Special Instructions to Applicants: Please attach a cover letter and a curriculum vitae in the Supporting Documents section of the application.

Position Summary

The Postdoctoral Research Associate position in Bio-Optics is available in the Modern Optical Instrumentation and Bio-imaging Laboratory of Prof. Tomasz Tkaczyk in the Department of Bioengineering at Rice University. The research group of Prof. Tkaczyk develops modern optical instruments for biological and biomedical applications. The group's profile combines new technologies in optics, opto-mechanics, electronics, software and bio-chemical materials to solve problems of medical diagnosis and detection for both clinical and remote environments.

The ideal candidate should be interested in work in the field of applied optics. The Tkaczyk's lab offers a wide range of scientific challenges contained within the process of design, fabrication and testing a wide range of advanced optical systems. The successful candidate will work on design and building instruments combining high performance imaging with bio-chemical contrast agents to deliver information about the early stage of disease, organs/tissue morphology and/or cell level physiology. To accommodate such a wide range of targets Prof. Tkaczyk's laboratory intensively works on the development of imaging hyper-spectral snapshot spectrometers and miniature high resolution endoscopic systems. The Modern Optical Instrumentation Laboratory also has extensive experience in the development of specialized targeted systems for clinical and point-of-care (POC) applications. Instruments developed by members of the lab are clinically tested at the Texas Medical Center and at various research laboratories around the country. Recent additional applications include instruments for environmental imaging for variety of NASA platforms.

Requirements

• Ph.D. degree related to optical engineering, imaging / bioimaging or applied optics
• No experience required

• Knowledge of experimental labs including:
  
  
  • Knowledge of experiment design (first order optical design and experimental evaluation plan)
  • optical system alignment, optical shop testing
  • Familiarity with hardware control (DAQ control for signal readout and actuation with LabVIEW or custom - c++, python software, Frame grabber control and image acquisition) and data analysis (matlab, mathematica simualtions)
  
  

• Research the development of optical instrumentation for biomedical applications including:
  
  
  • optical system design (using professional design software like ZEMAX)
  • component and system fabrication using 2PP technology, 3D printing, laser cutting or machining
  • component evaluation using for example optical profilers, fizeau, refractometers, etc.
  • on the bench system testing for imaging / detection performance
  • application in biomedical setting (human or animal studies)
  
  
• Publish research papers
• Search for new investigation topics
• Assist with writing grant proposals
• Assist with advising graduate students
• Support with administrative / management tasks

The George R. Brown School of Engineering ranks among the top 20 of undergraduate engineering programs (US News & World Report) and is strongly committed to nurturing the aspirations of faculty, staff and students in an inclusive environment.

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Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is an Equal Opportunity Employer with commitment to diversity at all levels, and considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.

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Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.