Optical Systems Engineer

Merge Labs is a frontier research lab with the mission of bridging biological and artificial intelligence to maximize human ability agency and experience. Were 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 neural circuits. 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. As part of this effort we are engineering methods for precise delivery and detection of light in the intact brain empowering our braincomputer interface research deploying advanced optical systems integrating optics mechanics electronics and control software.

About the Role:

As an Optical Systems Engineer you will design build and validate optical systems and accompanying software to enable high-performance neuroscience in rodents. Youll use optical and mechanical design tools to develop and characterize multifunctional imaging systems and integrate them with other modalities such as ultrasound. Youll collaborate closely with neuroscientists mechanical and electrical engineers and data scientists to deliver robust hardware and software platforms that enable sophisticated biological experiments.

In this role you will:

• Design optical systems using ray-tracing and CAD tools (e.g. Zemax SolidWorks/Inventor).

• Build and align optical systems including illumination and camera-based detection modules.

• Implement online data processing pipelines that enable closed-loop brain interfaces.

• Prototype and test closed-loop optical brain interfaces.

• Work with mechanical and electrical engineers to integrate optics with sensors actuators and control electronics.

• Define and implement optical calibration and validation protocols.

• Collaborate with neuroscientists to translate biological requirements into optical system specifications.

• Document designs and processes to support scaling and reproducibility.

• Contribute creatively to improving performance and usability

You might thrive in this role if you:

• Hold a degree in optical engineering bioengineering physics or a related field (PhD or equivalent experience preferred).

• Have hands-on experience designing and aligning optical/optomechanical systems for in vivo neuroscience experiments.

• Are familiar with optical physiology and/or optogenetics

• Are proficient with Zemax OpticStudio (or equivalent) CAD tools and optical alignment

• Have experience with software for acquiring and processing imaging data

• Enjoy collaborating across disciplines in biology and neuroscience contexts.

• Have worked in a research or startup environment and enjoy full-stack mission-driven projects

• Take initiative and iterate quickly

If youre excited about this role but dont meet every qualification please apply. As we build were 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

Required Experience:

IC