Research Assistant Position in Biomedical Engineering with Focus on Microfluidics

Research Assistant Position in Biomedical Engineering with Focus on Microfluidics

Uppsala University

Uppsala, Sweden

Project description

Together with our collaborator Prof. Dan I Andersson, world-leading expert in bacteriology and antibiotic resistance, we have developed a droplet-microfluidic platform for rapid diagnostics of heteroresistance, a rare type of antibiotic resistance common among many bacterial species and antibiotic classes. We are now interested in exploring the potential for clinical implementation of the technology and are seeking a person that can develop a fully integrated and user-friendly prototype for automated analysis.

Work duties

The main task of this position is to build a user-friendly prototype for HR detection, suitable to be placed in clinical settings. You will be responsible for the design, assembly and characterisation of the fully integrated prototype where the droplet-based HR detection assay can be automated under fully controlled conditions, e.g. stable temperature. The hardware of the prototype shall include easy sample loading, automated fluidic perfusion and an optical detection system. Moreover, the protype shall be provided with a user-friendly GUI and an integrated image analysis pipeline so that staff without specialized training can handle it and extract assay results.

In addition to realising this prototype, some participation in communication of the research results through scientific articles in well-established scientific journals are also included as important aspects of the employment.

Qualification requirements:

Master’s degree engineering physics, biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, materials science or an equivalent degree in a related field.

We require documented knowledge and experience in

• Building experimental platforms for microfluidic systems;
• Managing chip-to-world interfaces of fluidics and electronics;
• Microscopy and/or optics for data collection and analysis;
• Software for controlling experimental equipment, e.g. LabView, MATLAB, etc.;
• GUI design using e.g. Python, Figma, etc.;
• Good written and oral skills in English.

Additional qualifications:

Documented knowledge and experience in the following areas is considered meritorious for this position:

Microfabrication and microsystems engineering Microbiology and antibiotic resistance Medtech Basic understanding of regulatory pathways and documentation

We attach great importance to your personal qualities, and you must be self-motivated and proactive, have the ability to independently plan and run projects as well as possess excellent analytical ability and skill with practical handling of experimental equipment.

You must also be pedagogical, structured and able to work effectively both individually and in groups, as well as be able to collaborate and communicate with people in different subject areas easily.