Scientist, Synthetic Biology for Brain-Computer Interfaces

Merge Labs; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Merge Labs seeks a Scientist in Synthetic Biology to design, build, and optimize genetic payloads expressed in the brain, driving mammalian gene circuits and scalable workflows for rapid testing. Collaboration with protein engineers and in vivo scientists will advance designs from neuronal models to in vivo validation.

You will work on expression control, cell‑type specificity, and payload architecture, tackling complex challenges in a fast‑paced frontier science team.

Qualifications

• PhD in Synthetic Biology, Bioengineering, Molecular Biology, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement mammalian genetic‑circuit strategies to control component stoichiometry, expression level, timing, cell‑type specificity.
• Build and characterize synthetic constructs at high throughput using modular libraries of promoters, UTRs, introns, and regulatory sequences.
• Develop compact expression‑control systems such as inducible switches, dual‑vector logic, and feedback circuits.
• Engineer host‑cell compatibility addressing trafficking, proteostasis, burden, and transgene silencing; evaluate co‑expression or degradation strategies.
• Translate expression requirements into payload architectures compatible with viral and non‑viral delivery technologies.
• Characterize expression and function in mammalian cells and neurons with quantitative readouts for range, leakiness, kinetics, stoichiometry, stability, and toxicity.
• Evaluate lead payloads in animal models in collaboration with in vivo operations.

Skills

Gene circuits design

Molecular cloning

High-throughput workflows

Flow cytometry

qPCR

Sequencing

Imaging

Functional assays

Education

PhD in Synthetic Biology

PhD in Bioengineering

PhD in Molecular Biology

Tools

Flow cytometry

qPCR

Sequencing

Imaging

Job description

Merge Labs seeks a Scientist in Synthetic Biology to design, build, and optimize genetic payloads expressed in the brain, driving mammalian gene circuits and scalable workflows for rapid testing. Collaboration with protein engineers and in vivo scientists will advance designs from neuronal models to in vivo validation.

You will work on expression control, cell‑type specificity, and payload architecture, tackling complex challenges in a fast‑paced frontier science team.