Sr. Research Specialist II (Biophysics)

Job Details

Johns Hopkins, founded in 1876, is America's first research university and home to nine world-class academic divisions working together as one university.

The Beckman Center for Cryo-EM is seeking a Sr. Research Specialist II who is an expert electron microscopist to support the center’s operations in cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), focusing on lamella preparation and cryo-correlation with focused-ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) and cryo-correlative light electron microscopy (Cryo-CLEM). ...

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Training and assisting users with grid preparation, FIB-SEM, and cryo-CLEM for 3D cryo-ET analysis (primarily utilizing the Aquilos II and associated equipment).
• Day-to-day instrument operation, including FIB milling of cells and tissue, image acquisition, and microscope maintenance.
• Providing user support for image processing and tomographic analysis.
• Maintain high-throughput software pipelines.
• Develop, design and manage specialized projects and/or instrumentation, and coordinates own objectives.
• Utilize specialized knowledge to set up and run sophisticated instrumentation and interpret results.
• Act as consultant to refine or adapt methodologies to fit research objectives.
• Collaborate in development of new protocols and uses of equipment.
• Advise investigators on experimental design and research methods.
• Co-author/author publications.
• Contribute original thoughts, hypotheses, and analysis to write reports, abstracts and manuscripts.
• Provide significant input to research design and data collection and interpretation based on advanced knowledge/understanding of activity.
• Independently perform research assays specific to the research laboratory interests.
• Collaborate with other lab personnel, managers, and faculty investigators.
• Independently develop protocol and criteria.
• Make decisions regarding research projects that may require assessment, revision of objectives, or altering scientific direction.
• Consider resources and laboratory priorities when making decision.
• Other duties as assigned.

Additional Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Significant hands-on FIB-SEM experience, experience in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-ET / cryo-EM), image processing, and structure modeling or comparable experience and expertise with the relevant techniques.
• The successful candidate must have strong interpersonal communication skills and be able to effectively work with faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and students from a variety of scientific and cultural backgrounds.