PhD in Engineering

Seeking a Ph.D. to support research projects in nanotechnology related to single molecule and single cell spectroscopy. This work utilizes nanometer-diameter pores through nanometer-thick membranes or quartz pipettes with nanometer-diameter orifices that are immersed in an electrolytic solution to detect single molecules for applications in protein sequencing or identifying cell secretions ex vivo. The successful applicant must have completed a Ph.D. preferably in electrical engineering, physics, biophysics, bioengineering, or molecular and cell biology with a proven capacity for world-class research that is reflected in a publication record. Considerable skill is required in implementing experiments to probe the interactions between biomolecules and abiotic nanostructures. Experience in a subset of the following disciplines is mandatory: aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy; micro- and nanofluidics; atomic force/scanning probe microscopy; free-space laser optics and preferably optical tweezing; semiconductor device fabrication; high frequency, low-noise electrical measurements; interfacing computers with instrumentation using LABVIEW; and programming in MATLAB, PYTHON, C++, and/or IGOR.