Research Associate

About Episteme Episteme is a new kind of R&D company built for people who want their work to matter in the world. We support exceptional researchers pursuing ambitious, translational science; work that often struggles to find the right home within traditional academic or corporate institutions. At Episteme, we provide the financial, infrastructural and operational support that allows researchers to focus on the problems that genuinely deserve their attention. We work closely with researchers to move ideas from early insight to real-world application. Translation is part of the work, not an afterthought. When breakthroughs are ready, we help bring them into the world responsibly, including through commercialization when appropriate. Working at Episteme means joining a company that is intentionally different. We are building something new, and that requires comfort with ambiguity, intellectual honesty, and a bias toward thoughtful execution. You will work alongside people from many disciplines who care deeply about rigor, impact and follow-through. We value clarity over complexity, ownership over passivity and collaboration without micromanagement. Roles evolve through contribution and trust rather than rigid job descriptions, and ideas are tested quickly, decisions are made explicitly, and learning is shared openly so the system improves faster than any individual. What We Look For This is a Member of Research Staff role, equivalent in scope and career stage to a postdoctoral researcher position. This role is focused on recording neural activity in C. elegans at unprecedented scale and quality, generating the experimental datasets that enable circuit-level modeling, neural inference, and machine learning approaches. You will work within the research group of Dr. Michael Skuhersky, contributing to a broader effort to record, decode, and model neural dynamics in C. elegans. You will work closely with collaborators in optics, microfluidics, and machine learning to produce high-quality datasets that drive the development of circuit-level models. You have strong experimental foundations and are excited by the challenge of measuring biological systems at scale. You understand that meaningful discoveries often depend on the quality, reliability, and interpretability of the underlying data. You care deeply about experimental design, measurement quality, and scientific rigor. You operate with a high degree of independence within a defined research scope. You can take broad objectives and translate them into experiments, protocols, and datasets while exercising sound scientific judgment. You know when to push forward independently and when to seek input from collaborators. You are motivated by learning, discovery, and scientific rigor. You care not only about generating data, but also about producing measurements that enable genuine scientific insight and help move the field forward. Research Focus Areas Key Responsibilities Design and perform neural activity imaging experiments in C. elegans, including indicator selection, sample preparation, and behavioral assay design Develop and optimize protocols for stable, long-duration recordings Contribute to the integration of imaging workflows with microfluidics, optogenetics, and related experimental technologies Collaborate closely with optics specialists to customize and maintain imaging systems for high-quality data collection Generate, validate, and curate large-scale neural activity datasets Work closely with computational and machine learning researchers to ensure experimental outputs support downstream modeling efforts Analyze experimental data and identify meaningful biological patterns and hypotheses Publish results in leading scientific journals and present findings at conferences and workshops Contribute to a collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment Follow a structured research plan with defined objectives, milestones and deliverables What Success Looks Like Success is reflected in the quality, rigor, and usefulness of the experimental work you produce. Neural activity datasets generated by the group become more reliable, informative, and scientifically valuable because of your contributions. Researchers are able to learn faster because your experiments produce measurements that accurately capture the dynamics of biological neural circuits. Your work enables meaningful advances in both experimental and computational understanding of neural systems. The data you generate helps connect neural activity, circuit structure, and behavior in ways that improve scientific understanding and guide future experiments. You consistently deliver high-quality research with minimal supervision, make sound decisions within your scope of responsibility, and contribute positively to the progress of the broader research program. Even when experiments fail, they produce useful learning that improves future experimental design and scientific understanding. Over time, your contributions become a trusted part of how the team studies neural dynamics and approaches increasingly difficult scientific questions. Who Thrives in This Role You have strong experimental training in neural activity imaging and an interest in connecting data to theory. You are technically strong but intellectually humble. You care about evidence, are willing to revise your assumptions, and are comfortable operating in areas where answers are not known in advance. You understand that experimental systems are imperfect and that extracting meaningful insight requires patience, rigor, and careful attention to detail. You are excited by challenging biological measurements and enjoy developing new approaches when existing methods reach their limits. You can move comfortably between experimental design, data collection, analysis and scientific interpretation. You work well independently but value collaboration. You enjoy discussing ideas, sharing work early, and improving your thinking through interaction with researchers from different backgrounds. You care deeply about rigor and transparency. You surface uncertainty clearly, challenge weak assumptions, and avoid overstating conclusions. Above all, you are motivated by the opportunity to contribute to ambitious scientific problems that have the potential to change how we understand biological intelligence. Background We Typically See We care more about scientific judgment and experimental capability than credentials. We typically see: Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Biophysics, Bioengineering, or a related field Strong publication record in optical activity imaging applied to neural circuits, ideally in C. elegans or comparable organisms (e.g., zebrafish, Drosophila) Demonstrated expertise in calcium or voltage imaging, fluorescence microscopy, or related techniques Experience designing and executing experiments to link neural activity to behavior or circuit-level conclusions Familiarity with data preprocessing and analysis pipelines for large-scale neural imaging datasets Experience working with advanced microscopy systems and experimental instrumentation Strong written and verbal communication skills, organizational ability, and attention to detail Ability to thrive in an interdisciplinary, collaborative setting with strong interpersonal skills Motivation to tackle ambitious, high-risk/high-reward problems at the frontier of neuroscience and AI Desire to work in a start-up company research environment Ability to work both independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team Exceptional candidates may come from different paths. What matters most is the ability to generate high-quality experimental data and use it to advance understanding of neural circuit function. What We Offer We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits, including: Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO), plus 12 company holidays Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage 100% company-paid short-term disability, long-term disability, basic life insurance, and AD&D insurance 16 weeks of fully paid parental leave Relocation assistance for qualifying relocations San Francisco pay range $100,000—$120,000 USD #J-18808-Ljbffr