Senior Scientist, Cryogenic Electron Microscopy
- Altos Labs
- San Francisco, California
- Full Time
Our Mission
Our mission is to restore cell health and resilience through cell rejuvenation to reverse disease, injury, and the disabilities that can occur throughout life.
For more information, see our website at altoslabs.com.
Our Value
Our Single Altos Value: Everyone Owns Achieving Our Inspiring Mission.
Diversity at Altos
We believe that diverse perspectives are foundational to scientific innovation and inquiry. At Altos, exceptional scientists and industry leaders from around the world work together to advance a shared mission. Our intentional focus is on Belonging, so that all employees know that they are valued for their unique perspectives. We are all accountable for sustaining a diverse and inclusive environment.
What You Will Contribute To Altos
Responsibilities
The EM facility maintains a suite of microscopes and access to outside facilities. The candidate will maintain and execute the day-to-day operation of our Glacios TEM, including maintenance, troubleshooting, grid screening, and data collection.
Execution of TEM projects in relevant biological contexts, including Single Particle Analysis and cryo-ET:
Design and implement a platform that bridges structural and cell biology using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), with a primary focus on cryo-ET data analysis. The goal is to enable in situ visualization of macromolecules and produce comprehensive structural models within their native cellular environments to advance novel scientific discovery and translational pipelines.
The candidate will engage with individuals and groups outside of the facility to understand their biological questions and carry out appropriate experiments collaboratively.
In the context of relevant biology, the candidate will carry out grid preparation and sample optimization to increase the success of imaging sessions.
The candidate will be responsible for image processing, both semi-routine single-particle and advanced tomography processing.
For relevant single-particle projects, the candidate will process to uncover biologically important heterogeneity and flexibility.
Implement and explore multimodal data, specifically Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (CLEM) techniques, to identify biologically relevant targets of interest in cryoET data.
For segmentation, the candidate will carry out small amounts of manual segmentation while implementing AI-based segmentation tools.
Develop project-specific workflows and approaches to maximize information value.
Collaborate with internal teams (e.g., cell biology, bioinformatics, and structural modeling) to interpret complex analytical results, integrate imaging data with functional and mechanistic insights, and plan next-step experiments.
Manage data integrity, sharing, storage, and transfer.
Support the other hub instruments as needed, including our Krios TEM.
Optimize the performance and uptime of TEM instruments, including preventative maintenance and management of service contracts.
Ensure equitable access for the Altos community and help with the research, design, and implementation of imaging modalities.
Collaborate broadly with the scientific community.
Keep up-to-date with the latest research in the field and identify new areas of investigation and apply to ongoing projects.
Who You Are
Minimum Qualifications
- PhD in Structural Biology or related field.
- 6+ years of experience in industry, demonstrating structural biology skills in a rapid-pace environment.
- Experience with modern Correlated Light and Electron Microscopy techniques and data processing
- Experience with Fluorescence Microscopy at room and cryogenic temperatures
- Strong track record of research excellence in modern Electron Microscopy modalities.
- Experience with cryoSPARC, ChimeraX, ISOLDE, Linux
- Assists with hub oversight and general operations; i.e. budget, equipment, etc.
- Excellent analytical skills, end-to-end data management experience and rigorous documentation standards.
- Ability to work well as part of a team.
- Willingness to execute an industrial-style facility (EM as a service, limited user interaction with microscopes).
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with Amira, IMOD, WarpEM, Relion and other software packages.
- Experience with Benchling.
- Proficiency with Python, basic shell scripting.
- Compute infrastructure maintenance experience.
The salary range for Redwood City, CA:
- Senior Scientist I, Imaging Technologies: $171,000 - $240,000
Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.
For UK applicants, before submitting your application:
- Please click here to read the Altos Labs EU and UK Applicant Privacy Notice (bit.ly/eu_uk_privacy_notice)
- This Privacy Notice is not a contract, express or implied and it does not set terms or conditions of employment.
#LI-KM1
What We Want You To Know
We are a culture of collaboration and scientific excellence, and we believe in the values of inclusion and belonging to inspire innovation.
Altos Labs provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
Altos currently requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, subject to legally required exemptions (e.g., due to a medical condition or sincerely-held religious belief).
Thank you for your interest in Altos Labs where we strive for a culture of scientific excellence, learning, and belonging.
Note: Altos Labs will not ask you to download a messaging app for an interview or outlay your own money to get started as an employee. If this sounds like your interaction with people claiming to be with Altos, it is not legitimate and has nothing to do with Altos. Learn more about a common job scam at