Cryo-EM technician

Your Job:

• Performing scanning electron microscopy and ion beam-based methods of sample preparation and characterization
  
• Technical support in planning, installation, calibration, maintaining and testing of electron microscopy equipment
  
• Maintenance and repair work of instrument base operations including monitoring of room conditions, cooling, support gases, vacuum and electronics
  
• Cryo-focused ion beam milling (FIB) sample preparation of vitrified cells for cryogenic transmission electron microscopy techniques
  
• Development of sample handling workflows focusing on single-particle and/or tomography data collection combined with CLEM/FIB-SEM approaches together with scientific staff
  
• Post-test characterization of biological samples in the context of method development and optimization
  
• Disseminate preparation and analytical methods for in-house and external users on novel hardware

Your Profile:

• Vocational training as laboratory technician, technical assistant, technician or completed bachelor`s degree in natural sciences, biology, chemistry, physics or engineering, or comparable professional experience
  
• Some prior experience in supporting microscope operation would be helpful, but is not essential
  
• Strong communication skills
  
• Ability to work with internal colleagues and external visitors in an international and interdisciplinary team

Our Offer:

The Chance to work at one of the largest research centers in Germany, with excellent scientific equipment and leading European computational resources, located on a green campus, and near the cultural centers Köln, Düsseldorf, and Aachen. The Jülich campus also hosts a vibrant biophysics, bioinformatics and structural biology community.

• Direct access to high-level cryo-EM infrastructure at the Ernst-Ruska Centre. The facility has been extended with state-of-the-art cryo-microscopes and FIB-SEMs of ThermoFisher Titan Krios, Talos Arctica and FIB-SEM Aquilos 2.
  
• The activities are embedded in a long-term supported scientific infrastructure within outstanding electron microscopy environment together with the Biological and Physical sciences.
  
• The ERC 2.0 building is finalized and installation of the worldwide unique electron microscopes is in preparation.
  
• Excellent manufacturer support and very rapid response time for equipment maintenance and development in the context of the large Ernst-Ruska Centre facility.
  
• Working in a dynamic team of researchers with backgrounds in different disciplines across biology, chemistry, physics and informatics to advance cryo-EM methods.
  
• A wide range of scientific challenges covering instrumentation, sample preparation and structure determination for structural biology.
  
• Targeted services for international employees, e.g. through our International Advisory Service
  
• Ideal conditions for balancing work and private life, as well as a flexible work arrangements
  
• Flexible working hours in a full-time position (39 hours/week) with the option of slightly reduced working hours
  
• 30 days of annual leave and an attractive regulation for bridging days
  

We have prepared a short video for you to introduce some of the team members and to give you a deeper insight into our institute and what we do: https://go.fzj.de/video_er-c

In addition to exciting tasks and a collaborative working atmosphere at Jülich, we have a lot more to offer: https://go.fzj.de/benefits

We offer you an exciting and varied role in an international and interdisciplinary working environment. The position is initially for a fixed term of 2 years, with possible longer-term prospects. Salary and social benefits will conform to the provisions of the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (TVöD-Bund) depending on the applicant’s qualifications and the precise nature of the tasks assigned to them.

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.