Microscopy Technician

About us

Eon is building the infrastructure for large-scale connectomics data collection, reconstruction, and brain simulation. Our mission is to enable the safe and scalable development of brain emulation technology, beginning with digital twins of model organisms.

We are developing an end-to-end platform that spans tissue preparation, high-throughput microscopy, large-scale image processing, neural reconstruction, connectome-based modeling, and embodied simulation. We are looking for exceptional engineers and scientists who can help turn biological brain data into usable computational systems.

Role

We are seeking a Microscopy Technician to help operate and maintain the high-throughput imaging pipeline at the heart of our connectomics platform, working closely with our microscopy lead. You will run our microscopes to capture high-resolution 3D image volumes of expanded brain tissue, help set up and troubleshoot instruments and experiments, and keep the day-to-day acquisition pipeline organized and running smoothly.

This is a hands-on operator role for someone who has run microscopes in a core facility or high-throughput imaging environment. We are looking for someone who can reliably operate, maintain, and troubleshoot experimental and prototype instruments, and help with microscope assembly and replication under the direction of our Head of Microscopy. Successful candidates will have demonstrable experience independently operating and maintaining custom microscopy hardware.

Responsibilities

• Operate microscopes to acquire high-resolution 3D image volumes of expanded neural tissue, sustaining high throughput and high instrument uptime.

• Help set up, align, and calibrate microscopes and new experiments/equipment as the imaging pipeline scales.

• Handle mounting and storage of expanded hydrogel specimens carefully to protect sample integrity.

• Troubleshoot day-to-day imaging issues and perform routine maintenance on microscopy equipment, escalating more complex instrument problems.

• Implement and maintain imaging pipeline organization, including specimen, throughput, and issue tracking.

Skills and Qualifications

• Local (Bay Area, on-site) BS or MS with 2+ years of hands-on experience operating microscopes, ideally in a core facility, imaging center, or other high-throughput lab.

• Demonstrated, hands-on understanding of the theory and practice of modern fluorescence microscopy and associated instrumentation.

• Comfortable with day-to-day microscope alignment, calibration, and basic troubleshooting.

• Strong organizational skills and the ability to keep a multi-step pipeline running smoothly with minimal oversight.

• Familiarity with image acquisition and analysis software (e.g., Fiji, Imaris, or similar).

• Ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic, fast-paced research environment.

Nice to have:

• Experience with expansion microscopy

• Hands-on familiarity with spinning-disk confocal or light-sheet systems

• Comfort working with custom or home-built optical setups (assembling optics, aligning lasers, and managing software issues)

• Basic scripting for acquisition or image processing.

Representative projects:

• Running day-to-day acquisition on our microscopes to hit weekly data collection targets.

• Helping set up, align, and bring a newly built microscope into routine production use.

• Building out sample tracking and logging practices so the acquisition pipeline stays organized as throughput increases.

Salary and Benefits

$90,000–$125,000 base salary depending on experience, plus equity and benefits.

Opportunity to work in a cutting-edge field that impacts neuroscience and AI safety.