Research Technician / Scientific Officer

About the team / job

Do you enjoy using advanced electron microscopy to help scientists answer their biological questions? Then join the Electron Microscopy Core Facility (EMCF) at EMBL Heidelberg.

We specialise in cellular electron microscopy. Our work covers the full workflow, from sample preparation to imaging. We have a particular focus on correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) and volume electron microscopy (vEM).

Our mission is to enable research. We support research groups from all EMBL sites, as well as external academic and industry users. Some users ask us to carry out their experiments. Others are trained to book and use our instruments themselves.

We are a team of five operational staff, led by the Head of the facility. We have complementary expertise and work together as one team. We are now looking for a new colleague to join us.

Your role

You will work on a wide range of biological projects, using our portfolio of EM techniques. You will:

• Perform EM experiments for users, from sample preparation to imaging and analysis

• Meet users before their projects start and advise them on the best approach

• Guide users through their experiments and train them on our workflows and instruments

• Analyse data and report results clearly to users

• Organise and teach in courses and workshops

• Help develop and introduce new methods in correlative and volume EM

• Operate our electron microscopes and carry out first-line maintenance

• Contribute to the day-to-day running of the facility

You have

• A degree in biology, life sciences, biophysics or a related field, or an equivalent technical qualification (e.g. BTA/MTA)

• Substantial hands-on experience in electron microscopy for the life sciences

• Expertise in several of the following:

• Sample preparation: chemical fixation, cryo-fixation, resin embedding and ultramicrotomy

• Transmission electron microscopy

• Volume EM: electron tomography, FIB-SEM, SBF-SEM or array tomography

• Correlative imaging: CLEM or CXEM

• Experience with EM software for acquisition, processing or analysis, such as SerialEM, SBEMimage, IMOD, MIB, Amira or Dragonfly

• A service mindset. You enjoy helping users succeed and can explain techniques clearly.

• Good organisational skills. You can manage several projects at once.

• Good communication skills in English. You are a team player who likes to share knowledge.

You might also have

• Research experience involving electron microscopy on biological samples

• Experience working in a core facility or another service environment

• Experience maintaining electron microscopes

• Programming skills (e.g. Python, Java) to automate workflows

• Experience developing new EM or correlative methods

• Experience teaching practical courses

Salary guidance: Grade 5 or 6 with a monthly salary starting from 4.147,92 EUR net of tax, excluding health insurance and pension contributions, plus additional EMBL benefits.

Contract duration: 3 years (renewable up to 9 years)

Other helpful information

The position can be filled at Research Technician or Scientific Officer level. The duties are the same at both levels. Your grade will depend on your qualifications and experience.

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.

Enjoy lots of benefits:

• Financial incentives: Salary free of income tax, Monthly family, child and non-resident allowances, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances
• Flexible working arrangements
• Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover)
• Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year, in addition to public holidays
• Relocation package including installation grant (conditions apply)
• Campus life: Free shuttle bus (Heidelberg), library, subsidised on-site cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely)
• Family benefits: Kindergarten (Heidelberg), 10 days of child sick leave, generous paid maternity/parental leave and monthly family & child allowances
• Benefits for international newcomers: Visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel back to your home country every second year and a monthly non-resident allowance.
• For detailed information please visit our employee benefits page here

What else you need to know

• International applicants: We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions. Visit our International Applicants page, to find out more.
• EMBL is a signatory of DORA. Find out how we apply DORA principles to our recruitment and performance assessment processes here.
• Diversity and inclusion: At EMBL, we believe that diverse teams drive innovation and scientific excellence. We encourage applications from candidates of all genders, identities, nationalities and/or any other diverse backgrounds.
• How to apply: To apply please submit a cover letter and a CV through our online system. Applications will close at 23:59 CET on the date shown below. We aim to provide a response within two weeks after the closing date.

Closing Date