The Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco (CZ Biohub SF) (https://www.czbiohub.org/sf/) is an independent nonprofit research institute that brings together three powerhouse universities - Stanford, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco - into a single collaborative technology and discovery engine. CZ Biohub SF itself supports some of the brightest, boldest engineers, data scientists, and biomedical researchers to investigate the fundamental mechanisms underlying disease and develop new technologies that will lead to actionable diagnostics and effective therapies. We are guided by our values of scholarly excellence; disruptive innovation; hands-on engineering/hacking/building; partnership and collaboration; open communication and respect; inclusiveness; and opportunity for all.
Our Vision
- We pursue large scientific challenges that cannot be pursued in conventional environments
- We enable individual investigators to pursue their riskiest and most innovative ideas
- The technologies developed at CZ Biohub San Francisco facilitate research by scientists and clinicians at our home institutions and beyond
Diversity of thought, ideas, and perspectives are at the heart of CZ Biohub Network and enable disruptive innovation and scholarly excellence. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive organization where all colleagues feel inspired and know their work makes an important contribution.
The Opportunity
The Computational Microscopy Platform (www.czbiohub.org/comp-micro/) led by Shalin Mehta builds imaging technologies to analyze the dynamics of cells across biological scales ranging from organelles to zebrafish larvae. We develop computational imaging methods to visualize physical and molecular properties of live cells and zebrafish with increased accuracy, resolution, and throughput. We develop deep learning methods to analyze dynamic cell states from the high-dimensional image data. We collaborate with groups within the CZ Biohub Network and with university collaborators to discover biological mechanisms and pursue therapeutic opportunities using these technology platforms.
We are looking for a passionate Associate R&D Engineer to accelerate our work on high-throughput smart microscopy of live cells and organs in zebrafish. This role will focus on refining and using our live imaging systems, e.g., Mantis (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.12.19.572435v1), and python automation software, e.g., shrimPy (https://github.com/czbiohub-sf/shrimPy) and coPylot (https://github.com/czbiohub-sf/copylot) for image-based profiling of cellular response to infection and developmental cues. The individual needs to be comfortable working in the Biosafety level 2 laboratory after appropriate safety and work training.
The application requires a cover letter that describes
- Your interest in this role, the contributions you are excited to make, and skills you want to strengthen on the job
- Your professional goals and how this role can help you achieve them
- Any hobby projects relevant to the work
We seek to recruit individuals with foundational skills, the ability to learn quickly, and the ability to pursue ambitious projects through collaborations. Prior experience related to the projects mentioned above is nice to have, but not required
You will
- Work with microscope engineers and scientists to answer questions in zebrafish biology
- Acquire data with state-of-the-art custom-built microscopes
- Troubleshoot and improve microscope control software to achieve robust data acquisition
- Use existing image reconstruction, analysis, and visualization pipelines to facilitate biological interpretation
- Maintain systematic records of experiments and outcomes
- Discuss work at weekly group meetings, internal seminars, and external seminars
- Participate in publishing the work through software repositories, data repositories, and peer-reviewed papers
You have
Essential –
- Bachelor’s degree in physics, engineering, computer science, or life sciences. Candidates with a Master’s degree are also welcome to apply, however the role is not suitable for candidates with a doctoral degree.
- Prior research experience (internship experience is considered)
- 2+ years of coding experience (e.g. Python, MATLAB, or C++)
- Exposure to automated imaging, e.g., automated microscopy, astronomy, robotics
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Team player who can also work independently
Nice to have -
- Prior experience developing automation software
- Prior experience with image analysis tools and libraries (e.g. scikit-image, OpenCV, pytorch, torchvision, ImageJ)
- Prior experience with biological research
The Chan Zuckerberg Biohub requires all employees, contractors, and interns, regardless of work location or type of role, to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination, including a booster vaccine dose, if eligible, by their start date. Those who are unable to get vaccinated or obtain a booster dose because of a disability, or who choose not to be vaccinated due to a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance must have an approved exception prior to their start date.
Compensation
What We Provide
- Resources to disrupt and innovate at the frontiers of our knowledge of biology and disease
- A collegial and collaborative environment consisting of diverse expertise
- Existing collaborations within CZ Biohub: Technology Platforms (Bioengineering, Computational Microscopy, Data Science, Genomic Sequencing, Mass Spectrometry/Proteomics), and Research Group Leaders
- Access to collaborators, resources and facilities at our three partner universities (Stanford, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco) and at partner organizations in the Bay Area and beyond
- Competitive compensation and benefits commensurate with experience
Benefits
We offer a robust benefits program that enables the important work Biohubbers do everyday. Our benefits include healthcare coverage, life and disability insurance, commuter subsidies, family planning services with fertility care, childcare stipend, 401(k) match, flexible time off and a generous parental leave policy. In addition, we honor our commitment to career development and our value of scholarly excellence through regular onsite opportunities to learn from the world’s leading scientists.
The CZ Biohub Network is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity of thought, ideas and perspectives. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive organization where all Biohubbers feel inspired and know their work makes an important contribution. Therefore, we provide employment opportunities without regard to age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.
Pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Headhunters and recruitment agencies may not submit resumes/CVs through this website or directly to managers. The CZ Biohub Network does not accept unsolicited headhunter and agency resumes. The CZ Biohub Network will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company that does not have a signed agreement with the CZ Biohub Network.
