Research Scientist, Expansion Microscopy Engineering

University of Georgia- FACS; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 159,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan matching

In-person work environment

Flexible hours

Job summary

Mindspan is seeking an engineer-scientist to optimize, validate, and apply the expansion microscopy pipeline from fixation to imaging. You will drive quantitative assessments of each chemical step and develop robust, repeatable protocols for downstream automation and knowledge sharing.

You will collaborate with optical, computational, and automation teams, delivering high-quality data and methods to advance brain research and relate to real-world biomedical challenges.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in chemistry, biochemistry, materials science, bioengineering, biophysics, neuroscience, or related field.
• Strong foundation in hydrogel and polymer network chemistry, protein chemistry; intuition for reaction design, analysis, interpretation.
• Essential confocal imaging experience, immunostaining tissues, optics understanding.
• Hands-on expansion microscopy and light-sheet microscopy is a strong plus.
• Able to analyze data computationally (Python, Fiji) and build quantitative metrics.
• Track record of independent method development with thoughtful benchmarking.
• Creative yet disciplined, quick and agile, with focus.
• Strong detail orientation and organizational, planning, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Self-motivation and service mindset; able to lead/manage and multitask.
• Open to feedback to advance scientific missions.

Responsibilities

• Fixation and tissue intake: develop intake and fixation for brain tissues; define acceptable samples.
• Anchoring, gelation, softening, staining: optimize chemistry, measure parameters, and context with gel properties.
• Imaging: develop acquisition protocols; perform image processing and data interpretation; provide QC metrics.
• Documentation and training: maintain protocol records; translate validated protocols to robotic execution; contribute data to open resources.

Skills

Immunostaining

Hydrogel chemistry

Data analysis

Independent method development

Project management

Education

Ph.D. in chemistry / related field

Tools

Fiji

Python

Confocal microscope

Job description

The role

This is an engineering-oriented science role, optimizing, validating, and applying the whole expansion microscopy pipeline: fixation, anchoring, gelation, softening, staining, imaging, and quality control. The job involves careful thinking about which parameters matter and why, meticulous execution, and sharp observation of results, figuring out what those observations imply about a chemical step upstream, then inventing past the limits you find.

You report to the Head of Scalable Chemistry, and work, as needed, with other Mindspan teams (Optical Physiology, Microscopy and Optics, Automation and Industrialization, and Computation and Analysis), using logic and evidence to advance your work so as to boost the performance of all.

What you’ll do

Fixation and tissue intake. You develop and standardize intake and fixation for brain tissues, and you characterize and optimize what each chemical condition does for downstream expansion microscopy performance. You work out parameters that produce samples the rest of the pipeline can handle, and you define what an acceptable incoming sample looks like.

Anchoring, gelation, softening, and staining. You optimize anchoring chemistry and gel formulation, and gelation and softening conditions. You measure these things quantitatively, and optimize these steps, as well as labeling and staining, in the context of gel parameters.

Imaging. Working with our Microscopy team, you develop acquisition protocols and acquire images, and with our Computational team, you perform image processing and data interpretation. The resulting analyses serve as quality control metrics, helping optimize earlier steps to give the desired outcomes.

Documentation and training. You keep protocol records that others can execute, with the reasoning behind each parameter. You collaborate with the Automation and Industrialization team to translate validated protocols into robotic execution, and contribute protocols and data to the open resources we train others on.

Culture we’re building

The disorders of the brain affect over 1,000,000,000 people around the world: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, stroke, and other conditions. We operate with a sense of urgency, even as we look to understand the brain at its most fundamental levels.

We are hypercollaborative, and focused on impact over short-term markers of productivity. Creativity and failure are the stepping stones to scale, and working together with “strong opinions, weakly held” is our style.

We solve real engineering problems the best way we can: inventing fast when we have to, and using good existing solutions where they exist. We believe hard problems only yield to many disciplines working together, so collaboration is not optional.

We expect people to explore the unknown, which means making mistakes daily, owning them, and learning from them to improve and excel.

We are recruiting a team of scientists and engineers who exemplify all these values.

What we offer

The chance to build the expansion and staining pipeline of a new research institute alongside some of the most adventurous scientists in the field, with real autonomy and a direct line to the people setting the scientific agenda. You will get to contribute to addressing one of the most important unmet medical needs of our time, as part of the initial team. You will learn lots of things that probably cannot be learned any other way, as you solve problems, build, and work with others. As Mindspan grows, we expect this role to grow with it. We are excited to invest in someone who wants to take on increasing responsibility over time.

Comprehensive health, dental, vision, and family benefits, and a matching retirement contribution.

Competitive salary ($120,000 to $159,000), depending on experience.

What we’re looking for

You have a Ph.D. in chemistry, biochemistry, materials science, bioengineering, biophysics, neuroscience, or a related field. You have a strong foundation in hydrogel and polymer network chemistry, protein chemistry, and a good intuition for the practical realities of reaction design, analysis, and interpretation.

It is essential that you have confocal imaging experience, experience immunostaining tissues, and an understanding of optics. Hands-on experience with expansion microscopy and light-sheet microscopy is a strong plus.

You are comfortable analyzing your own data computationally (Python, Fiji, etc.) and building quantitative metrics for such analysis. You have a track record of independent method development where the benchmarking was as thoughtful as the invention. You are quick and agile, yet able to focus; creative, yet disciplined.

You have a strong detail orientation and exceptional organizational, planning, interpersonal, and communication skills. You are good at writing, can work independently and lead and manage, and can prioritize and multitask as needed. Self-motivation, commitment to high quality standards, and a service-oriented mindset are all key. You have good judgment, balancing flexibility and focus, action and planning, speed and thoughtfulness, as appropriate. You are open to giving and receiving feedback, constructively and thoughtfully, to advance scientific missions and personal growth.

This is an in-person job. Flexible hours may be required at times.