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Research Scientist, Theory & Computation

Astera Institute· Neuro
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Alameda$150k - $300kFull-timePosted 2mo ago

About the role

Research Scientist role focusing on developing theoretical and computational frameworks to understand representations and dynamics underlying conscious access, integrating cognitive theory, large-scale neural data, and machine learning; opportunity to create new NeuroAI architectures and drive testable predictions through close collaboration with experimental teams.

Responsibilities

  • Build models of compositional neural representation, grounded in cognitive theory and fit to recordings: how the brain binds content to variables, composes structured thought, and updates it.
  • Build coupled dynamical-systems models of the interactions between multiple brain areas, and test them against simultaneous multi-area recordings.
  • Analyze the fixed-point structure of these systems and characterize the landscape of stable states underlying percepts, thoughts, and internal states.
  • Derive how to sculpt inputs, using optogenetic and electrical stimulation to drive the system to chosen stable points, and validate those derivations in closed-loop write-in experiments.
  • Stitch data together across subjects and species into foundation models of neural activity, registered onto a common whole-brain atlas.
  • Propose and help design new experiments to sharply distinguish competing models, and work with experimental teams to run them.
  • Abstract key computational principles from the data into new NeuroAI architectures, potentially in collaboration with Astera AI.
  • Mentor research engineers and senior scientists; contribute to hiring, onboarding, and lab culture.
  • Contribute to publications, talks, open data and tooling releases, and engagement with the broader scientific community.

Qualifications

  • PhD with 3-12+ years of experience in computational neuroscience, neuroscience, physics, statistics, applied mathematics, electrical engineering, computer science, control theory, robotics, or a related field, or equivalent research experience.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead a computational or theoretical research project end to end, from question and formulation through implementation, analysis, and publication.
  • Depth in dynamical systems, including fixed-point and attractor analysis, stability and bifurcation structure, and fitting dynamical models to noisy, partially observed data.
  • Strong computational skills, with fluency in Python and ML frameworks such as PyTorch or JAX, and comfort with large-scale data pipelines.
  • Hands-on experience analyzing large-scale neural datasets from electrophysiology, two-photon imaging, or comparable methods (e.g., Neuropixels) and spike-sorting/quality-control pipelines such as Kilosort.
  • Ability to work closely with experimental neuroscientists, software engineers, and hardware engineers in a fast-moving, multi-team environment.

Skills

Required:PythonPyTorch or JAXDynamical systems modelingNeural data analysisCollaboration with experimental teams
Last updated Sep 16, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

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