Microfluidic Particle Researcher
Microfluidic Particle Control & Measurement Researcher
Project Description:
Control and measurement of microparticles in microfluidics. This research project will entail the design and testing of new methods for the manipulation and optical characterization of materials in microflows. The scientist will work closely with a collaborative, multidisciplinary team of researchers to design, build, and model novel instrumentation that provides measurements of chemicals, microparticles, cells, and cellular organelles in optofluidic measurement systems. The scientist will conduct experiments to estimate chemical mixing times, particle sizes and counts, fluorophore quantification limits, and limits to dynamic measurement delays that may be limited, for example, by particle tracking capabilities. The scientist will maintain cells and prepare assays of beads, cells, and organelles that will be used in devices that can passively purify reagents in flow (e.g. inertial focusing and dynamic lateral displacement arrays). Devices to stimulate and assess cellular function will also be fabricated and tested. Fluorescence microscopy and conventional flow cytometry will be utilized to benchmark measurements.
Key Responsibilities:
- Maintain cells and prepare reagents
- Design, build, and use microfluidic devices with integrated optical measurement regions
- Analyze cell and particle measurements in microfluidic devices and in culture via microscopy
- Present results at internal meetings and occasional meetings with external stakeholders
- Ensure that results, protocols, software, and documentation have been archived or otherwise transmitted to the larger organization
Desired Qualifications:
- U.S. Citizen preferred
- Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related field
- 3+ years of experience with microfluidics device design, control, and use
- Experience with clean room photolithography
- Experience with fluorescence microscopy
- Familiarity with MATLAB software for instrument control and data analysis
- Familiarity with flow cytometry
- Strong oral and written communication skills
Other Details:
- Full-time: the participant is expected to work 40 hours a week
- Location: the participant will work at the NIST Gaithersburg Campus.
- Duration: this is expected to be a one-year and nine-month position. Extensions are sometimes granted depending on the availability of funds.