Senior / Staff Scientist, Neuromodulation

NeuroBionics•Boston, MA

56d•Onsite

About The Position

NeuroBionics, an MIT neurotechnology spinout, is developing implantable neural interfaces built from microscale, flexible, bioelectronic fibers—delivered through minimally invasive endovascular approaches. By making neural interfacing minimally invasive, we aim to broaden access to life-changing neuromodulation therapies for millions of patients. We’re looking for a Senior / Staff Scientist to be our internal expert on how we select and optimize parameters for various therapeutic neuromodulation targets. This is a role for a scientist with deep roots in neurobiology, neuroanatomy, and neurophysiology—someone who understands the neural circuits implicated in disease, the function of specific nerves and targets, and how modulating them produces a therapeutic effect. You’ll help shape the company’s scientific direction across three areas: (1) partnering with our strategic marketing lead to evaluate candidate indications and neural targets and appraise the strength of the evidence; (2) designing and running the in vivo studies that prove out the safety and efficacy of our evFiber lead; and (3) characterizing the lead’s long-term stability, with guidance from an expert external consultant in electrode materials science and electrochemistry. You’ll work closely with our CTO, strategic marketing lead, preclinical/clinical teams, and engineering team, and be a key contributor to our regulatory submissions and clinical trials. Title and level will be set based on experience. This role is on-site in Somerville, MA; relocation assistance is available.

Requirements

PhD in Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field.
Publications, patents, or prior work demonstrating a mechanistic understanding of how stimulation at a given target produces a therapeutic effect.
Hands-on research experience in neuromodulation across multiple targets, ideally spanning both the central nervous system (e.g., deep brain stimulation, cortical stimulation) and the peripheral or autonomic nervous system (e.g., vagus nerve stimulation, sacral neuromodulation).
Hands-on experience designing and running in vivo studies of electrical neuromodulation (central and/or peripheral; both ideal), plus a clear understanding of how neurostimulation scales to large-animal and human subjects.
Demonstrated ability to define, measure, and analyze neuromodulation outcomes beyond electrophysiology (e.g., behavioral or health-outcome metrics), including off-target side effects.
Proficiency in processing, analyzing, and clearly presenting time-series electrophysiology data.
Broad working knowledge of the current neuromodulation therapy landscape and the ability to rapidly appraise literature and clinical trial evidence.
Creative, self-directed problem solver who thrives in a fast-paced startup and is comfortable wearing multiple hats.

Nice To Haves

Hands-on large-animal in vivo neuromodulation experience.
Experience analyzing stimulation-evoked potentials, including handling stimulation artifacts and filtering (e.g., distinguishing filter ringing from a real physiological response).
Experience evaluating and optimizing stimulation dosing and parameters to improve therapeutic outcomes — not just applying parameters from the literature.
Strong working knowledge of CNS and PNS neuroanatomy (or the ability to rapidly self-educate).
Industry or research experience on an implantable neuromodulation device used in human patients.
Experience contributing to regulatory submissions (e.g., FDA IDE) or preclinical study reports.
Understanding of the electrode–tissue interface and electrochemical characterization of implantable electrodes (impedance, safe charge-injection limits, EIS/CV).

Responsibilities

Be the in-house expert on neuromodulation targets and mechanisms — reasoning from neurophysiology principles (nerve and tract anatomy, and how stimulation parameters map to neural activation and downstream physiologic effects).
Maintain current, critical knowledge of the neuromodulation therapy landscape and clinical-trial activity; appraise the literature for candidate targets, assessing strength of evidence and translatability from animals to humans.
Partner with our strategic marketing lead to shape the company’s target roadmap and indication pipeline.
Track emerging data from ongoing clinical trials and the broader field, and translate those insights into our study design, stimulation paradigms, and strategic priorities.
Design and run in vivo studies of the evFiber platform across multiple targets (e.g., vagus nerve, peripheral nerves, deep brain targets).
Develop evidence-based stimulation paradigms by reviewing the neuromodulation literature and define appropriate outcome measures and controls for each target and indication.
Define and analyze outcome measures spanning electrophysiology, behavioral and health-outcome endpoints, and characterize off-target stimulation side effects.
Process, analyze, and clearly present electrophysiology and physiologic data; contribute to study reports and regulatory documentation (510(k)/IDE).
With our external electrochemistry consultant, characterize the evFiber electrodes (impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, charge injection/storage) and run accelerated-aging studies against FDA/ISO and Shannon charge-injection limits.
Identify lead failure modes (e.g., moisture ingress, corrosion, encapsulation breakdown) and work with engineering to test materials and encapsulation strategies that improve chronic durability.