Scientist – Ultrasound-Mediated Gene Delivery
San Francisco Bay Area$120k - $215kFull-timePosted 3mo ago
About the role
Scientist in the Delivery team engineering and validating gene delivery approaches using focused ultrasound (FUS) to enable expression and function of neural biosensors/actuators in preclinical models, bridging molecular engineering and in vivo functionality with focus on translation toward human-safe neurotechnology.
Responsibilities
- Develop preclinical gene delivery approaches using focused ultrasound paired with viral and non-viral delivery technologies.
- Systematically optimize focused ultrasound parameters against each delivery vehicle to maximize expression, spatial precision, and safety.
- Collaborate with teams building the assays and readouts needed to 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 help shape the team's longer-term delivery strategy.
Qualifications
- A Ph.D. or equivalent experience leading research projects end-to-end in bioengineering, neuroscience, cell biology, molecular biology or a related field.
- Prior hands-on experience using focused ultrasound (FUS) to deliver genes to the brain in preclinical models.
- Demonstrated expertise in developing or optimizing gene delivery modalities.
- Developed and used methods to evaluate gene delivery and expression in brain tissues.
- Optimized focused ultrasound parameters to achieve specific expression goals.
- Worked on a delivery-related problem that is unusual or complex and loved it.
- Fun working on multidisciplinary teams, collaborating and communicating with experts across disciplines.
- The desire to be part of a fast-paced team working on frontier scientific and technical problems.
Skills
Required:Ph.D. or doctoral-level research leadershipFocused ultrasound (FUS) for brain gene deliveryGene delivery modalitiesBrain tissue evaluation of delivery
Last updated Sep 30, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.
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Meet Merge Labs – a research lab with the long-term mission of bridging biological and artificial intelligence to maximize human ability, agency, and experience.
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