Senior Scientist, Cryo-ET & Cryo-CLEM
About The Position
The Weill Cornell Medicine Cryo-EM Core seeks a PhD-level scientist with significant hands-on expertise in cryo-FIB milling and cryo-ET, including data collection and analysis, to lead these capabilities within the Core. Reporting to the Director of the Cryo-EM Core, the Senior Scientist will help commission and operate new instrumentation and establish an integrated in situ structural biology workflow covering sample preparation and vitrification, lamella preparation, correlative targeting, tomography data collection on the Titan Krios G5, reconstruction, and subtomogram averaging. The Senior Scientist will develop and advance the Core’s cryo-ET and cryo-CLEM program; advise investigators on project feasibility and experimental design; develop methods; train users; and support operation and utilization of the Titan Krios G5. The role also supports projects across Weill Cornell Medicine and works collaboratively with Core leadership, scientific staff, faculty, trainees, and investigators.
Requirements
- PhD in structural biology, biophysics, cell biology, physics, or a related field.
- Demonstrated hands-on experience with cryo-FIB milling of biological samples for cryo-ET.
- Hands-on experience with cryo-ET data collection.
- Demonstrated experience with cryo-ET data processing and analysis, including subtomogram averaging; examples include IMOD, AreTomo, Warp/M, RELION, Dynamo, or similar tools.
- Strong troubleshooting skills with complex vacuum and cryogenic instrumentation.
- Ability to communicate effectively with investigators with widely varying levels of microscopy experience.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with plasma-FIB, for example Arctis, cryo-CLEM, or lift-out.
- Experience in a shared-resource or core facility.
- Familiarity with SerialEM, Tomo5, or PACE-tomo, and scripting in Python or shell.
- Publications involving cryo-ET.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the scientific lead for cryo-ET, cryo-FIB, and cryo-CLEM workflows within the Cryo-EM Core under the Core Director’s leadership.
- Lead implementation, commissioning, optimization, and quality control of the Arctis Cryo-PFIB for biological cryo-ET, including preparation of high-quality lamellae from cells and tissues.
- Participate in commissioning, operation, and scientific use of the Titan Krios G5, including cryo-ET data collection and other Core-supported workflows.
- As needed, independently operate the Titan Krios G5 and support investigators with data collection, instrument setup, optimization, troubleshooting, and quality control.
- Establish and optimize integrated cryo-ET and cryo-CLEM workflows, including grid preparation and vitrification, correlative targeting, FIB milling, lamella transfer, Krios data collection, and downstream analysis.
- Work with the Core Director to develop and support tomography data collection on the Titan Krios G5 and Glacios.
- Process and analyze cryo-ET data, including tilt-series alignment, tomogram reconstruction, segmentation, and subtomogram averaging; assist investigators with data analysis and interpretation.
- Consult with investigators on project feasibility, sample preparation, experimental design, and workflows for in situ structural biology studies.
- Develop, evaluate, and implement emerging methods and technologies, including automated milling, lift-out approaches, improved correlative workflows, and advances in tomography data collection and analysis.
- Train and mentor investigators, trainees, and Core users in cryo-FIB, cryo-ET, cryo-CLEM, Titan Krios operation, and associated computational workflows.
- Develop and maintain standard operating procedures, training materials, quality-control processes, and other documentation.
- Coordinate scheduling, logs, consumables, and vendor and service relationships associated with cryo-FIB and cryo-ET workflows within the Core’s operational structure.
- Collaborate with the Core Director and other Core staff to support efficient utilization, scientific quality, and integration of instrumentation and workflows across the Cryo-EM Core.
- Participate in scientific outreach, user education, workshops, and other activities to expand adoption of cryo-ET and related technologies across WCM.
- Ensure compliance with institutional laboratory safety and operational requirements.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
