Optical Engineer — Precision Neuroscience Instrumentation

Astera Institute; Alameda (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Benefits

Job summary

Astera Neuro is seeking a world-class optical engineer to design and build the optical instruments large-scale neuroscience depends on, most of which don’t exist commercially, from optimizing the scale and speed of existing two-photon imaging and photostimulation systems to developing novel technologies for fast optical interfacing with brain tissue at cellular resolution.

You don’t need a neuroscience background; you need to love hard design problems and getting things built fast.

Qualifications

• PhD, MS, or BS with 3-12 years of experience in optical engineering, biomedical engineering, physics, or a related field.
• World-class generalist and hands-on problem-solver with a track record of building precision hardware relied on for real work.
• Resourcefulness to quickly prototype parts—machine, 3D-print, or outsource as needed.
• Comfort turning rough ideas into working instruments with collaborators.
• Deep fundamentals in optical design and fabrication.
• Curious, collaborative, and eager to learn the science around you.
• Experience owning complex instruments end-to-end from concept through fabrication and operation.
• Experience making and defending tradeoffs across performance, manufacturability, cost, and timeline.
• Experience equipping and running an optical workshop, makerspace, or prototyping facility.

Responsibilities

• Design precision optical systems for neuroscience experiments, e.g., large field-of-view, high-speed two-photon imaging.
• Develop an advanced miniature two-photon microscope capable of simultaneous imaging and photostimulation in freely moving animals.
• Build electronics, control hardware, and software interfacing optical systems with data acquisition and the research stack.

Skills

Optical Engineering

Precision Hardware

Hands-on Prototyping

Instrumentation Design

Prototype Workshop

Education

PhD / MS / BS in Optical Engineering

Tools

CAD/CAM

3D Printing

Job description

Astera Neuro is seeking a world-class optical engineer to design and build the optical instruments large-scale neuroscience depends on, most of which don’t exist commercially, from optimizing the scale and speed of existing two-photon imaging and photostimulation systems to developing novel technologies for fast optical interfacing with brain tissue at cellular resolution.

You don’t need a neuroscience background; you need to love hard design problems and getting things built fast.