Scientist I Senior Scientist - Microscopy
Until
San Francisco, CA, USA
Posted on Oct 29, 2025
Until is a moonshot company building reversible cryopreservation technology. We develop perfusion systems, cryoprotectant formulations, controlled-rate freezers, and vitrification and rewarming protocols for human tissue.
Our focus today is organ-scale reversible cryopreservation: preserving donated organs at cryogenic temperatures without ice formation, then rewarming them uniformly for transplant. By solving this time-critical challenge, we’re laying the foundation for whole-body reversible cryopreservation — pausing molecular motion to give patients a bridge to future cures.
We envision a future where no transplantable organ is lost to logistics, and no terminal diagnosis is final because patients can safely wait for future medicine to arrive. We are building out our medical hibernation team to tackle the challenge of whole-body cryopreservation beginning in rodent models.
About the Role
We are seeking a Scientist/Senior Scientist in Microscopy to design, build, and optimize advanced optical imaging systems that enable high-resolution visualization of biological structure and function. This role is central to our efforts to image cellular dynamics, tissue organization, and whole-organ structure.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on experimentalist with deep expertise in optical microscopy design and functional imaging. You’ve built or customized systems such as two-photon microscopes or wide-field calcium or voltage imaging setups, and you thrive at the intersection of optics, biology, and engineering.
Key Responsibilities
- Design and construct custom optical microscopes and imaging platforms tailored to functional imaging, histology, and organ-scale analysis.
- Design and program embedded electronic devices for measurement and control of imaging system.
- Work with molecular biologists, materials scientists, and organ engineers to design experiments that leverage advanced imaging for discovery and diagnostics.
- Develop imaging pipelines for histological validation, functional assays, and organ-scale structural analysis.
- Analyze data to quantify biological structure and function and contribute to experimental interpretation.
- Contribute to the development of novel imaging methodologies and share best practices across disciplines.
- Stay current on emerging optical technologies and evaluate their relevance to Until’s goals.
Qualifications
- PhD in Physics, Optical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Neuroscience, or related field (or equivalent hands-on experience).
- Proven experience building or customizing advanced microscopes, particularly two-photon or wide-field imaging systems.
- Strong foundation in optics, system integration, and control software.
- Demonstrated ability to apply custom imaging systems to biological or physiological samples.
- Proficiency with imaging control and analysis tools (e.g., ScanImage, Micro-Manager, LabVIEW, MATLAB, or Python).
Preferred
- Experience with functional imaging of calcium or voltage dynamics.
- Familiarity with live or perfused tissue imaging.
- Track record of developing imaging systems that transition from prototype to routine experimental use.
- Experience with FPGA programming in VHDL.
- Publication record in optical microscopy or functional imaging.
Benefits
- A mission-driven environment tackling one of the hardest problems in medicine.
- The opportunity to build and direct a world-class imaging program from the ground up.
- A deeply interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and builders.
- Generous medical, dental and vision insurance coverage
- Flexible time off and paid holidays
- Competitive compensation package, including salary and equity
- Access to a 401(k) retirement savings plan
- FSA and commuter benefits
- Subsidized lunch daily
As an equal opportunity employer, Until is committed to providing employment opportunities to all individuals. All applicants for positions at Until will be treated without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.