Assistant​/Associate​/Project Scientist - Instrumentation Microscopy

Position Overview

Assistant/Associate/Full Project Scientist - Instrumentation Microscopy at the Advanced Bioimaging Center, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley. The position reports to Professor Gokul Upadhyayula with Professor Eric Betzig as an additional mentor. It is 100% time, with an anticipated start in Winter/Spring 2026, and the initial appointment is for one year with potential renewal based on performance and funding.

Salary range: $146,700 – $204,600 (UC academic salary scales).

• Make significant and creative contributions to designing, building, and testing a new high‑throughput adaptive optical inverted lattice light‑sheet microscope (iAO‑LLSM) to achieve a 10‑fold increase in data acquisition throughput while maintaining high‑quality optical performance.
• Use, maintain, and oversee operations of the two next‑generation multimodal optical scopes with adaptive imaging correction (MOSAIC) microscopes at the ABC.
• Actively participate in handling/mounting biological samples on advanced microscopes and collecting 4/5D datasets.
• Collaborate with a cross‑disciplinary team of AI scientists, data engineers, instrumentation scientists, and biologists to generate high‑resolution microscopy data using novel transparent developing organism reagents for prototyping and training a 4D foundation model.
• Participate in national and international collaborations, present research findings at scientific conferences, and publish results in leading peer‑reviewed journals.
• Occasionally lead efforts to develop new projects.

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

• PhD (or equivalent international degree)

Additional Qualifications (required at time of start)

• Minimum of four years of postdoctoral research experience.
• For consideration for the Associate Project Scientist rank: a minimum of eight years of post‑PhD research experience.
• For consideration for the full Project Scientist rank: a minimum of fourteen years of post‑PhD research experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent international degree in Physics, Chemical or Biological Engineering, Molecular and Cell Biology, Systems Biology, Biochemistry, or a related field.
• Experience or expertise in light microscopy, spectroscopy, or laser optics.
• Experience with adaptive optics and lattice light‑sheet microscopy.
• Experience designing and building custom microscopes.
• Ability to troubleshoot microscopy instruments, prepare samples, and design research methodology.
• Proficiency with CAD programs for instrument design (e.g., Autodesk Inventor or Solid Works).
• Ability to explain concepts to diverse audiences and oversee a laboratory space or unit.
• Strong preference for a record of imaging, characterization, and analysis of live cells and biological tissues.
• Experience with data and image processing, evaluating image quality, visualizing, and analyzing image data.
• Experience making figures and movies with microscopy data for publishing articles.
• Experience collaborating with labs in a wide variety of areas.
• Experience executing large imaging projects (tens of terabytes to multi‑petabyte scale).
• Experience leading technicians.
• Ability to review research proposals and ideas, evaluate research capabilities, and make recommendations.
• Ability to effectively communicate, participate in efficient and open collaboration, and engage with a diverse group of researchers.
• The ideal candidate will be innovative and able to synergize various ideas and approaches while exercising sound judgment to evaluate and take acceptable risks.

• Curriculum Vitae – most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research – summary of major research accomplishments (~250 words) and a brief statement highlighting experience directly relevant to the key responsibilities.
• Three references (contact information only)

• As a condition of employment, the finalist must disclose any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed misconduct.
• “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including but not limited to violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination.

These positions are eligible for full benefits.

UC Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. For more information, please refer to the University of California’s Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy and the University of California’s Anti‑Discrimination Policy.