Research Associate - In Vivo Molecular Neurotechnology

Merge Labs is a frontier research lab with the mission of bridging biological and artificial intelligence to maximize human ability, agency and experience. We’re pursuing this goal by developingfundamentally new approaches to brain-computer interfaces that interact with the brain at high bandwidth, integrate with advanced AI, and are ultimately safe and accessible for anyone to use.

About the team:

Our Bio team develops molecular technologies for measuring and modulating neural activity. We combine experimental neuroscience, molecular engineering, and physical methods to understand how these tools perform in biological systems. Working alongside engineers and data scientists, we build the experimental capabilities needed to evaluate new technologies and guide their development.

About the role:

As a Research Associate at Merge Labs, you’ll join a multidisciplinary team developing molecular biosensors and actuators for BCI technologies. You will help develop and execute experiments that connect molecular tool performance to neural activity, using advanced microscopy, imaging, and stimulation methods.

This is a highly hands-on role requiring careful experimental execution, technical resourcefulness, and a strong commitment to reproducible data. You will work closely with scientists and engineers to establish reliable workflows, troubleshoot emerging techniques, and translate experimental results into improvements in our molecular neurotechnology platform.

In this role, you will:

• Perform functional imaging experiments to characterize neural activity and evaluate molecular sensors and actuators in animal models and neural preparations.

• Set up, calibrate, and operate microscopy and stimulation systems, including optical alignment and synchronization with behavioral or electrophysiological measurements.

• Contribute to experimental workflows spanning preparation, data acquisition, quality control, analysis, and documentation.

• Collaborate with scientists to refine experimental controls, assess measurement quality, and investigate unexpected results.

• Develop and use analysis tools to extract neural signals, quantify experimental outcomes, and communicate findings.

• Troubleshoot biological and technical sources of variability and help improve experimental consistency.

• Learn new methods and contribute to protocol development as the research program grows.

You might thrive in this role if you have:

• A BS, BA, MS (or higher) in Neuroscience, Biology, Bioengineering, or a related field, or equivalent research experience.

• Hands-on experience in experimental neuroscience, with a strong foundation in microscopy, functional imaging, or neural recording.

• Experience generating reproducible datasets and recognizing experimental artifacts or data-quality issues.

• Familiarity with Python, MATLAB, or comparable tools for quantitative analysis.

• Scientific curiosity and a practical approach to troubleshooting unfamiliar techniques.

• Strong organizational and documentation habits, attention to detail, and clear communication.

• Enthusiasm for working across disciplines and learning new experimental approaches.

Nice to have:

• Experience with two-photon microscopy, calcium or voltage imaging, or optogenetic stimulation.

• Experience with rodent surgery, viral injections, cranial windows, or behavioral training.

• Familiarity with electrophysiology, experimental control hardware, or synchronized acquisition.

• Experience with histology, neural tissue preparations, electroporation, or molecular biology.

• Experience developing image-processing pipelines or modifying optical instrumentation.

We welcome applicants with complementary technical strengths. You do not need experience with every method listed to contribute meaningfully to the team.

If you're excited about this role but don't meet every qualification, please apply. As we build, we're hiring for complementary strengths to form a high-impact team.

For more information about hiring at Merge, please visit our Hiring FAQ

Merge Labs does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, family status, ancestry, citizenship, U.S. military (state and federal) and veteran status, or any other legally protected status. It is our intention that all applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions are based on job related factors. We are an equal opportunity employer.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made by emailing [email protected].