Postdoctoral Fellow (Project Leader) – Computational Image Science in Infection Biology

Antibiotic testing is still defined by bulk growth inhibition measurements. We aim to replace this paradigm by quantifying antibiotic action at single-cell resolution.

The scientific aim

Our laboratory has established a large-scale live-cell imaging platform that tracks hundreds of millions of individual bacteria during antibiotic exposure (Nature Microbiology, 2026 ). This platform enables systematic assessments of tens of thousands of experimental conditions across bacterial species, clinical strains and diverse drug treatments. These experiments capture antibiotic activity in real-time at the level of individual cells. Yet much of the biological information embedded in these data remains unexplored. The next step is to convert these time-lapse images into accurate single-cell trajectories and subsequently into models of antibiotic responses, with direct relevance for drug development and patient treatment. We (boecklab.com ) are looking for a scientist who will define the computational backbone of this programme.

The profile

• PhD in computer vision, computational biology, physics or a related discipline
• Demonstrated expertise in image analysis and working with large-scale imaging datasets
• Strong expertise in deep learning (segmentation and foundation-model architectures)
• Demonstrated ability to design and execute technical projects
• Scientific independence with clear interest in biological mechanisms and clinical translation
• Collaborative mindset with enthusiasm for mentoring and teaching junior researchers
• Fluency in English

The role

The successful candidate will lead the computational single-cell imaging platform. This includes designing robust segmentation and tracking pipelines, developing classifiers of growth and viability, and establishing scalable frameworks across diverse bacterial species. The role also involves identification of dynamic phenotypes, defining descriptors of antibiotic response, and integration of these measurements into models. The candidate will co-supervise doctoral researchers, contribute to grant proposals, and provide technical leadership of the computational part within a highly interdisciplinary research environment.

What we offer

• Access to several hundred terabytes of imaging data and strong computational infrastructure
• Intellectual ownership of the computational pipeline with to opportunity to shape its scientific direction
• Co-supervision of doctoral students and co-corresponding authorship where appropriate
• Direct translational integration through drug development and clinical research collaborations
• Active support for the project, grant applications, and development of an independent scientific profile
• An international, English-speaking cutting-edge research environment
• Competitive salary and high quality of life in Switzerland (including healthcare and childcare)