JOB DESCRIPTION

Femto-Cryo project is a Topconsortium voor Kennis and Innovatie (TKI) project in a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme in collaboration with DENS solutions company. Femto-Cryo will use 3D printed fluid force microscopy (FluidFM) cantilevers from TU Delft, and CryoSilico cryo-EM sample supports from DENS solutions to develop a novel reproducible sample preparation method for cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). You will fabricate microfluidic mechanical probes with phase guides, develop controlled dispensing of femto-liter volume samples without evaporation, implement real-time monitoring of ultrathin liquid films at the nanometer scale and estbalish high-speed control system instrumentation for ultrafast freezing of biological samples. Developing thorough understanding of the physics of femto-litre volume flows of viscous biological samples, the influence of surface energy in 2D materials on liquid spreading and the effect of substrate interactions on structural integrity of biomolecules will be part of the research effort. The effort should aim to use precision microfluidic control to discover high-resolution strucutral information of subcellular structures and biomolecules.
The PhD candidate will be employed at the Department of Precision and Microsystems Engineering (PME) and work in close collaboration with the Department of Bionanosciences (BN) at TU Delft. The candidate will also collaborate with scientists and engineers at DENSsolutions. The project offers a unique opportunity to develop interdisciplinary scientific knowledge and implement engineering solutions. You will be trained on microfabrication methods, high-resolution 3D-printing techniques,and advanced optical and electron beam microscopy. You will have opportunity to attend national and international conferences to present your research work. Along with technical skills, there will be plenty of opportunity to develop soft skills.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• You have a master degree in Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Physics, Physics, Bionanosciences, or Micro/Nano Engineering.
• Preferably, you have experience in one or more of the following fields: scientific instrumentation, microfabrication, 3D-printing, finite element analysis, atomic force microscopy (AFM), microfluidics, optical microscopy, electron (cryo) microscopy, image analyis, statistical data analyis, and biophysics.
• You are independent and active in coordinating academic and industry collaborators.
• You have good writing and communication skills, to publish scientific papers and give compelling presentations.
• You are energetic and enthusiastic to explore the frontiers of precision microfluidics and cryo-EM.
• You are willing to work in a multidisciplinary team of engineers, physicists, and biologists.

Please refer the Job description for details