Microscopy Core Facility Manager

Active Search       ·       San Francisco, CA       ·       Full time

This posting is for an active search. At Arcadia, an active search (as opposed to an “open search”) means we have a clearly-defined need and are actively looking to fill this position in the next 2-3 months. We intend to move relatively quickly once we find the right candidate.

A Bit About Us:

We are Arcadia Science. Arcadia is a well-funded, for-profit biology research and development company founded and led by scientists. Our mission is to give a community of researchers the freedom and tools to be adventurous, to discover, and to make scientific exploration financially self-sustaining in the life sciences. We are inspired by the spirit of exploration and aspire to evolve how science is done, who it attracts and rewards, and what it can achieve.

Research @ Arcadia:

At Arcadia, we are building an intramural research and development program that will encompass three areas: (1) emerging organismal biology, (2) enabling research technologies, and (3) translational development. Research areas will be carried out by independent scientists and those working together towards shared goals. Projects will be collaborative in nature and pursue science that is more high-risk and exploratory than typical life science research programs. We will invest heavily in creative technologies that can invent new research tools or optimize workflows for emerging organismal systems. In addition to conducting research, Arcadia scientists will drive engagement with the broader scientific community in order to maximize the impact of our work and identify research areas and needs that Arcadia may be uniquely positioned to address.

The Opportunity:

In the next few months, we are looking to hire a full-time manager of Arcadia’s imaging facility. Responsibilities include:

• Discussing imaging needs with in house Arcadia scientists and recommend relevant established and emerging technologies
• Interfacing with vendors to organize demonstrations for areas of expansion of Arcadia’s imaging capabilities
• Making purchase recommendations on the basis of expertise and user feedback from demonstrations
• Maintaining equipment and managing upgrades
• Collaborating with users to support probe and fluorescence protein selection, sample preparation, image acquisition, and image analysis
• Training scientists in image optimization and image analysis

A PhD in the biological or physical sciences is preferred along with expertise in a wide array of imaging modalities from basic light microscopy (i.e., brightfield, DIC, phase contrast and epifluorescence) to advanced fluorescence techniques (confocal, multi-photon, super-resolution, TIRF and light-sheet). Experience in electron microscopy from SEM/TEM to CryoEM would also be valuable. While the successful candidate may not have experience in all imaging modalities listed above, they will have a strong willingness to learn and keep up with the latest advancements in the field. Qualifications include a knowledge of image acquisition and analysis tools including but not limited to Nikon elements, Micromanager, Metamorph, Zen, Slidebook, Leica, FIJI, MATLAB and python. We are also interested in recruiting individuals who have experience imaging a broad range of organisms, cells, and tissues.

Our ideal recruit is curious, self-directed, collaborative, excited by new ideas, passionate about solving problems, and dedicated to open science. You enjoy thinking about how to connect the dots between disparate disciplines. You are motivated by team-based efforts and know how to manage a wide range of risk. You are not afraid to fail and will help us think about ways to not only normalize but celebrate it. You are excited by the possibility of translating your research into useful tools or companies when such opportunities arise. You understand that skilled and thoughtful mentorship is critical to maximizing the scientific potential of our science and organization. You see Arcadia as an opportunity to experiment with not only what science you do but how you do it, and you understand the importance of curiosity and humility in this process. Scientists can expect to be compensated between $120,000-150,000/year with benefits and a highly competitive equity offering, depending on experience level. We are looking for talent at all levels from a wide variety of scientific and professional backgrounds.

Expectations for all Arcadia Scientists:

Arcadia strongly believes that open science is the best science. We expect all of our scientists to communicate openly about their work through a variety of mechanisms, including our own open communications platform (currently under development) rather than in scientific journals, via social media and scicomm to a general audience, and through participation in scientific conferences. We are currently establishing in-house communications teams to support your sharing. Evaluation of your performance at Arcadia will be based on a combination of structured feedback from your colleagues at all levels, openly shared research content, achievement of learning milestones established by yourself with the leadership team, and experimental risk-taking.

Application Process:

Interested applicants should send a professional CV and a one-page cover letter describing:

• a brief narrative of your scientific background and relevant experience
• a brief statement highlighting tangible prior contributions in service of the scientific community that align with Arcadia’s mission

Arcadia Science is an equal opportunity workplace; we welcome people from all backgrounds and communities. We provide competitive compensation and practical benefits to keep you happy and healthy so that you can do your best work.

Please click here to apply.