King's College London

About us

King’s College London’s School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences is a leading research institution focused on understanding cancer and developing innovative treatments. It combines expertise in cancer biology, drug discovery, and clinical trials to advance patient care. The school integrates multidisciplinary research across cancer therapeutics, pharmaceutical sciences, and clinical practice. Key areas include personalized medicine, immunotherapy, and novel drug delivery systems. With strong industry and clinical partnerships, the school translates cutting-edge research into real-world applications. It also offers world-class education for students and researchers, fostering future leaders in cancer treatment and pharmaceutical science.

The Comprehensive Cancer Centre at King’s College London is a leading research hub dedicated to improving cancer diagnosis, treatment, and care. It integrates cutting-edge research with clinical expertise, focusing on personalized medicine, immunotherapy, and early detection, to enhance outcomes for cancer patients worldwide.

This post is based in the Poland Lab, on Guy’s Campus. The lab’s speciality is in developing and validating advanced methods for fluorescence microscopy, and we welcome members from a broad range of interdisciplinary backgrounds. The post is part of a broader interdisciplinary bioimaging project with Simon Ameer-Beg (Comprehensive Cancer Centre), Sian Culley (Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics), Andrea Serio (Basic and Clinical Neuroscience) and Robert Henderson (Department of Engineering, University of Edinburgh).

About the role

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research position to develop a novel high-speed 3-photon microscopy platform integrating fluorescence lifetime contrast correlated with optical coherence microscopy.

This Wellcome funded project focuses on how metabolism can be investigated using a range of microscopy methods, including fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) and optical coherence techniques for a variety of biological systems. You will work collaboratively as one of five multidisciplinary postdoctoral researchers to develop microscope technology across length-scales from the molecular to whole organ with an emphasis on functional Imaging in three dimensions using a bespoke analysis environment. The successful candidate will assist in the construction of the 3-Photon microscopy system, integrate OCM, and liaise with team members and collaborators to co-create instrumentation, analysis environment and undertake imaging experiments on 3D cell culture models.

The successful applicant must have attained a PhD degree in Physics, Engineering, or related subject and must have extensive prior experience in both optical design and microscopy development. Previous knowledge and experience in the development of bespoke microscopy platforms (i.e. fluorescence light-sheet, confocal or multi-photon) are essential for this position. The candidate will be required to utilise high powered femtosecond laser sources, assist in the design of bespoke optics and incorporate state-of-the-art detector technologies into existing microscope platforms.

The appointee will be expected to work in an interdisciplinary team at the life sciences interface, co-ordinating with physics and biological collaborators and providing leadership to junior researchers. They will be responsible for the delivery of internationally competitive research with emphasis placed on highly motivated, team-oriented, creative individuals able to independently tackle original scientific projects.

Additional experience in programming (Python, Matlab, C++) and image data analysis is desired. Excellent communication skills are essential, and you should be keen to develop project/team leadership skills, and to establish bridges between the physical and life sciences. There may also be additional opportunities to engage in a range of complementary projects, to further explore and grow your own research interests and portfolio.

This is a full-time post (35 Hours per week), and you will be offered  a fixed term contract for 1 year with the opportunity to extend.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. BSc in Physics, Engineering or related subject
2. Ph.D. in Optics, Physics, Engineering or related subject (either completed or submitted)
3. Highly skilled in both optical and mechanical design
4. Knowledge and experience in both the construction and use of bespoke optical microscopy platforms (i.e. multi-photon, fluorescence light-sheet, confocal)
5. Flexible and collaborative
6. Willingness to learn new skills
7. Ability to work independently and as part of a team
8. Commitment to high quality research

* Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate, and the salary will increase to Grade 6.

Desirable criteria

1. Experience in OCM and Fluorescence lifetime imaging
2. Programming and computational analysis
3. Good presentation skills
4. Enthusiasm for biophysics and cell biology
5. Tenacity to conduct a project

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the next page after you click “Apply Now”. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Further information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘ How we Recruit’ pages.