Lead Scientist, Macaque Whole-Brain Mapping & Atlas Development

Company Overview

Astera Neuro is a philanthropically funded research organization within the Astera Institute, working to decipher and ultimately write the neural codes underlying perception, thought, behavior, and internal state. The tools this requires do not yet exist. We are assembling a founding team of experimental neuroscientists, computational scientists, and engineers to build them, from recording and interface hardware to software and computational methods, and to use them to study neural activity at unprecedented scale, with direct promise for treating neurological and psychiatric disease. We pursue high-risk, high-reward science in a collaborative, well-resourced environment and share our tools, data, and discoveries openly under Astera's Open Science Policy.

Position Summary

We are seeking a scientific leader to spearhead an ambitious program to map the macaque brain at high resolution and to integrate anatomy, connectivity, physiology, and computational modeling into a single, openly available atlas. You will lead both internal efforts and external collaborations, working across the Astera Neuro team to build a resource that advances our understanding of brain structure and function. All animal research is conducted under IACUC-approved protocols with a deep commitment to animal welfare and AAALAC standards.

What You Will Do

• Build a high-resolution, whole-brain anatomical map of the macaque brain.

• Chart the projectome, the brain's long-range axonal connectivity, in coordination with contracted external partners.

• Build a unified, high-resolution anatomical and functional atlas, registering and integrating electrophysiology and imaging data alongside colleagues across the Astera Neuro team.

• Deliver an openly accessible release of the atlas, built with the software engineering team for the broader scientific community and the public.

• Develop anatomically grounded computational models of the brain together with the NeuroAI team.

Who You Are

Required:

• Deep expertise in in vivo imaging of the nonhuman primate brain, ideally including awake, behaving macaque fMRI at high (submillimeter) spatial resolution.

• A strong record of independent research with major contributions to NHP neuroimaging, systems neuroscience, or comparative brain mapping.

• Experience integrating multimodal data, registering functional imaging, electrophysiology, and anatomy into common, high-resolution reference frames.

• Familiarity with brain-wide connectivity, including functional and effective connectivity and circuit-tracing approaches relevant to charting the projectome.

• Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including the development of novel analytical methods for comparative or large-scale neuroimaging.

• A commitment to open, reproducible science and to making tools, data, and atlases broadly available.

Preferred/Nice to Have:

• Demonstrated leadership of large, multi-institution research programs or consortia, coordinating across internal teams and external partners and vendors (expected at the senior or principal level).

• A track record of mentoring PhD students and postdoctoral researchers and shaping the research agenda of a team or center (expected at the senior or principal level).

• Experience securing and managing substantial research funding, infrastructure, and operational logistics for large-scale data efforts (expected at the senior or principal level).

• A record of pioneering or developing imaging technology, such as phased-array receive coils or emerging modalities like functional ultrasound imaging (fUSI).

• Expertise in causal and reversible perturbation methods in primates (optogenetics, microstimulation, pathway-selective inactivation, or TMS), combined with imaging to probe effective connectivity.

• Experience with comparative human and NHP imaging and cross-species homology mapping.

• Contributions to open, large-scale neuroscience infrastructure or shared data resources.

• Background in or close collaboration with computational modeling and NeuroAI efforts.

Education

• PhD in neuroscience, medical sciences, biology, biomedical engineering, or a related field, or equivalent research experience.

Compensation

The posted salary range is based on location in the Bay Area. The successful candidate will receive a competitive compensation package, including comprehensive benefits, commensurate with their experience.

Why Join Us

You will own one of the most ambitious brain mapping efforts ever attempted in the primate, with the resources, engineering support, and collaborative network to see it through. The atlas you build will become a foundational, openly available resource for the entire field.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and inclusion.