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3D Lab Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Mechanical Engineer

Columbia, MD · On-site

$100K - $140K/yr

Hands-on experience with prototyping, 3D printing, or lab testing * Familiarity with fabrication processes such as sheet metal, machining, or injection molding * Understanding of electronics ...

Mechanical Engineer

Columbia, MD · On-site

$100K - $140K/yr

Hands-on experience with prototyping, 3D printing, or lab testing * Familiarity with fabrication processes such as sheet metal, machining, or injection molding * Understanding of electronics ...

The Economo Lab (www.biodivlab.org) at the University of Maryland, College Park is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to work at the interface of biology and computer science using large-scale 3D ...

Mechanical Engineer

Manassas, VA · On-site

$95K - $140K/yr

Lab Management and Field Installation; Integrated Logistics Support, Training Development and ... Mechanical Engineer Requirements: • Experience with 3D CAD modeling. • Experience performing ...

Travel Electrophysiology Technician

Washington, DC · On-site

$2.6K - $3.4K/wk

Travel EP LAB TECH Shift: 3x12 Day or 4x10 Days ASAP Start Preferred: May 26 Other options include ... Philips X-Ray machine/Siemens x-ray machine, GE Micropacer PREFERRED: 3D mapping Biosense, 3D ...

Ofinno is a leading research and development lab headquartered in Reston, Virginia, specializing in ... Experience with media compression technologies such as point-cloud coding, 3D mesh coding, or video ...

Showing results 21-40

3D Lab information

What is a 3D lab?

A 3D lab is a specialized facility equipped with advanced technology for creating, scanning, and printing three-dimensional objects. These labs typically support research, education, and product development by providing access to 3D printers, scanners, modeling software, and other prototyping tools. Users can design and fabricate prototypes, models, or components in various materials, making 3D labs valuable in fields like engineering, medicine, architecture, and art. The lab staff often assist with technical support, training, and project guidance.

How to become a 3D Lab technologist?

To become a 3D Lab technologist, candidates typically need a bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as biomedical engineering, computer science, or medical technology. Skills in 3D modeling, imaging software, and familiarity with laboratory equipment are essential, along with certifications in medical imaging or laboratory procedures being advantageous.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals working in a 3D lab, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in a 3D lab often encounter challenges such as troubleshooting complex 3D printers, managing tight project deadlines, and ensuring consistent print quality. Collaboration with designers and engineers is essential to resolve design-for-manufacturability issues and optimize prototypes. To address these challenges, it's important to stay updated on the latest 3D printing technologies, maintain organized workflows, and communicate proactively with team members to anticipate and resolve technical or logistical obstacles.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a 3D lab technician, and why are they important?

To thrive as a 3D Lab Technician, you need a solid background in 3D modeling, computer-aided design (CAD), and an understanding of digital fabrication processes, often supported by a relevant technical degree or certification. Familiarity with 3D printers, scanning equipment, and software such as Autodesk, SolidWorks, or Blender is typically required. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective communication are essential soft skills in this role. These qualifications ensure precise project execution, innovative solutions, and efficient collaboration in a technology-driven environment.

What is the difference between 3D Lab vs 3D Modeler?

Aspect3D Lab
Required CredentialsTypically a degree or certification in 3D design, animation, or related fields
Work EnvironmentLaboratories, studios, or facilities with specialized equipment for 3D printing, scanning, or prototyping
Employer & Industry UsageUsed by research institutions, manufacturing, and entertainment industries for development and testing

While a 3D Lab refers to a physical space or facility focused on 3D technology and prototyping, a 3D Modeler is a professional who creates digital 3D models. The lab provides the environment and tools, whereas the modeler produces the digital assets used in various projects. Both roles are interconnected but serve different functions within the 3D industry.

What cities in Washington are hiring for 3D Lab jobs? Cities in Washington with the most 3D Lab job openings:
Infographic showing various 3D Lab job openings in Washington as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 74% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 10% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution.

Full-time

Medical, Retirement

This job post has expired today. Applications are no longer accepted.


Job description

Primary Work Address: 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA, 20147
Current HHMI Employees, click here to apply via your Workday account.
TLDR: Build AI methods for 3D particle detection and structural analysis in cryo-electron tomography data, applied to chromatin organization and synaptic molecular targets.
Please include a cover letter with your application. Describe a deep learning project you have executed, ideally involving 3D image analysis, inverse problems, or physics-informed modeling. Cryo-EM/ET and computational structural biology projects are especially relevant. Discuss results, limitations, and challenges encountered. If the project was collaborative, describe your specific contributions. Include links to relevant code repositories and your GitHub/Gitlab profile, personal website, or similar evidence.
About the role:
AI@HHMI: HHMI is investing $500 million over the next 10 years to support AI-driven projects and to embed AI systems throughout every stage of the scientific process in labs across HHMI. This role is part of the AI+CryoET project within AI@HHMI, a multi-institutional project at the intersection of cryo-electron tomography (cryoET), molecular dynamics simulation, and machine learning. The project aims to develop AI methods for mesoscale structural biology, understanding how cellular macromolecules organize into higher-order structures. You will work in a team at Janelia, with experimental and computational collaborators across the Rosen lab (UT Southwestern Medical Center/HHMI), Gouaux lab (Oregon Health and Science University/HHMI), Collepardo-Guevara lab (University of Cambridge), and Villa lab (UC San Diego/HHMI).
You will develop machine learning methods for particle detection, localization, and structural analysis in cryoET data, with two interconnected aims: (1) detecting gold nanoparticle (AuNP) probes to improve reconstruction quality and identify molecular targets; (2) identifying the arrangement and connectivity of nucleosomes in chromatin that give rise to chromosome structure in cell nuclei and biochemical reconstitutions. This involves developing supervised and self-supervised AI models based on simulated as well as annotated experimental cryoET data, informed by molecular dynamics simulations of relevant biological structures. Success in this role requires close collaboration with cryoET experts, structural biologists, and computer scientists to ensure models work in challenging real-world scenarios of a biologically not yet fully understood system.
What we provide:
  • A competitive compensation package with comprehensive health and welfare benefits.
  • A supportive team environment that promotes collaboration and knowledge sharing.
  • Access to world-class computational infrastructure, GPU-based computing environments, and unique high-quality cryoET datasets.
  • The opportunity to work directly with leading structural biologists, cryoET experimentalists, and molecular dynamics experts on a highly interdisciplinary project.
  • The opportunity to engage with world-class researchers, software engineers, and AI/ML experts, contribute to impactful science, and be part of a dynamic community committed to advancing humanity's understanding of fundamental scientific questions.
  • Amenities that enhance work-life balance, such as on-site childcare, free gyms, available on-campus housing, social and dining spaces, and convenient shuttle bus service to Janelia from the Washington, D.C. metro area.
  • Opportunity to partner with frontier AI labs on scientific applications of AI. See https://www.anthropic.com/news/anthropic-partners-with-allen-institute-and-howard-hughes-medical-institute

What you'll do:
  • Develop and evaluate deep learning models for detecting and localizing gold nanoparticles and macromolecular particles (e.g., nucleosomes, synaptic receptors) in cryoET data, and for identification of nucleosome arrangement and connectivity in chromatin.
  • Develop methods to leverage gold nanoparticle detections to improve tomogram reconstruction, addressing challenges in tilt-series alignment, deformations, and low signal-to-noise conditions.
  • Design and execute rigorous AI model training and evaluation pipelines, including proper handling of missing wedge artifacts, CTF effects, and sim-to-real transfer from MD-derived synthetic training data.
  • Identify where additional human annotation and proofreading will be most helpful and design and guide annotation efforts.
  • Contribute to scientific publications, present findings at conferences, and maintain a well-documented codebase enabling seamless reproduction and extension of results.
  • Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams across multiple institutions.

What you bring:
  • Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Computational Chemistry, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • 3+ years training and evaluating deep learning models, particularly on 3D or volumetric image data. Experience with detection, segmentation, or inverse problems in imaging is strongly preferred.
  • Strong Python skills, and proficiency in PyTorch and/or JAX. Ability to reason about neural network behavior from first principles: how architectural choices, regularization, and training procedures affect model behavior.
  • Rigorous experimental design: model comparisons, ablation studies, reproducibility.
  • Commitment to open science.
  • Experience with scalable GPU-based computing environments on Linux HPC clusters and high-throughput processing for large-scale data.
  • Excellent communication skills and keen interest in working in a truly interdisciplinary environment.

Ways to stand out:
  • Experience with cryo-EM/ET data processing, tomographic reconstruction, or related inverse problems in imaging.
  • Familiarity with molecular dynamics simulations (e.g., OpenMM, LAMMPS) and/or synthetic data generation for training ML models.
  • Experience with differentiable rendering, neural radiance fields, or analysis-by-synthesis approaches for 3D reconstruction.
  • Knowledge of cryoET software tools (IMOD, Warp, RELION, AreTomo etc.) or microscopy data formats (MRC, Zarr).
  • Experience with template matching, sub-tomogram averaging, or particle picking in cryo-EM/ET contexts.

Physical Requirements:
Remaining in a normal seated or standing position for extended periods of time; reaching and grasping by extending hand(s) or arm(s); dexterity to manipulate objects with fingers, for example using a keyboard; communication skills using the spoken word; ability to see and hear within normal parameters; ability to move about workspace. The position requires mobility, including the ability to move materials weighing up to several pounds (such as a laptop computer or tablet).
Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this position with reasonable accommodation. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis.
Please Note:
This job description sets forth the job's principal duties, responsibilities, and requirements; it should not be construed as an exhaustive statement, however. Unless they begin with the word "may," the Essential Duties and Responsibilities described above are "essential functions" of the job, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Hiring Pay Range
AI Engineer I: $96,325.60 - $120,407.00
AI Engineer II: $123,125.60 - $153,907.00
AI Engineer III: $149,515.20 - $186,894.00
AI Engineer IV: $184,453.60 - $230,567.00
Pay Type: Salary
The posted range reflects HHMI's good faith estimate of the anticipated hiring salary range for this role at the time of posting. Actual hiring compensation is determined by a candidate's qualifications, experience, and internal equity.
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Compensation and Benefits
Our employees are compensated from a total rewards perspective in many ways for their contributions to our mission, including competitive pay, exceptional health benefits, retirement plans, time off, and a range of recognition and wellness programs. Visit our Benefits at HHMI site to learn more.
HHMI is an Equal Opportunity Employer
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