Postdoctoral Research Associate in Fluorescence Imaging of Surgical Tools

Contract: Full Time (1FTE), (6 months - We welcome discussions about flexible working arrangements, including reduced hours over an extended period)

Closing Date:  Sunday 31st August 2025.

Detailed Description

Within the Photonics Instrumentation Group (PhI, https://phi.eps.hw.ac.uk/ ), and specifically the “TannerLab” sub group ( https://tanner-lab.org/ ) we exploit novel photonic techniques such as time resolved single photon technologies, spectral imaging, and optical fibre sensors to tackle clinical/biomedical challenges and other real world applications. 

Our work is primarily experimental, developing measurement systems and principles, with theory and analysis to support this. We strongly collaborate with clinical practitioners in order to move those systems towards application.  

Some of our work is research level lab development, however some projects are strongly focused on practical translation – taking novel or well-established principles from the lab to useful implementation. We have pathways to take new medical devices and techniques through to pre-clinical testing and early in-human testing, with full support for regulatory approval, to perform patient trials in the hospital wards in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian. 

For further information or to discuss the role, contact the Principal Investigator, Dr Michael Tanner, M.Tanner@hw.ac.uk. 

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Performing rigorous and systematic development of optical imaging system as above.
• Automation and control of image illumination/acquisition and stage movement systems.
• Processing and analysis of data from the above.
• Interacting with commercial collaborator for the translation of concepts to applied systems.
• Reporting on the above through written summaries for the team, and potentially feeding in to formal documentation.
• Assisting in the day-to-day maintenance of the experimental facilities.
• Supervising the activities of junior group members / PhD students. 

Education, Qualifications and Experience 

Essential Criteria

• A PhD in physics or engineering or related discipline, or equivalent industrial experience (or awaiting graduation by the start date of the project).
• Ability to work as part of multidisciplinary team, and to communicate effectively with individuals from different academic & professional backgrounds.
• Enthusiasm for subject area, with hands-on technical experience in relevant fields, and the ability and willingness to expand skills in the relevant areas below.
• Experience or skills for developing optical/imaging systems.
• Experience or skills for system automation.
• Experience or skills for experimental data/image acquisition and processing in relevant coding languages (e.g. Matlab / Python)
• Experience of or willingness to work with pre-clinical tissue models (e.g. farmed meat) and human tissue (e.g. contaminated instruments in clinical facilities).
• A proven academic ability and a demonstrable high level of technical competence in experimental science or systems development, and in the analysis of the outputs/results.
• The ability to articulate research work, both in technical reports / papers and by oral presentation.

For all criteria, further details and how to apply:

https://enzj.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX/job/4440/?utm_medium=jobshare&utm_source=External+Job+Share

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities.  Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/. 

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