Merge Labs is a frontier research lab working to bridge biological and artificial intelligence. It is developing new approaches to brain-computer interfaces that interact with the brain at high bandwidth, integrate with advanced AI, and are intended to be safe and accessible.

About the team

The Delivery team develops the viral and non-viral delivery technologies behind Merge's neurotechnology platform, partnering with bioengineering, neuroscience and in vivo teams to build delivery systems that support rapid preclinical testing.

About the role

This role engineers and validates gene delivery approaches enabling the expression and function of novel molecular biosensors and actuators of neural activity in preclinical models, bridging molecular engineering and in vivo functionality. The focus is focused ultrasound (FUS) as a spatially targeted, non-invasive route to the brain.

What you will do

• Develop preclinical gene delivery approaches pairing focused ultrasound with viral and non-viral delivery technologies.
• Systematically optimize FUS parameters against each delivery vehicle to maximize expression, spatial precision and safety.
• Work with teams building the assays and readouts that quantify delivery, expression and tolerability in brain tissue.
• Design, run and interpret in vivo experiments, iterating rapidly from data to the next round of optimization.
• Evaluate emerging delivery technologies and shape the team's longer-term delivery strategy.

You might thrive here if you have

• A PhD or equivalent experience leading research projects end to end in bioengineering, neuroscience, cell biology or molecular biology.
• Hands-on experience using focused ultrasound to deliver genes to the brain in preclinical models.
• Expertise developing or optimizing gene delivery modalities, and methods for evaluating expression in brain tissue.
• Nice to have: non-viral delivery expertise, experience in-licensing delivery technologies, or work with large animal models.