Staff Scientist/Instrumentation Engineer University of Oxford – Department Of Physiology

Salary Grade 7: £28,983 – £35,646 with a discretionary range to £38,951 p.a.

The University of Oxford has secured substantial support from the Wellcome Trust and the Gatsby Charitable Foundation to form a new research centre in neuroscience under the direction of Professor Gero Miesenböck. The centre will focus on the neural basis of adaptive intelligence. It will combine the development and use of new genetic and optical technologies for observing and controlling groups of nerve cells with behavioural measurements in virtual environments.

Work in the Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour will require custom-built scientific instrumentation involving the following technologies: imaging and microscopy (multiphoton and confocal microscopy, CCDs); optics and photonics (lasers, optical systems, beam steering, spectroscopy); mechanical engineering (CAD); electrical engineering (signal detection and generation, digital signal processing, signal conditioning, signal modulation, ADC and DAC, electronics and PCB design); liquid and gas flow control; and system integration, automation and control.

We are assembling a dynamic instrument engineering team and are looking for a Staff Scientist/Instrumentation Engineer with significant expertise in several of the following areas: instrument design; imaging systems, laser scanning system (multiphoton and confocal); optical design; mechanical design (CAD), electronics (prototyping and PCB design); programming (LabVIEW, Matlab, Python), image processing; real-time image analysis; and system integration, automation and control, interfacing.

The main duties will include: effective communication with neuroscientists to determine their instrumentation requirements; development of instrument specifications; identification of project and operational risks; lead instrument design role on multidisciplinary projects involving imaging, optics, mechanical and electrical engineering; proof of principle by analysis and laboratory evaluation; detailed design, implementation and testing;  and construction, maintenance and documentation of instruments.

The ideal candidate will have: a postgraduate degree (or equivalent experience) in a relevant engineering or physics discipline; substantial practical experience in the design and implementation of optical systems; expertise in LabVIEW; knowledge of Matlab and other languages beneficial; practical experience in mechanical design; familiarity with CAD; practical experience in electronics prototyping, troubleshooting and PCB design; and experience in project management.

Informal enquires may be made to Professor Miesenböck (email: gero.miesenboeck@dpag.ox.ac.uk). Further particulars and details of how to apply are available at http://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/job_opportunities or email: reference@dpag.ox.ac.uk.

The post is funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and is offered for a period of three years in the first instance (reference AV10016). The postholder will be based in Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Sherrington Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PT.

The closing date for applications is 6 July 2010.