Research Assistant – the Evaluation and Development of Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM) Calibration Phantoms

Research Assistant  - the Evaluation and Development of Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM) Calibration Phantoms

Contract : Full Time/ Fixed Term
The fast Biophotonics team at Tyndall National Institute is seeking a highly motivated Research Assistant to support an exciting collaborative project with BioPixS focused on the Evaluation and Development of Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM) Calibration Phantoms. This 12-month project aims to design, test, and validate robust, reproducible, and photostable calibration phantoms to ensure standardised performance in FLIM systems used across biomedical and industrial applications.

The successful candidate will contribute to the performance evaluation of novel phantom materials, including the assessment of reproducibility, geometric influences, dye concentration dependencies, and long-term stability. The role offers hands-on experience with advanced FLIM instrumentation and the opportunity to contribute to best-practice protocols for calibration in biomedical optics.

Key responsibilities

• Perform detailed characterisation of FLIM phantoms, including reproducibility, geometric stability, and concentration-dependence studies.
• Conduct long-term stability testing of aged phantom samples under ambient conditions.
• Contribute to cross-validation of phantoms on independent FLIM systems.
• Assist in drafting FLIM calibration protocols and final reporting deliverables.
• Collaborate closely with fabrication partners at BioPixS to ensure design–testing feedback loop.
• Engage in education and public outreach activities as required.
• Ensure compliance with Tyndall’s Quality Management System and uphold Health and Safety standards.
• Perform additional duties as reasonably required within the scope and level of the role.

Essential Criteria
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience with handling optical devices, imaging systems.
• Excellent organisational and documentation skills for experimental workflows.
• Effective communication skills and ability to work in multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience in developing risk assessment, standard operating procedures (SOP).

Desirable Criteria
• Familiarity with optical phantom design or material characterisation.
• Understanding of fluorescence mechanisms, lifetime decay analysis, and inner-filter effects.
• Knowledge of spectroscopic or imaging system calibration techniques.
• Experience preparing technical reports or contributing to scientific publications.

What We Offer
• 12-month full-time research assistant position at a leading European photonics institute.
• Access to cutting-edge FLIM systems and advanced characterisation tools.
• Mentorship and training from experienced researchers in the FAST Biophotonics group.
• Opportunity to contribute to the standardisation of imaging technologies in biomedical optics.
• Possibility to co-author publications and technical documentation resulting from the project.

Appointment will be on the Research Assistant salary scale  € 32,962-€ 42,943 per annum. Salary placement on appointment will be in accordance with public sector pay policy.

For any informal queries, please contact to Sanathana Konugolu.

In your application letter, please describe your relevant experience in optical imaging and your motivation to contribute to the development of calibration standards in FLIM.

Closing date of application is Friday, 27th June at 1pm

Application Instructions
Please make sure to attach an up-to-date CV/Resume AND a brief motivation letter outlining how you meet the ‘Essential Criteria’ for this role.

Please note that Garda vetting and/or an international police clearance check may form part of the selection process.
The University, at its discretion, may undertake to make an additional appointment(s) from this competition following the conclusion of the process.

Please note that an appointment to posts advertised will be dependent on University approval, together with the terms of the employment control framework for the higher education sector.

At this time, Tyndall National Institute does not require the assistance of recruitment agencies.
Tyndall National Institute at University College, Cork is an Equal Opportunities Employer.