Research Associate

Merge; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Merge in San Francisco seeks a Research Associate to join a multidisciplinary team advancing core biological research. This role involves executing experiments in molecular biology, protein purification, and cell biology, maintaining accurate lab records, and analyzing data to inform experimental design. Candidates should have a BS, BA, or MS in a related field and hands-on experience in relevant techniques. This position is ideal for those who thrive in collaborative environments and are excited about solving frontier scientific problems.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in molecular cloning, protein purification, or mammalian cell culture.
• Strong attention to detail, curiosity, and willingness to learn beyond your core domain.
• Prior experience in an academic or industry research lab.

Responsibilities

• Execute experiments in molecular biology, protein biochemistry, and cell biology.
• Maintain accurate lab records, inventories, and shared resources.
• Analyze and present data to guide experimental design.

Skills

Molecular cloning

Protein purification

Mammalian cell culture

In vivo biology

Attention to detail

Collaborative approach

Education

BS, BA, or MS in Biology, Biochemistry, Neuroscience, Bioengineering

Tools

Standard biochemical assays

Imaging assays (e.g., SDS-PAGE, fluorescence microscopy)

Job description

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 developing fundamentally 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 designs, builds, and characterizes the biotechnologies that form the foundation of next-generation brain-computer interfaces. We combine molecular engineering, synthetic biology, neuroscience and advanced physical methods such as ultrasound to establish less invasive, high-bandwidth connections with neurons. The Bio team develops our core molecular technologies, validates their performance in vitro and in vivo, and demonstrates their advanced capabilities in animal models. We build custom experimental setups and pipelines and collaborate closely with engineers and data scientists. We work across disciplines to come up with creative ideas and solve some of the most challenging problems in biotechnology.

About the role

As a Research Associate, you’ll join a multidisciplinary group advancing core biological research at Merge. You’ll work closely with scientists to design, execute, and iterate on experiments spanning protein engineering, cell biology, synthetic biology, neuroscience and/or translational biology. You’ll see your experiments feed directly into experimental decisions, execution, and technical strategy. This track is designed to identify and develop high-potential early scientists and place them on an accelerated path toward independent scientific roles.

In this role, you will:

• Execute experiments in one or more areas such as:
  • Molecular biology (cloning, mutagenesis, plasmid prep)
  • Protein biochemistry (expression, purification, assays)
  • Cell biology (culture, transfection, imaging)
  • Neuroscience (in vivo experiments, tissue prep, sample handling, data collection)
• Maintain accurate lab records, inventories, and shared resources.
• Analyze and present data to help guide experimental design.
• Learn new techniques and collaborate across scientific disciplines.

You might thrive in this role if you have:

• A BS, BA, or MS in Biology, Biochemistry, Neuroscience, Bioengineering, or a related field.
• Hands‑on experience in one or more of the following: molecular cloning, protein purification, mammalian cell culture, or in vivo biology.
• Strong attention to detail, curiosity, and willingness to learn beyond your core domain.
• A collaborative, organized approach to experimental work and data integrity.
• Prior experience in an academic or industry research lab.
• The desire to be part of a fast‑paced team working on frontier scientific and technical problems.

Nice to have:

• Experience with standard biochemical or imaging assays (e.g., SDS‑PAGE, fluorescence microscopy, enzymatic assays).
• Familiarity with rodent models or in vivo experimental workflows.

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.

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 [e-mail].