Experimental Scientist/engineer, Sample Prepa Brno

Experimental Scientist/engineer, Sample Prepa

When you’re a member of the Thermo Fisher Scientific team, you’ll do important work, like helping customers in finding cures for cancer, protecting the environment or making sure our food is safe. Your work will have real-world impact, and you’ll be supported in achieving your career goals.
**Thermo Fisher Brno**:
In Brno, we craft, develop, and market high-end Electron Microscopy research tools. Did you know that these technologies enable our customers to make breakthrough scientific discoveries on diseases and large-scale study of proteins, improve (new) medicines, and increase global sustainability?
In the Advanced Technology (AT) group in Brno we are looking for a hands-on scientist, to unravel and tackle the challenges with sample preparation, and guide new developments to support our customers prepare efficient tomography samples. For this, the scientist/engineer will gain understanding of current (sample freezing) equipment and workflows, as well as develop and test new experimental prototypes.
AT is a functional R&D unit within the Materials and Structural analysis Division (MSD) division of Thermo Fisher Scientific, which looks after sourcing & landscaping new technology trends in the context of our strategic business ambitions within a 3-5-year time horizon. We initiate and implement technology projects internally (sometimes with help of external partners), and transfer results towards New Product Development. Topics of interest range from electron
Cellular cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) is a label-free cryogenic imaging technique that provides 3D datasets of organelles and protein complexes at nanometer resolution. This is done by opening windows into the cell with focused ion beam (FIB) milling of a cryogenically frozen (vitrified) cell. A series of 2D images is taken of this thinned cellular sample (cryo-lamella) then reconstructed into a 3D dataset. The preparation of vitrified cells and tissues by plunge, jet and high-pressure freezing and the subsequent handling and transfer of the samples on carriers from system to system through the workflow are tedious and often suffer from contamination resulting in a labor intensive, yet low-yield procedure. To further innovate in this workflow, investigation of the freezing process and relevant novel technologies is to improve cryo-ET sample integrity. This work will drive the development of future sample preparation devices, which are key to our customer success.
Our new team member will work as part of an interdisciplinary research team, in our AT group, that focusses on sample preparation strategies for both cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET). As a part of the developmental team, you will work in close collaboration with the development/engineering department and have the responsibility to build up basic knowledge on the freezing processes and identify optimization opportunities in the sample preparation workflow. Within the AT group, the scientist is encouraged to contribute to the technology roadmap for technologies which are adjacent to electron-microscopy.
**Duties and responsibilities**:
- Implement, develop, and validate new technologies for the freezing of biological tissues.
- Set up experimental test systems to investigate and prevent contamination of vitrified samples to preserve their integrity.
- Develop new TEM sample carriers.
- Enable translation of scientific concepts to technological innovations and vice versa.
- Gain knowledge on (elementary steps of) cryo-EM sample preparation and assess relevant new emerging technologies.
- Show creativity and strength in the yearly definition of our short term and long-term programs.
- Be active in technology scouting and intellectual property generation.
- Assist and drive collaborations with external partners from industry and academia.
- Good communication in English, both in speaking and writing.
- Drive and organize research projects.
**Qualifications**:
The scientist should possess the following combination of education, experience, and qualities of character, including:
- Being a hands-on experimental physicist, or mechanical/chemical engineer
- Experience in vitrification physics or fluid freezing processes
- Experience in designing and building experimental set-ups.
- Preferably experience with one or more of the following
- Liquid flow and thermal simulations, microfluidics, high pressure flow systems, high pressure freezing, cryostats and cold stages, precision machining, finite element analysis (especially thermal modelling)
- Having a PhD is not a must, but highly favorable.
**How do we motivate you**:
- flexible working schedule, 5 weeks of vacation and 3 sick days/year
- brand new Hackerspace room equipped with VR headset, Recording studio for your videos, music or podcasts, Lego Mindstorms, 3D printer, Arduino and much more!
- you will be part of a successful international company specialized in high-tech
- meal allowanc

Zajímavé nabídky práce v okolí: