Cryo-EM Facility Manager

About us

King’s College London is seeking a highly motivated cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) expert to manage its newly established Cryo-EM Structural Discovery Facility. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge structural biology research through single-particle cryo-electron microscopy & cryo-electron tomography, while playing a pivotal role in development the operation of the facility.

At the heart of this facility is a 200 keV JEOL cryoARM200 electron microscope with an energy filter and a top-of-the-range Gatan K3 direct electron detector. This instrument can produce reconstructions at better than 3 Å resolution and acts as a “feeder” instrument for the LonCEM Titan Krios microscope at the Francis Crick Institute, where King’s has a share. The facility also includes a Leica GP2 automated vitrification system for sample preparation.

The facility is part of our Research Infrastructure team within the Research Management and Innovation Directorate (RMID) and works closely with the Centre for Ultrastructural Imaging (CUI). Together, we provide everything from cryo-EM sample preparation and storage to screening and high-resolution data collection.

About the role

As Facility Manager, you’ll lead the operation and development of the Cryo-EM Structural Discovery Facility, while making a significant intellectual contribution to collaborative research. You’ll support a range of research projects, from experimental design & sample preparation through to data acquisition, analysis & interpretation.

The role includes operating the electron microscope and providing expert guidance to academic and industry researchers, helping to generate high-quality, publishable outputs. The post holder will play a key role in advancing methodological approaches, optimising cryo-EM workflows, & introducing new techniques to enhance research capability.

Working closely with the Academic Director, you will contribute to the ongoing development of the facility’s scientific capabilities, research output & strategic direction.

The appointment requires deep technical expertise in cryo-EM, including sample preparation, instrument operation, automated data acquisition and image processing. Strong leadership and organisational skills are essential to support a dynamic research environment and ensure the facility remains aligned with King’s research priorities.

This is a full-time post (35 Hours per week), and you will be offered an indefinite contract.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills & experience: 

Essential criteria

• PhD qualified in relevant subject area, or equivalent experience.
• Demonstrable expertise in cryo-TEM operation, including screening and high-resolution data collection & strong understanding of experimental design in cryo-EM or related structural biology approaches 
• An in-depth working knowledge of current methods and procedures for cryo-EM specimen preparation & imaging technology, and demonstrated experience in optimisation of workflows and/or development of new methodologies or techniques. 
• Experience in training new users & facilitating access to high-end instrumentation. 
• Experience with cryo-EM data collection software (most desirably SmartScope, SerialEM and/or Gatan Latitude). 
• Experience supporting key aspects of facility management, such as day-to-day operations in a similar facility, supervision of staff, or involvement in procurement & financial processes. 
• A good understanding of health and safety procedures and its implementation in a research laboratory environment. 
• Evidence of effective communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to engage senior stakeholders & communicate with staff at all levels, together with evidence of contribution to research outputs (e.g. publications, conference presentations).

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

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