BCI Software Engineer: Brain Interface Apps

Neuralink; California; On-site; USD 150,000 - 281,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Equity (RSUs)

Paid holidays

Commuter benefits

Meals provided

401(k) plan

Parental leave

Flexible time off

Job summary

Neuralink is seeking a Software Engineer for the BCI team to collaborate with clinical trial participants and build brain-computer interface software that offers fast, intuitive user experiences. You will lead development of innovative applications, implement new features, and address issues to improve overall software functionality.

The team welcomes engineers at all levels who demonstrate exceptional abilities, drive to succeed, and a passion for enabling people with paralysis through

Qualifications

• Strong experience with full-stack development; native (desktop/ Android/ iOS) preferred.
• Strong OS knowledge in low latency concurrency programming, memory management and networking.
• Fluent in Rust, Swift, Objective-C, or Kotlin.
• Experience architecting elegant, maintainable, performant and reliable user facing software applications.
• Evidence in delivering high-impact projects to users or businesses with clear metrics and fast iteration cycle.
• Evidence of exceptional ability in engineering.
• Strong understanding of engineering first principles.
• You are resourceful, flexible, and adaptable; no task is too big or too small.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop, test, and validate software systems
• Work with cross-functional teams to design new BCI functionalities and novel computer user interfaces
• Work with study participants to iterate on and further refine the software
• Mentor others in achieving engineering excellence and be a catalyst on the team through code review, design review, and technical presentations
• Write algorithms to decode brain activity
• Design user experiences centered around brain control

Skills

Full-stack development

Low latency concurrency

Rust

Swift

Objective-C

Kotlin

Software architecture

Engineering excellence

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

About Neuralink:

We are creating devices that enable a bi-directional interface with the brain. These devices allow us to restore movement to the paralyzed, restore sight to the blind, and revolutionize how humans interact with their digital world.

The opportunity

In January 2024, a man paralyzed below the shoulders received a Neuralink implant. Within days he was playing chess and Civilization VI by imagining a cursor moving. That was our first product experience: computer control decoded from 1,024 electrodes in the brain’s motor cortex.

Since then, 20+ people have been using the device, some for 17+ hours per day.

One of them hadn't written her own name in 20 years. A father with ALS took his kids outside for the first time in six years, because the eye tracker he used before didn’t work in sunlight.

The Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) team crafts the product experience for our users and writes all the software to power it. The implant streams neural activity over Bluetooth to the user's computer, and our application turns that stream into cursor movement, clicks, keystrokes, phone interactions, gaming inputs, wheelchair controls, robotic arm movements, and more. This is a novel technology: there are no existing design patterns for an input device that reads intent directly from the brain. The team spans full stack software development, design engineering, machine learning, neuroengineering, and user experience.

Cursor control is where we are starting. In parallel we are expanding to speech and decoding the full hand. After that comes a way to use a computer at far higher bandwidth than hands or voice allow, for anyone who wants one.

If you're excited to shape the next computing platform, we want to hear from you.

What you’ll work on

• Talk with users daily, watch them use what you built, and ship improvements the same day
• Build native applications that convert a live neural stream into digital device control within 15ms
• Design and ship interaction paradigms for neural control of a computer (cursor, text entry, selection, scrolling, zooming, error recovery) and speech
• Integrate with operating systems and third-party software through accessibility, HID, and input-injection layers so users can drive any app
• Extend control to new devices: phones, game consoles, wheelchairs, robotic arms, and more

You might be a good fit if you

• Have strong computer science fundamentals (e.g., data structures, system design, algorithms, operating systems, low latency concurrency programming, memory management, and/or networking)
• Have shipped code to production or open source that users rely on daily (bonus if native applications on macOS, iOS, or Android)
• Have a track record of high-impact delivery with clear metrics and fast iteration
• Are an excellent communicator
• Are deeply curious to understand and expand human consciousness
• Required: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent experience

Note: we are hiring software engineers at every level, junior to senior. What matters is evidence of exceptional ability and drive. No neuroscience background is required.

Our tech stack

• Backend: Python, Rust, Swift, Bazel
• Frontend: Typescript, SwiftUI

It's not required to have experience in this tech stack. We are looking for strong computer science fundamentals.

You may not be a fit if

• You prefer remote work. This role is on-site five days a week. The lab, the robot, and your teammates are in the building. So is the job.
• You’re looking for a 9-to-5 job. The pace is intense. People work hard here because a human being is waiting on the next release.
• You prefer narrow, specific scope. We have small teams and high ownership.

Hiring process

Typically four weeks from start-to-finish.

1. Application: we ask for three concise examples of exceptional ability
2. Recruiter call: 30 minute video call with a member of our talent team
3. Technical interview: 60 minute video call with a live coding assessment
4. On-site day: live presentation of a technical problem you’ve worked on plus a series of interviews with your future teammates
5. Founder interview: 15 minute interview with our Co-Founder, DJ Seo

Decision within 1 business day of your final interview.

Learn more:

Expected Compensation:

The anticipated base salary for this position is expected to be within the following range. Your actual base pay will be determined by your job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. We also believe in aligning our employees’ success with the company's long-term growth. As such, in addition to base salary, Neuralink offers equity compensation (in the form of Restricted Stock Units (RSU)) for all full-time employees.

Base Salary Range:

$128,000—$281,000 USD

What We Offer:

Full-time employees are eligible for the following benefits listed below.

• An opportunity to change the world and work with some of the smartest and most talented experts from different fields
• Growth potential; we rapidly advance team members who have an outsized impact
• Excellent medical, dental, and vision insurance through a PPO plan
• Paid holidays
• Commuter benefits
• Meals provided
• Equity (RSUs) *Temporary Employees & Interns excluded
• 401(k) plan *Interns initially excluded until they work 1,000 hours
• Parental leave *Temporary Employees & Interns excluded
• Flexible time off *Temporary Employees & Interns excluded