Six- Optical Microscopy Specialist position Department of Plant and Environmental Sc

Position Summary

Six‑year Optical Microscopy Specialist at the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (PLEN), Glycobiology section, University of Copenhagen. The role begins 01‑09‑2026 (or sooner) and focuses on the development of a multimodal label‑free optical microscope as part of the M3 platform.

The Multimodal & Modular Microscopy (M3) platform, funded by the Villum Infrastructure grant, integrates advanced imaging technologies such as Rotating Coherent Scattering (ROCS) microscopy, Brillouin microscopy with digital holography, and confocal interferometric scattering (iSCAT) into a unified, modular system for label‑free and multimodal imaging of living systems.

• Execute bioimaging solutions outlined by M3’s principal investigators.
• Implement and integrate state‑of‑the‑art multimodal optical microscopy instrumentation within the M3 framework.
• Contribute to the long‑term development and sustainability of M3, including maintenance, user training, and documentation.
• Develop software for instrument control, data acquisition, and analysis.
• Support infrastructure development for the microscopy platform.

• Prior experience in building and developing custom optical setups and microscopes.
• MSc or PhD in optics, experimental physics, or related fields.
• Demonstrated ability to diagnose and solve complex problems in custom optical systems.
• Programming experience with C++, Python, or MATLAB for instrument control and data acquisition.
• Interest in working within a multidisciplinary and multicultural team.
• Drive to promote new inventions in optics and bioimaging.
• Hands‑on experience with holographic or interferometric scattering microscopy, fluorescence, Brillouin microscopy, or spectroscopy methods is advantageous.
• Knowledge of imaging and handling biological samples is advantageous.
• Good English skills, written and spoken.

• 6‑year fixed‑term position (until 31‑08‑2031).
• Opportunity to shape a brand‑new platform from the ground up.
• Engagement in high‑impact, multidisciplinary research and international collaborations.
• Access to state‑of‑the‑art equipment, facilities, and infrastructure.
• Supportive scientific and social network with mentoring and career development.
• Competitive salary and social benefits in line with the Danish Collective Agreement for academics.
• Flexible working hours, 37 hours per week on average.

The position is an academic employee (AC‑TAP) with salary based on seniority. Negotiation for a salary supplement is possible. Working hours are flexible with an average of 37 hours per week.

The University of Copenhagen seeks to reflect society and encourages applications irrespective of personal background.