Postdoctoral Researcher: Interferometric Micros...

About the role

The Microsystems and Nanotechnology Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) seeks an enthusiastic postdoctoral researcher to advance novel interferometric optical microscopy techniques for single-particle, multiparameter characterization of nanoparticles at high-throughputs. The postdoc will work closely with a collaborative, multidisciplinary team of researchers to design, build, and model new optical microscopes to provide physical measurements (such as mass, size, concentration, composition) of nanoparticles, with a focus on gene delivery nanoparticles.

Responsibilities

• Designing, improving, and using custom-built, laser-based light scattering microscopes for quantitative nanoparticle characterization.
• Building new optical models of gene delivery nanoparticles and interferometric microscopes.
• Conducting experimental investigations to validate instrument performance and characterize nanoparticle physical characteristics and heterogeneity.
• Collaborating with researchers to develop innovative algorithms for data analysis and interpretation.
• Collaborating with researchers to evaluate the impact of particle heterogeneity on gene delivery efficacy.
• Publishing research in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at scientific conferences.

Qualifications

• A PhD in Physics, Optics, Biophysics, or a related field.
• Completed PhD within the last 5 years.
• Familiarity or experience with optical models of particle light scatter and/or optical instruments.
• Familiarity or experience with optical imaging and/or microscopy.
• Enthusiasm for learning new theoretical, computational, and experimental techniques.
• Programming experience with Python, MATLAB, or similar.