Astera Institute
Engineer, Mechanical / Electrical / Optical
🇺🇸Emeryville, California, United States2 months ago
$150K – $300KMidFull Time
Astera Neuro is a neuroscience research company building the tools and infrastructure required to understand how the brain works at scale. This role sits at the heart of that mission. We are looking for a hands-on engineer and fabricator who can take an idea from a rough sketch to a working physical prototype, and keep iterating until it is right. The work spans custom precision instrumentation, next-generation microscopes and holography hardware, integrated research platforms, and precision acquisition electronics.
The ideal candidate has the kind of mechanical intuition that is hard to teach: you look at a problem and can already picture how to build the solution. You are equally at home drawing a CAD model, running a CNC mill, and designing a custom electronics board. You may or may not have a formal engineering degree, but you have spent real time in a shop, a lab, or a production environment building things that work.
High-precision instrumentation and positioning systems, where tolerances matter and reliability is critical.
Hardware to interface with next-generation microscopes, including optical mounts, alignment mechanisms, and enclosures.
Hardware and electronics for advanced sensor platforms, including precision fixtures and automated positioning systems.
Custom research rigs and integrated experimental platforms, including VR environments.
Demonstrated ability to fabricate precision mechanical components. You have used a CNC mill or lathe and understand feeds, speeds, tolerances, and fixturing.
Strong spatial and mechanical reasoning. You can look at a system, understand how it moves and loads, and identify failure points before they happen.
CAD proficiency and prototyping experience. You can design parts for manufacture, not just for aesthetics, and you know how your design choices affect what happens on the machine.
Comfort working across disciplines. This role sits at the intersection of mechanical, electrical, and optical systems. You do not need to be a specialist in all three, but you need to engage with all of them.
A few years of relevant hands-on experience in a machine shop, research lab, prototype studio, or hardware startup. We are not looking for a specific job title or credential.
Self-directed and resourceful. You scope out what needs to be built, source materials, and figure out how to do it without waiting to be handed a complete spec.
Bonus: experience with embedded systems, custom PCB design, analog signal conditioning, or optical alignment.
Backgrounds in mechanical, electrical, biomedical engineering, physics, or technical trades are all welcome. No specific degree is required. We value demonstrated skill and relevant experience above credentials.
Astera Neuro is a neuroscience research company building the tools and infrastructure required to understand how the brain works at scale. We develop cutting-edge hardware and recording systems, with the goal of enabling the next generation of discoveries about neural circuits, cognition, and behavior.
