Scientists at EMBL Barcelona explore how tissues and organs function and develop, in health and disease. Alongside cutting-edge research, the site houses a state-of-the-art Mesoscopic Imaging Facility, enabling scientists worldwide to access imaging technologies specifically designed for studying tissues.  The Facility provides commercial and customized imaging solutions that cover the meso-scale “imaging gap” between high-resolution techniques such as confocal microscopy and methods such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that can image entire mammalian organisms, but with limited resolution.

We are looking for an Imaging Technology Specialist to join the Mesoscopic Imaging Facility at the newly established EMBL site in Barcelona.

The successful candidate will participate in the development of innovative technologies that will support the work of the unit. This will involve implementation of novel imaging platforms based on light-sheet microscopy and optical projection tomography; however, alternative techniques suitable for mesoscopic biological imaging may be introduced in the future. The position will involve the design, implementation and maintenance of optical mesoscopic imaging instrumentation that will complement and improve the existing technologies in the Facility, and support the research goals of EMBL-Barcelona scientists and the larger biomedical community. Duties are (in cooperation with the Facility staff):

• Design of mesoscopic imaging instrumentation;
• Implementation of the hardware necessary to achieve the Facility’s imaging goals;
• Coding of control software necessary to run the optical instrumentation and implement the experiments required by Facility users.

The position requires a Master’s degree or equivalent in engineering, physics, or a related discipline. A practical knowledge of optical design and implementation for bioimaging is expected, as well as the ability to develop instrumentation hardware and control software (LabView) for a user-oriented imaging facility. The candidate should be able to work both independently and as part of a team in the Facility. A fluent knowledge of the English language is required.

Additional beneficial qualifications include: familiarity with biological samples, experience with optical microscopy (as a user and/or technology developer); experience with SolidWorks, and programming languages including Matlab; experience dealing with large scientific data sets (image data in particular); image data analysis, experience working in a user-oriented scientific facility

EMBL is an inclusive, equal opportunity employer offering attractive conditions and benefits appropriate to an international research organisation with a very collegial and family friendly working environment. The remuneration package comprises a competitive salary, a comprehensive pension scheme, medical, educational and other social benefits.

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 1600 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.