Research Scientist / Engineer, Two-Photon Imaging & Holographic Optogenetics

Astera Institute • Emeryville, CA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Astera Neuro is a neuroscience research company focused on building the tools and infrastructure required to understand how the brain works at scale. This role is central to that mission, involving the lead development of a miniaturized two-photon microscope capable of simultaneous cellular-resolution imaging and holographic two-photon photostimulation in head-stabilized and freely-behaving mice and rats. This will enable all-optical readout and targeted perturbation of neural circuits at single-cell and ensemble resolution, with transformative implications for systems neuroscience. The ideal candidate is a scientist-engineer who can perform a stereotaxic surgery, align an SLM-based beam path, and write analysis pipelines. Astera Neuro offers institutional support and freedom to move fast on a problem that matters. All animal research is conducted under IACUC-approved protocols with dedicated veterinary support, following the 3Rs framework and AAALAC standards.

Requirements

• PhD in neuroscience, bioengineering, physics, or a related field, or equivalent demonstrated expertise.
• Hands-on rodent surgery experience: stereotaxic injection, cranial window preparation, and secure implant fixation in mice and/or rats.
• Practical experience with two-photon imaging systems, including optical alignment, system characterization, and in vivo use.
• Proficiency in scientific computing for neural data analysis. Python and/or MATLAB, with familiarity with Suite2p, CaImAn, or comparable pipelines.
• Strong foundational understanding of nonlinear optics, ultrafast laser physics, and fluorescence microscopy.

Nice To Haves

• direct experience with two-photon optogenetics (SLM-based holography, temporal focusing, or spiral scanning photostimulation)
• custom optical engineering with ultrafast pulsed lasers (Ti:Sapphire, fiber)
• miniaturized imaging systems
• rat-scale stereotaxic surgery and freely moving behavioral paradigms
• machine learning applied to neural data

Responsibilities

• Perform stereotaxic rodent surgeries: AAV viral vector delivery, chronic cranial window implantation, and GRIN lens or miniscope head-mount installation in mice and rats.
• Design, build, and iterate on a miniaturized two-photon microscope incorporating spatial light modulators for holographic photostimulation.
• Develop and optimize two-photon optogenetics protocols for single-cell and ensemble-level activation with minimal off-target excitation.
• Lead computational analysis of large-scale neural population data, including dimensionality reduction, population decoding, generalized linear models, and circuit-level inference.
• Collaborate with optical engineers, software developers, and neuroscientists to integrate hardware, software, and biology into a coherent experimental platform.
• Contribute to publications and internal technical documentation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree