What are the responsibilities and job description for the FPGA & Scientific Software Engineer for Multiphoton Imaging position at Beckman Laser Institute?
Custom FPGA-driven photon counting and real-time imaging for advanced two-photon microscopy
Our group develops advanced multiphoton imaging systems and is seeking an experienced FPGA & scientific software engineer to help develop a custom real-time data acquisition framework for a home-built two-photon laser scanning microscope. The system focuses on FPGA-driven photon counting, hardware synchronization, and real-time fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM), without relying on commercial TCSPC hardware.
Responsibilities
- Develop FPGA firmware for photon counting and hardware synchronization
- Build real-time acquisition software for galvo scanning and imaging control
- Implement high-speed FLIM data pipelines and real-time visualization
- Document acquisition architecture, firmware/software interfaces, and acquisition workflows
- Collaborate with graduate researchers to guide implementation and ensure long-term maintainability of the acquisition framework
Required Skills
- VHDL/Verilog and Xilinx/Intel FPGA tools
- C , Python and/or Matlab for real-time imaging or control software
- Experience with scientific instrumentation or custom DAQ systems
Strongly Preferred
- Laser scanning microscopy, FLIM/TCSPC, or optical imaging hardware
U.S.-based applicants preferred.
UCI Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic (http://www.bli.uci.edu/) is internationally-recognized for research, innovation, and translational medicine. It is one of five national Beckman Institutes supported by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation with others at: California Institute of Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Stanford University, and City of Hope Hospital and Medical Center. Each Beckman Institute is dedicated to cutting-edge research at the interface between disciplines. The UCI location is a unique translational technology center, moving new technologies rapidly from the laboratory benchtop to the patient bedside.
Interested applicants should submit a complete CV via e-mail to Mihaela Balu, PhD (mbalu@uci.edu), the PI of the Nonlinear Optical Microscopy (NLOM) Lab at the Beckman Laser Institute at UC Irvine.