Research Associate

About the Role

As a Research Associate at Merge Labs, you’ll join a multidisciplinary team developing molecular biosensors and actuators for BCI technologies. You will help develop and execute experiments that connect molecular tool performance to neural activity, using advanced microscopy, imaging, and stimulation methods. This is a highly hands-on role requiring careful experimental execution, technical resourcefulness, and a strong commitment to reproducible data. You will work closely with scientists and engineers to establish reliable workflows, troubleshoot emerging techniques, and translate experimental results into improvements in our molecular neurotechnology platform.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform functional imaging experiments to characterize neural activity and evaluate molecular sensors and actuators in animal models and neural preparations.
• Set up, calibrate, and operate microscopy and stimulation systems, including optical alignment and synchronization with behavioral or electrophysiological measurements.
• Contribute to experimental workflows spanning preparation, data acquisition, quality control, analysis, and documentation.
• Collaborate with scientists to refine experimental controls, assess measurement quality, and investigate unexpected results.
• Develop and use analysis tools to extract neural signals, quantify experimental outcomes, and communicate findings.
• Troubleshoot biological and technical sources of variability and help improve experimental consistency.
• Learn new methods and contribute to protocol development as the research program grows.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• BS, BA, MS (or higher) in Neuroscience, Biology, Bioengineering, or a related field, or equivalent research experience.
• Hands-on experience in experimental neuroscience, with a strong foundation in microscopy, functional imaging, or neural recording.
• Experience generating reproducible datasets and recognizing experimental artifacts or data-quality issues.
• Familiarity with Python, MATLAB, or comparable tools for quantitative analysis.
• Scientific curiosity and a practical approach to troubleshooting unfamiliar techniques.
• Strong organizational and documentation habits, attention to detail, and clear communication.
• Enthusiasm for working across disciplines and learning new experimental approaches.

Qualifications (Nice to have)

• Experience with two-photon microscopy, calcium or voltage imaging, or optogenetic stimulation.
• Experience with rodent surgery, viral injections, cranial windows, or behavioral training.
• Familiarity with electrophysiology, experimental control hardware, or synchronized acquisition.
• Experience with histology, neural tissue preparations, electroporation, or molecular biology.
• Experience developing image-processing pipelines or modifying optical instrumentation.

We welcome applicants with complementary technical strengths. You do not need experience with every method listed to contribute meaningfully to the team.