Position: Professional Specialist- Instrumentation Engineer
Description: If you are experienced with building scientific instrumentation and would like to apply your talents to map the brain, this position could be for you. NIH BRAIN CONNECTS is a transformative project of the US BRAIN Initiative, with the overall goal of generating wiring diagrams that can span entire mammalian brains across multiple scales. A major component is a ten-year "moon-shot" that will image a mouse brain with a fleet of microscopes. The resulting exabyte of images will be processed to reconstruct an estimated 100 million neurons and 100 billion synapses, yielding the first mammalian connectome. The Princeton Neuroscience Institute is a key performer in BRAIN CONNECTS and participates in both of the international CONNECTS consortia that have been assembled to tackle the mouse connectome. The Institute is the only site in the world that can boast of both transmission EM and scanning EM instruments for high-throughput connectomics. The Institute also leads the FlyWire Consortium, which in 2023 released the first connectome of an adult brain, that of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. This historic achievement is dwarfed by the ambitious goal of scaling up by 10,000 times to the mouse brain. We are seeking a dynamic Instrumentation Engineer to help build the advanced image acquisition technologies required for this ambitious project. The Engineer will assist in the construction and testing of a custom ion beam milling apparatus (IBEAM), help integrate the apparatus with a multibeam scanning electron microscope (mSEM), and apply the integrated IBEAM-mSEM system to collect image data from the mouse hippocampal formation. The Engineer will work closely with Profs. Tank and Seung at Princeton and Consortium collaborators. Key Responsibilities: 1.Contribute to the assembly of an IBEAM apparatus; this involves procurement of commercial components; working with machinists and consultants for implementation of custom components; integrating components like vacuum chambers, electron and ion guns, and sample transfer robots into a working system. Optimize the MultiSEM for robustness and high-speed acquisition, collaborating closely with an interdisciplinary team and Zeiss engineers to enhance critical parameters. 2.Conduct comprehensive evaluations of IBEAM-mSEM performance, proactively troubleshooting technical challenges as they arise to contribute to continuous performance enhancement in instrumentation. 3.Contribute to data collection for the test samples and the (HPF) mouse hippocampal formation, a critical brain region for memory and spatial navigation, volume dataset from the whole adult mouse brain that may exceed tens of petabytes. Essential Qualifications: PhD degree in Physics, Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, or closely related field. Proficiency in mechanical design, CAD software, computer interfacing, electronics, and vacuum systems. Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and evaluate instrument performance. Strong organizational skills with the ability to procure parts efficiently. Strong problem-solving skills with a keen eye for technical details. Excellent collaboration and communication skills. Preferred Qualifications: Experience with LabVIEW or other software for measurement and control, Electron microscopy, Light microscopy, Prior experience in laboratory or project management is desirable, Experience in Robotics is a plus. This full-time position has an initial appointment of one year and possibility of renewal based on satisfactory performance. Interested applicants must apply at https://puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/position/33864 and include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and contact information for at least two references. The work location for this position is in-person on campus at Princeton University. Applications from members of groups historically under-represented in Neuroscience are encouraged. This position is subject to the University's background check policy.
Princeton University is a vibrant community of scholarship and learning that stands in the nation's service and in the service of all nations. Chartered in 1746, Princeton is the fourth-oldest college in the United States. Princeton is an independent, coeducational, nondenominational institution that provides undergraduate and graduate instruction in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering.As a world-renowned research university, Princeton seeks to achieve the highest levels of distinction in the discovery and transmission of knowledge and understanding. At the same time, Princeton is distinctive among research universities in its commitment to undergraduate teaching.Today, more than 1,100 faculty members instruct approximately 5,200 undergraduate students and 2,600 graduate students. The University's generous financial aid program ensures that talented students from all economic backgrounds can afford a Princeton education.
