Optical Engineer, Advanced Light Sheet Microscopy

Biohub is the first large-scale initiative bringing frontier AI models, massive compute, and frontier experimental capabilities under one roof. We're building a general-purpose system to accelerate scientific discovery, integrating frontier AI models, biological foundation models, and lab capabilities, with the ultimate goal of curing disease. Our technology powers scientists around the world, translating AI capabilities into tools that accelerate research everywhere.

The Team

Biohub is a 501(c)(3) biomedical research organization building the first large-scale scientific initiative combining frontier AI with frontier biology to solve disease. We build the technology to help scientists around the world use AI-powered biology to study how cells operate, organize, and work as part of systems to understand why disease happens and how to correct it. With our compute capacity, AI research and engineering, and state-of-the-art technology for measuring, imaging, and programming biology, we are enabling scientists worldwide to use AI-powered biology to advance our understanding of human health. 

Through our multi-dimensional imaging program, we build imaging tools that capture life across scales — from single proteins to whole organisms — revealing how proteins and cells function, communicate, and assemble into living systems. These observations are laying the groundwork for a new generation of AI models that can predict cellular behavior and guide the development of better treatments for widespread diseases. You can learn more about our work here. 

Our work brings together three powerhouse universities - Stanford, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco - into a single collaborative technology and discovery engine. 

Our Vision

• Pursue large scientific challenges that cannot be pursued in conventional environments
• Enable individual investigators to pursue their riskiest and most innovative ideas
• Facilitate research by scientists and clinicians at our home institutions and beyond

We are a team of passionate individuals powered by technology, guided by scientific research, and driven by collaboration, working toward a mission to cure or prevent all disease.

The Opportunity

An overarching goal of the Biohub is to elucidate the complex collective dynamics of self-organizing cellular systems across scales in health and disease. To this end, we design, build, and use state-of-the-art light-sheet microscopes to visualize wild-type and perturbed zebrafish embryonic development in living zebrafish as model vertebrate organisms. Lightsheet microscopes are powerful imaging instruments capable of resolving individual cells in 5D (=D+color+time) within entire living specimens. In this position, you will become an integral part of Loic Royer’s multidisciplinary team of computer scientists, optical engineers, and biologists focused on decoding how cells self-organize to build complex tissues, as exemplified by our recent work.

We seek an Optical Engineer, Advanced Light Sheet Microscopy with strong hands-on engineering skills, experience building and integrating scientific instrumentation, ideally lightsheet microscopes, and solid programming expertise for hardware control and automation. A successful candidate will combine practical advanced optical design and system-building experience with the ability to develop and maintain robust control software for advanced light-sheet microscopes. In this position, you will collaborate with scientists, bioengineers, computer scientists, and biologists to co-design and build our imaging systems, optimise our instruments, and design automation of time-lapse imaging of live specimens.

What You'll Do

• Design, prototype, implement, and optimise custom subsystems for light-sheet microscopes and other advanced imaging platforms. Integrate mechanical, thermal, fluidic, optical, and electronic components into cohesive, reliable experimental systems.
• Develop modular hardware control software in Python (and occasionally C/C++), interfacing with cameras, stages, lasers, sensors, and other instrumentation components.
• Design and implement automated or “smart” imaging protocols incorporating feedback loops (e.g., sensor-driven control, adaptive imaging strategies, and real-time decision-making).
• Collaborate with scientists, bioengineers, computer scientists, and biologists to implement new features and capabilities, including hardware interfaces, acquisition modes, graphical user interfaces, smart automation, high-performance data visualization, and scalable data storage pipelines.
• Contribute to data acquisition workflows capable of handling large-scale imaging datasets, including performance optimization, structured data saving, and integration with downstream analysis pipelines.
• Document system architectures, mechanical designs, schematics, and assembly procedures to ensure reproducibility, maintainability, and scalability.

What You'll Bring

• Master of Science, or PhD degree in Optics, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field.
• Strong practical engineering skills with demonstrated experience designing, prototyping, and iterating hardware control systems (at least 5 years).
• Solid working knowledge of electronics and embedded systems, including microcontrollers, DACs/ADCs, and basic PCB design (at least 4 years).
• Experience with CAD design (e.g., SolidWorks, OnShape, or similar) and rapid prototyping methods such as 3D printing, machining, laser cutting (at least 3 years)
• Strong programming experience in Python; Experience with C/C++/Rust desired (at least 5 years).
• Proven experience developing hardware control scripts and integrating third-party devices.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot complex mechanical, electrical, and software systems in experimental or research environments.
• Strong communication skills and a collaborative mindset; ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team.

Nice to have

• Any tangible ‘extra-curricular’ evidence of exceptional abilities in the disciplines above, such as hobby projects in robotics, electronics, optics, DIY instrumentation, open-source hardware/software, are extremely welcome.
• Knowledge and experience in light-sheet microscopy or other similar precision optical instruments are highly desirable.
• Experience or interest in integrating Adaptive Optics (AO) components (e.g., deformable mirrors)
• Experience with feedback control systems, sensors, and real-time automation. Experience designing or integrating thermal control, microfluidic, perfusion, or environmental control systems.
• Experience and deep understanding of low-level coding in C and C++.
• Familiarity with high-performance computing concepts (multi-threading, GPU acceleration, parallel processing) for image processing or data-intensive applications.
• Familiarity with Linux-based systems and device driver configuration.
• Familiarity with optical metrology, such as PSF characterization.
• Experience working in a biological or life sciences research environment.

Compensation

The San Francisco, CA base pay range for a new hire in this role is $153,000.00 - $191,000.00. New hires are typically hired into the lower portion of the range, enabling employee growth in the range over time. Actual placement in range is based on job-related skills and experience, as evaluated throughout the interview process. 

This position may be eligible to participate in our discretionary annual performance bonus program. Bonus eligibility and targets are determined in accordance with our total rewards philosophy and may vary by role.

Better Together

As we grow, we’re excited to strengthen in-person connections and cultivate a collaborative, team-oriented environment. This role is a hybrid position requiring you to be onsite for at least 60% of the working month, approximately 3 days a week, with specific in-office days determined by the team’s manager. The exact schedule will be at the hiring manager's discretion and communicated during the interview process.

Benefits for the Whole You 

We’re thankful to have an incredible team behind our work. To honor their commitment, we offer a wide range of benefits to support the people who make all we do possible. 

• Provides a generous employer match on employee 401(k) contributions to support planning for the future.
• Paid time off to volunteer at an organization of your choice. 
• Funding for select family-forming benefits. 
• Relocation support for employees who need assistance moving

If you’re interested in a role but your previous experience doesn’t perfectly align with each qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply as you may be the perfect fit for this or another role.

#LI-Hybrid