Postdoctoral Fellow

About the team/job

The Microscopy Facility at the Neurobiology and Epigenetics Unit at EMBL Rome, Italy, is looking for a Postdoctoral Fellow who will participate in optical instrumentation and spatial-omics research as part of a collaborative international environment. The microscopy facility, together with the histology facility, is establishing pipelines for spatial transcriptomics, proteomics and connectomics (see for example https://www.embl.org/news/lab-matters/beyond-the-lens-microscopy-at-embl-rome/ ). Our aim is to visualize large scale connections in neural tissue as well as proteins and thousands of individual RNA transcripts within large tissue volumes. This job has a strong focus on technology development to improve imaging systems as well as to expand and up-scale experimental pipelines. As such, we expect several technological innovations that may lead to an important role in industry, within the context of a core facility or the creation of a start-up.

Your role

To meet the research and technology development goals of the facility, the person appointed will directly take part in projects such as to expand multiplex capacity of existing spatial -omics methods, develop sample preparation protocols, implement light sheet microscopy for large volumetric imaging, to name a few. Depending on his/her interests and expertise, he/she is expected to take a strong lead on his/her project, to develop and pursue independent ideas and participate in the technology transfer process.

You have

• PhD in Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Bioengineering or related subjects.
• Broad knowledge and experience in optics and microscopy or in tissue sample preparation methods.
• Excellent manual dexterity and organizational skills.
• Pro-active attitude and hands-on approach to problem solving.
• Excellent communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills with highest ethical standards.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

You might also have

• Previous exposure to any one of these areas is preferred: super-resolution microscopy, microscopy automation, image analysis or computer vision; or
• Skills in histology, from basic IF to clearing techniques and expansion microscopy;
• Any knowledge on multiplex imaging, spatial transcriptomics or smFISH would be advantageous.
• Knowledge of Italian is beneficial but not required; the working language at EMBL is English.

Why join us

EMBL is curiosity-driven, community-oriented and international. As an inclusive, equal opportunity employer , we believe that diversity enables us to collaborate more effectively and be innovative in our approaches. We are, therefore, committed to creating an inclusive and flexible culture – one where everyone can realise their full potential and make a positive contribution to our organisation. 

We encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing team – we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and personal experiences reflect the diversity of the populations that our science serves. We actively encourage applications from all genders and cultures, ethnic groups and all demographics to help us avoid perpetuating biases and oversights at this transformational point in our people strategy.

EMBL offers attractive conditions and benefits appropriate to an international research organisation with a very collegial and family-friendly working environment. Competitive salary and social security benefits, financial support for relocation, a relaxed culture, professional development, an on-site nursery, canteen and other staff facilities make EMBL a great place to work.

What else you need to know

EMBL is one of the highest ranked scientific research organizations in the world. The Headquarters Laboratory is located in Heidelberg (Germany), with additional sites in Grenoble (France), Hamburg (Germany), Hinxton (UK), Barcelona (Spain), and Rome (Italy). The Neurobiology and Epigenetics Unit at EMBL Rome studies various mammalian physiological phenomena from molecular to system levels using the laboratory mouse as a model system. We take advantage of a full range of core facilities as well as close institutional links with other EMBL sites.

We are Europe’s flagship research laboratory for the life sciences – an intergovernmental organisation performing scientific research in disciplines including molecular biology, physics, chemistry and computer science. We are an international, innovative and interdisciplinary laboratory with more than 1900 employees from many nations, operating across six sites, in Heidelberg (HQ), Barcelona, Hinxton near Cambridge, Hamburg, Grenoble and Rome.

Our mission is to offer vital services in training scientists, students and visitors at all levels; to develop new instruments and methods in the life sciences and actively engage in technology transfer activities, and to integrate European life science research. The working language of the institute is English.

The initial contract is for a period of three years with the possibility of a fixed-term extension.

EMBL is a signatory of DORA. Find out how we implement best practices in research assessment in our recruitment processes here .

For more information, please contact Alvaro Crevenna at [email protected]

Please apply online through: www.embl.org/jobs