Optical Engineer, Precision Instrumentation

The role

You will design and build precision optical systems for neuroscience experiments. This includes developing two-photon imaging and photostimulation microscopes and building interfacing electronics and software.

What you will do

• Design precision optical systems for neuroscience experiments.
• Develop an advanced miniature two-photon microscope for freely moving animals.
• Build electronics, control hardware, and software to interface optical systems with data acquisition.
• Own complex instruments end-to-end.
• Drive technical direction.
• Make and defend design tradeoffs across performance, manufacturability, cost, and timeline.

Required qualifications

• PhD, MS, or BS with 3-12 years of experience in optical engineering, biomedical engineering, physics, or a related field.
• World-class generalist and hands-on problem-solver who has built precision hardware in a high-precision industry.
• Resourcefulness about getting things built quickly.
• Comfort working from a rough idea rather than a finished spec.
• Deep fundamentals in optical design and fabrication.
• Intellectually curious, collaborative, and eager to learn the science around you.
• Track record of owning complex instruments end-to-end.
• Experience making and defending design tradeoffs across performance, manufacturability, cost, and timeline.
• Experience equipping and running an optical workshop, makerspace, or prototyping facility.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with femtosecond lasers, non-linear microscopy, and wavefront engineering.
• Experience with optical alignment, small precise parts, and tight tolerances.
• Hands-on electronics design (PCB layout, embedded systems, sensor/actuator integration).
• CAD/CAM proficiency and 3D printing.
• Experience integrating hardware with data acquisition systems (DAQ, TTL synchronization, serial/SPI protocols).
• Graduate work or research experience.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package.
• Total compensation that is competitive and commensurate with the level of experience and qualifications.

About the company

Astera is a private foundation with a $3.5B endowment that supports science and technology through grants, investments, and in-house research. Astera Neuro aims to understand and engineer consciousness by combining neural recording, causal perturbation, and brain-based AI.