Research Associate in Microfluidics Quantum Bio-Sensing

Overview

Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate in Microfluidics for Quantum Bio-Sensing

Salary: Grade 7 (£37,694 - £47,389)

Contract: Full-Time (35 hours per week), Fixed Term for 24 months

Holiday Entitlement: 33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings closed days for all full-time staff.

The Quantum Photonics Laboratory (QPL) at Heriot-Watt University undertakes research across solid‑state photonics and quantum technologies, engineering coherent light–matter interactions in advanced quantum structures and devices. QPL (c. 20 members; 7 academic leads: Dr Mzyk, Prof Bonato, Dr Kurdi, Prof Gerardot, Dr Mazzera, Dr Brotons i Gisbert, Dr Bekker) works with platforms including wide‑bandgap defects (e.g. diamond, SiC), 2D materials, III–V quantum dots, and rare‑earth doped crystals.

We operate well‑equipped laboratories for quantum optics and high‑resolution laser spectroscopy at room and cryogenic temperatures, with RF control of electronic/nuclear spins and facilities for quantum‑device fabrication. QPL collaborates widely across HWU, the UK and internationally, and contributes to several UK quantum hubs, including Q-BIOMED, which targets spin‑based quantum sensors for biomedical research and early disease detection.

The Quantum Bio‑Imaging Group, led by Dr Aldona Mzyk, focuses on developing quantum bio‑imaging tools to study metabolic plasticity from single cells to whole organisms, aiming to translate quantum sensing into pharma R&D and clinical diagnostics.

We seek a talented, motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to develop microfluidic system, integrate it with quantum sensing microscope, and to validate it on biological samples in collaboration with other team members, academic and industrial partners. The project goal is to create an integrated, multimodal platform to evaluate cellular metabolism and metabolic plasticity in complex microenvironments. The project is expected to generate high‑impact publications and underpin integrated quantum sensing devices for biomedical applications.

The post offers technical training, secondment opportunities with company and academic collaborators, and a tailored career development plan.

• Design, fabricate, and optimise microfluidic devices for use with advanced optical and quantum‑sensing instrumentation.
• Integrate microfluidic platforms with the NV‑based quantum‑sensing confocal microscope.
• Develop hardware and mixed‑signal electronic control systems for real‑time microfluidic actuation, manipulation, and sorting.
• Develop, refine, and validate experimental protocols, and apply them to biological samples in collaboration with the team.
• Design and execute experiments, including data acquisition, quantitative analysis, and modelling/simulation where appropriate.
• Contribute to IP generation and translational pathways.
• Collaborate effectively across the QPL and with external partners, share laboratory equipment responsibly.
• Supervise and mentor PhD and undergraduate researchers in daily lab activities.
• Disseminate results via high‑quality publications and conference presentations, present progress in group and project meetings.
• Maintain high standards of record‑keeping, data management and research integrity.
• Support lab operations (maintenance, vendor liaison) and contribute to outreach (talks, demos, public engagement).

• A PhD in physics, electrical engineering, biomedical engineering or related subjects (or expected to be awarded a PhD soon)
• A demonstrated track-record (during a PhD degree or post-doctoral research) in:
• Microfluidic system design and fabrication, including cleanroom microengineering or soft‑lithography methods.
• Integration of microfluidic devices with optical instrumentation.
• Development of mixed‑signal electronics for microfluidic control, including optical detection and analogue/digital signal processing.
• Design and implementation of real‑time actuation or sorting strategies driven by optical or sensor‑based readouts.
• Experience of programming (C++ or Python or MATLAB) for device control, data acquisition and analysis.
• Primary author…