Chief Electron Microscopy Technician, Cell Biology

UT Southwestern Medical Center • Dallas, TX

9h

About The Position

Works independently with full technical authority to direct electron microscopy core-facility operations. Serves as the institutional subject-matter expert for electron-microscopy methods, instrumentation, and workflows. Establishes facility-wide technical standards, oversees advanced research and clinical EM services, and ensures alignment with institutional research priorities. Serves as the core facility authority for electron microscopy services. Operates fully independently to manage instrument suites, develop facility wide protocols, and drive innovation in sample preparation and imaging. Provides strategic technical consultation to internal and external stakeholders, ensuring the core meets both research and clinical objectives.

The Electron Microscopy Core Facility (EMCF) at UT Southwestern Medical Center is seeking an experienced Electron Microscopy Technical Chief to oversee advanced EM operations within a high-demand, multi-user academic core. The facility supports a broad range of biomedical research programs using state-of-the-art TEM and SEM platforms, including HPF, CLEM, and volume EM workflows. The Technical Chief will play a key role in ensuring high-quality specimen preparation, imaging performance, and user support while helping advance new EM capabilities within the core. This position offers the opportunity to work in a collaborative, well-supported research environment at a leading academic medical center.

Requirements

• Master's Degree in a relevant scientific, engineering, or biomedical field or
• Bachelor's Degree in a relevant scientific, engineering, or biomedical field
• 3 years of progressively responsible electron microscopy experience, demonstrating increasing leadership over EM operations, instrumentation, and service delivery with a Master‿s Degree or
• 5 years of progressively responsible electron microscopy experience, demonstrating increasing leadership over EM operations, instrumentation, and service delivery with a Bachelor's Degree

Responsibilities

• Directs day-to-day operations of the electron microscopy laboratory, ensuring reliable, efficient, and high-quality delivery of EM services in alignment with the Director‿s scientific vision and priorities.
• Provides advanced technical and operational leadership for electron microscopy workflows, instrumentation, and service offerings; oversees EM personnel to ensure consistent execution of approved methods and standards.
• Applies deep expertise in TEM/SEM systems and advanced EM modalities, to guide operational decisions, assess technical feasibility, and support implementation of new methods and protocols developed under the Director‿s direction.
• Coordinates laboratory duties, schedules, project activities, instrument usage, operating time, billing, and space utilization to support multiple concurrent research and/or clinical projects.
• Oversees readiness and availability of EM instrumentation and technical resources, including coordination of service, maintenance, calibration schedules, and downtime planning to minimize disruption to users.
• Supervises laboratory and administrative personnel, and support staff; manages staffing levels, assignments, onboarding, and professional development in accordance with institutional guidelines.
• Operationalizes new electron microscopy methods and protocols by coordinating staffing, training logistics, documentation/SOP finalization, safety review, and compliance requirements in collaboration with scientific leadership.
• Orders and allocates laboratory supplies, materials, and equipment; manages inventory, vendor relationships, service contracts, warranties, licenses, and permits to ensure continuity of operations.
• Ensures compliance with safety, regulatory, and institutional requirements; oversees training programs, documentation systems, audits, and corrective actions related to EM laboratory operations.
• Monitors and reports laboratory performance metrics, including utilization, turnaround time, staffing efficiency, and operational costs; supports budgeting, forecasting, and resource planning.
• Identifies operational risks and technical bottlenecks; escalates scientific decisions to the Director while independently resolving administrative, staffing, and operational issues.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• PPO medical plan, available day one at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage
• 100%25 coverage for preventive healthcare-no copay
• Paid Time Off, available day one
• Retirement Programs through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)
• Paid Parental Leave Benefit
• Wellness programs
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Qualified Employer

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level