Senior Scientist, Neuroscience & Electrophysiology (Part-Time)

37degrees, Inc.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 40,000 - 70,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible part-time schedule

On-site Chicago facility

Job summary

37degrees, Inc. seeks a Senior Scientist in neuroscience to lead biology for a NIH-funded platform enabling long-term culture, recording and stimulation of neurons.

The role is part-time (20%), based at our Chicago R&D facility, reporting to the Founder & CEO, and collaborating with R&D, engineering, and marketing teams. You will direct electrophysiology and neuropharmacology studies, work with rodent and human neurons, and guide experiments toward milestones and grant applications.

Qualifications

• PhD in neuroscience or related field required.
• Postdoctoral or research staff experience at a leading neuroscience institute or university preferred.
• Deep hands-on electrophysiology and MEA experience required.
• Strong neuropharmacology background with network activity understanding.
• Experience with primary neurons and iPSC-derived neurons for long-term studies.
• High-quality publications as first or senior author.
• Proven leadership in projects, mentoring, or grant applications.
• Excellent written/spoken communication, including to non-specialists.

Responsibilities

• Set scientific direction for the program and propose new applications/models.
• Design and run long-term MEA studies to monitor network activity.
• Lead studies combining electrophysiology, optogenetics, and pharmacology.
• Culture primary neurons and iPSC-derived neurons for long-term work.
• Own data analysis: spike sorting, bursts, network metrics, statistics.
• Ensure milestones and prepare progress reports and grant applications.
• Collaborate with academic partner and engineering to translate biology into product requirements.
• Support commercial activities with publications and conference materials.

Skills

MEA recordings

Electrophysiology

Neuropharmacology

Neural culture

Publications

Scientific leadership

Communication

US work authorization

Education

PhD in neuroscience or related field

Postdoctoral/research staff experience

Tools

HD-MEA

Calcium imaging

Python/MATLAB

Job description

Senior Scientist, Neuroscience & Electrophysiology (Part-Time)

Lead the neuroscience behind a new NIH-funded platform for long-term MEA recording and stimulation of living neurons. Part-time (20%), Chicago.

Department: Research & Development - 37degrees Location: Chicago Type: Part-time

37degrees, Inc. specializes in innovative products tailored to the needs of life science, pharmaceutical, and fundamental research applications. Our products are designed for portability, scalability, and novel use cases, empowering scientists to achieve their goals with cutting-edge solutions. By collaborating with researchers, we leverage advanced technology to create tools that facilitate groundbreaking experiments and push the boundaries of biological knowledge. We are committed to learning and evolving alongside our scientific community, continually offering new advancements in life science technology.

Role Description

37degrees is looking for a Senior Scientist in neuroscience to lead the biology behind a new, NIH-funded platform for long-term culture, recording and stimulation of living neurons. The platform is engineered at our Chicago R&D facility, and the neurobiology is carried out together with a world-leading neuroscience institute.

You will be an expert in electrophysiology, neuropharmacology and microelectrode array (MEA) recordings. You will set the scientific direction for the work and make sure the program hits its milestones. You will design and run experiments with primary rodent neurons, human iPSC-derived neurons and, over time, 3D models such as brain organoids.

This is a part-time role, starting at 20% effort, with room to grow as the program moves into its next phase. You will work directly with the Founder & CEO and with every part of the company: R&D and engineering, commercial and marketing.

Who This Role Could Be Great For

A postdoctoral fellow or research scientist at a leading neuroscience institute who wants to shape a new tool for the field, without leaving their research career. You have a strong publication record and want hands-on experience of how a product is built, validated and brought to scientists, working with the founding team of a fast-moving life science company.

Responsibilities

Scientific direction. Set the scientific direction for the program, and propose new applications, models and experiments that extend it.

Experimental design. Design and run long-term MEA studies that record and compare network activity, firing and bursting over weeks to months.

Electrophysiology and pharmacology. Lead studies combining electrical, optogenetic and pharmacological stimulation, including closed-loop experiments and compound response assays.

Neuronal models. Guide culture work with primary rodent cortical and hippocampal neurons, human iPSC-derived neurons, and 3D organoids or slices.

Data analysis. Own the analysis approach: spike sorting, burst and network metrics, statistics, and pairing electrophysiology with calcium imaging.

Program delivery. Keep the work on track against its milestones, and help prepare progress reports and future grant applications.

Collaboration. Work closely with our academic research partner and with our engineering team, turning biological needs into product requirements.

Commercial and marketing support. Help shape application notes, publications, conference presentations and conversations with scientific customers.

Qualifications

Required

PhD in neuroscience, neurophysiology, pharmacology, bioengineering or a related field

Postdoctoral or research-staff experience at a leading neuroscience institute or university

Deep hands-on expertise in in-vitro electrophysiology, with MEA recordings (multi-well or high-density) as a core skill

Strong background in neuropharmacology: compound testing, dose response, and the pharmacology of network activity

Experience culturing primary neurons and/or human iPSC-derived neurons for long-term studies

A record of high-quality, first- or senior-author publications in peer-reviewed journals

Proven scientific leadership: leading projects, mentoring others, or contributing to grant applications

Excellent written and spoken communication, including to non-specialists

Valid authorization to work in the United States

Preferred

Based in the Chicago area, able to work on-site at our R&D facility

A big plus: live-cell and fluorescence imaging (including calcium imaging) combined with electrophysiology

A big plus: optogenetics, and closed-loop feedback control of neuronal systems

Proven experience with high-density MEA (HD-MEA) technology

A track record of leading grant applications that won funding

Customer discovery experience: interviewing researchers to understand their workflows and unmet needs

3D brain organoids, neural spheroids or organotypic slice culture

Disease modeling in neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative or psychiatric conditions

Analysis coding in Python or MATLAB (spike sorting, network and burst analysis)

Experience working with industry, or using or developing research instruments

Interest in entrepreneurship and bringing new technology to the research community

Location: Chicago, IL, on-site at our R&D facility, with some flexibility for remote work

Time commitment: Part-time, starting at 20% effort

Reports to: Founder & CEO

Works with: R&D and engineering, commercial, marketing, and our academic research partner

Must Have

• PhD in neuroscience or a related field
• Postdoc / research staff at a leading neuroscience institute
• Expert in MEA recordings and electrophysiology
• Strong neuropharmacology background
• High-quality first- or senior-author publications
• Proven scientific leadership

Nice to have

• Live-cell and fluorescence imaging (a big plus)
• Optogenetics and closed-loop feedback control (a big plus)
• HD-MEA technology
• Leading funded grant applications
• Customer discovery experience
• Based in the Chicago area

What's great in the job?

• Set the scientific direction of a new neuroscience platform from its earliest stage
• Work directly with the Founder & CEO and the whole team
• Collaborate with a world-leading neuroscience research group
• Publish and present the work alongside your own research career
• Flexible part-time schedule, with room to grow the role

• MEA and electrophysiology experience: systems, cell models, and analysis tools used

  Are you able to work on-site in Chicago? *

  Brief introduction: why this role is of interest *