of Janelia’s research program. We collaborate closely with other groups in Tools@HHMI and the larger Janelia community, including chemists, protein engineers, neuroscientists, and microscopists to achieve mutual goals. For more information about the Lincoln lab, please visit: Lincoln Lab | Janelia Research Campus

In addition, the HHMI Janelia Research Campus provides a highly collaborative, resource-rich environment for our work.

What We Provide:

• A competitive compensation package, with comprehensive health and welfare benefits.

• Access to Janelia’s facilities and engineering support for custom-hardware, scientific computing, and fluorescence microscopy.

• A highly collaborative, interdisciplinary research campus with close ties to labs working across chemistry, protein design, microscopy development, and neuroscience.

• One-on-one mentorship.

• Support to attend and present at scientific conferences.

• Amenities that enhance work-life balance such as on-site childcare, free gyms, available on-campus housing, social and dining spaces, and convenient shuttle bus service to Janelia from the Washington D.C. metro area.

What You’ll Do:

• 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.

What You Bring:

• Ph.D. in chemistry, physics, or related fields in the physical or life sciences.

• A 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

• 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

Physical Requirements

Remaining in a normal seated or standing position for extended periods of time; reaching and grasping by extending hand(s) or arm(s); dexterity to manipulate objects with fingers, for example using a keyboard; communication skills using the spoken word; ability to see and hear within normal parameters; ability to move about workspace. The position requires mobility, including the ability to move materials weighing up to several pounds (such as a laptop computer or tablet).

Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this position with reasonable accommodation. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Please Note:

This job description sets forth the job’s principal duties, responsibilities, and requirements; it should not be construed as an exhaustive statement, however. Unless they begin with the word "may," the Essential Duties and Responsibilities described above are "essential functions" of the job, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Compensation:

A Postdoc 00 (0 to 1 year research experience after obtaining a PhD) is compensated at a rate of $74,200.00 annually at HHMI's Janelia Research Campus.

Pay Type:

Annual

HHMI’s salary structure is developed based on relevant job market data. HHMI considers a candidate's education, previous experiences, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity when making job offers.