Astera
Research Scientist/Engineer, Deep Brain Two Photon Imaging and Optogenetics
About this role
Join Astera Neuro to develop cutting-edge optical implants for high-resolution two-photon imaging and optogenetics in deep primate brain structures. This role spans optical engineering, surgical innovation, and computational neuroscience to decode neural codes underlying cognition at single-cell resolution.
What you'll do
- Design and optimize GRIN lens and microprism assemblies for deep brain imaging in primates, validated in rodents
- Develop and execute surgical implantation procedures for optical implants
- Conduct two-photon imaging and holographic photostimulation experiments with closed-loop control
- Lead computational analysis of large-scale neural population data using dimensionality reduction, decoding, and circuit inference
- Manage viral and transgenic expression strategies for opsins and calcium indicators
- Mentor research associates and technicians; contribute to publications and open science initiatives
What they're looking for
- In vivo two-photon calcium imaging and holographic optogenetics
- Rodent and/or primate survival surgery and stereotaxic injections
- Two-photon system operation, optical alignment, and characterization
- Python or MATLAB for neural data analysis (Suite2p, CaImAn, or equivalent)
- ZEMAX optical modeling
- Ultrafast pulsed laser systems and nonlinear optics
- Systems neuroscience and closed-loop experimental design
- Leadership and mentoring in research environments
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Astera
Astera builds advanced infrastructure for large-scale distributed simulations, neuroscience research tools, and knowledge-sharing platforms aimed at accelerating scientific discovery. The company is hiring software engineers, ML researchers, and scientist-engineers to develop high-performance systems, specialized neuroscience instrumentation, and data-efficient machine learning approaches.
View all jobs at AsteraLikely interview questions
- Walk us through a two-photon imaging or optogenetics experiment you've designed end-to-end—what were the key technical challenges and how did you solve them?
- Describe your experience with GRIN lens systems or other deep-brain optical approaches. What limitations have you encountered and how would you address them?