CryoEM Facility Director (Assistant Project Scientist), Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

The SB2EM (Santa Barbara Structural Biology Electron Microscopy) facility at UC Santa Barbara seeks a CryoEM Facility Director (Asst Project Scientist) to support, manage, and enhance our state-of-the-art cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) program. Under the general direction of the Department chair, the Facility Director will contribute to the facility's scientific, technical, and operational goals, enabling cutting-edge research in single-particle analysis (SPA), MicroED, cryo-CLEM, and in situ tomography. The role emphasizes hands-on research support, user training, facility operations, and collaborative project development.

This academic position offers a unique opportunity to work in a highly interdisciplinary environment, providing scientific support for diverse internal and external research groups, including academic and industry collaborators. The Facility Director (Asst. Project Scientist) is expected to use their professional expertise to make scientific and scholarly contributions to the research enterprise of the University and to achieve recognition in the professional and scientific community. The Facility Director (Asst Project Scientist) will have considerable independent input into the planning and execution of CryoEM research projects in the SB2EM facility.

Collaborating with UC Santa Barbara researchers, carrying out collaborative research, research design, acquiring and analyzing data

This role involves training, mentoring, and supervising undergraduate, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty users in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) methodologies and safe instrument operation. A key responsibility is monitoring compliance with laboratory safety standards and EH&S policies. The position requires providing technical expertise and scientific advice to research teams engaged in structural biology and microscopy projects. The individual will conduct data collection and preprocessing using state-of-the-art instrumentation, support research users with their microscopy sessions, maintain sample preparation equipment and cryogenic supplies, as well as guiding researchers with analyzing data and preparing results for publication.

The Facility Director provides comprehensive technical support for cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) instruments, including the Glacios2, Aquilos2 cryo-FIB/SEM with iFLM, and the Titan Krios. Coordinating and/or performing the use and maintenance of the CryoEM instruments by facilitating and supporting remote users, maintaining records, general organization and upkeep of the lab, etc.

The Facility Director collaborates with UC Santa Barbara faculty to acquire funding for facility instrumentation. Coordinating with faculty to assemble competitive proposals by designing, preparing, and submitting proposals for instrumentation grants, supplemental grants, or other external funding.

This role designs and conducts workshops to train researchers on cryo-EM: design experiments, sample prep, data gathering and analysis, and preparation for data publication. This includes training researchers on the safe use the Glacios and Aquilos instruments and analysis software.

Facility Operations & Management

The Facility Director manages the facility's recharge program, along with creating budget plans for equipment maintenance, upgrades, and service contracts. A key responsibility is coordinating facility scheduling and managing user access through established systems, while also participating in rate-setting and recharge model planning. The position requires a high degree of collaboration with faculty to support grant applications for instrumentation and operational improvements. Solicits usage by outside clients from industry and supervise fee-for-service data collection and analysis services.

The Facility Director role also requires meticulous documentation of service schedules, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and performance logs. A significant portion of the work is dedicated to microscopy operations, which includes preparing cryo-EM samples through vitrification and grid screening.

Ph.D. in Chemistry, Biophysics, Physics, or a related field.

Minimum of 5 years of experience working with cryo-TEM instrumentation and protocols.

Experience with financial or operational planning in a core facility or shared research environment.

Background in project or program management, including proposal preparation.

Strong written and verbal communication skills suitable for interdisciplinary collaboration.

Demonstrated ability to operate high-end cryo-EM instrumentation and troubleshoot common technical issues.

Effective communication skills and experience training or supervising others.

• 2-4 required (contact information only)

Applicants must provide the names and email addresses of 2 references. The committee will contact references

for top candidates using the reference contact information provided.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, students and third parties
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

Additionally, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, as may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

UC Santa Barbara is unable to sponsor employment visas of any kind for this position.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.