Cryo-Electron Microscopy Applications Specialist

We have an exciting vacancy at King’s College London (KCL), UK, for a motivated and enthusiastic technical scientist to run the new high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy facility.

The high-resolution cryo-EM facility has been formed in response to KCL’s purchase of a 200 keV cold-FEG autoloading electron microscope with an energy filter and latest-generation direct electron dedicated to structural studies of macromolecules. The facility will operate alongside the Centre for Ultrastructural Imaging (CUI), which houses additional cryo-EM sample preparation equipment and side-entry holder electron microscopes for sample screening.  It will also serve as a “feeder” instrument, for data collection on the LonCEM Titan Krios microscope.

The post-holder will be responsible for:

1) Managing the high-resolution cryo-EM facility, including interacting with users and their projects, managing data storage and transfers and organisational duties.

2) Operating and/or assisting in sample screening, data collection and on-the-fly image pre-processing on the new autoloading microscope within the high-resolution cryo-EM facility (includes providing basic data collection training to users).

3) Training and providing advice to users of CUI’s cryo-EM sample preparation equipment

4) Facilitate the transfer of samples to/from other EM facilities, such as the LonCEM and eBIC, for data collection at higher voltage. 

The post holder will work with an established team of electron microscopy scientists within the CUI, which is part of the Research Management Information Directorate (RMID), supporting academic research at King’s College London.

Candidates will have expertise in electron microscopy and operating electron microscopes. A good working knowledge of cryo-EM technology and biological cryo-EM techniques, including plunge-freezing, grid screening, high-resolution imaging, electron tomography and data processing, is highly desirable.

The successful candidate will demonstrate experience in the training of new TEM users, such as students and PDRAs, as well as proficiency in using the microscope themselves for data collection. The ability to use knowledge and experience to advise trainees and collaborators on the best practice is essential to this post. Notably, supporting teaching at a postgraduate and postdoctoral level and establish training workshops covering EM techniques and data processing will be required.

The role requires significant initiative and judgement for developing advanced cryo-EM research projects with guidance and support from senior colleagues. Projects will principally be in collaboration with major research groups at King’s, and will also include working with external users, from both academia and industry.

This is a full-time post and will be offered on a permanent contract

•      Conduct and or/assist in setting up and acquisition of automated single-particle and tomographic cryo-EM data sets. 

•      Conduct and/or assist in high-throughput screening of cryo-EM grids by TEM. 

•      Set up and perform on-the-fly image pre-processing of incoming data sets. 

•      Manage facility access and applications. 

•       Manage data storage and transfers. 

•       Maintain appropriate records and logging of projects, specimens, SOPs, EM methodology and data. 

•       Provide specialist advice on projects, cryo-EM imaging and data processing techniques and sample optimisation for high-resolution data collection (SP or tomography) in-house or at LonCEM/eBic. 

•      Train users to prepare samples for single-particle cryo-EM by plunge-freezing and manage the plunge-freezing equipment. 

•       Manage time and working pattern effectively, prioritising tasks to achieve objectives and meet expected collaborator deadlines and targets.   

•      Support user and CUI staff training in cryo-EM methods, including contributing to post-graduate courses and workshops.  

•       Active engagement in method development (that falls within this role) to improve EM techniques and EM success/data quality, including improving data processing. 

•       Build strong working relationships with the CUI staff and the structural biology community at KCL, to support the needs of the Centre along with cryo-EM users across KCL to ensure the best support to King’s researchers. 

•       Attend relevant internal and external talks and seminars to keep abreast of collaborator’s requirements and publish in scientifically relevant journals. 

•       Present and share advances and developments at internal and external events (e.g., courses, workshops, conferences) and promote the facility. 

•       Participate in the good housekeeping of the facility, including the provision of on-call duties such as maintenance of equipment during holidays and outside working hours, and to ensure that their work is performed to the prescribed quality systems. 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Essential criteria 

1.       Expertise in cryo-TEM operation, including screening and high-resolution data collection.  

2.       Appropriate qualifications (PhD or equivalent experience) in electron microscopy  [A1] in a basic research setting. 

3.       Have an in-depth working knowledge of current methods and procedures for cryo-EM specimen preparation and imaging technology. 

4.       Excellent communication, orally and in writing, along with strong interpersonal skills. 

5.       Extensive experience in training new users, and facilitating access, to high-end biophysical instrumentation. 

Desirable criteria 

1.       Experience in operating automated plunge-freezing equipment for cryo-EM. 

2.       Previous experience with the maintenance and basic troubleshooting of Cryo-TEMs. 

3.       Proficiency using data processing software packages (CCPEM, CryoSPARC, Relion, IMOD, etc.) 

4.       A good understanding of cryo-EM data management, such as data transfer and storage, and network clustering. 

5.       Experience in FIB-milling and/or cryo-CLEM