Large Animal Neuroscience Lead

Subsense
319 N Bernardo Ave +2 more
On-site

Who this role is best for

Aimed at senior neuroscience researchers with hands-on experience in large animals and a strong background in neurophysiology, who can lead translational projects across interdisciplinary teams in the Mountain View, CA area.

Best fit for

  • Senior neuroscience researchers with pig neurophysiology experience and leadership skills in small teams
    — “lead a 3–4-person group of scientists and research staff”
  • Candidates with a background in adapting rodent methods to large animals and technical prototyping
    — “translate rodent methods into large-animal workflows; work with hardware engineers on prototype requirements”
  • Individuals skilled in managing external research partners and ensuring data quality
    — “select and manage contract research organizations (CROs) and academic partners, owning study scopes, protocols, budgets, timelines, on-site execution, and data quality”

Things to consider

  • The role demands on-site presence in study facilities and travel to partner sites
    — “U.S.-based, with the ability to work on-site at study facilities and travel to CRO and partner sites as needed”
  • Candidates must be committed to animal welfare and institutional compliance processes
    — “experience working with veterinary teams and institutional animal-care and use processes, with a strong commitment to animal welfare and data integrity”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience in acute, non-GLP studies and your ability to define success criteria
    — “design and execute acute, non-GLP pig neuroscience studies, defining controls, endpoints, and success criteria”
  • Emphasize your track record in leading small teams and providing mentorship
    — “demonstrated ability to lead and develop a small research team while remaining actively involved in experiments”
  • Showcase your ability to integrate neuroscience with engineering and data science
    — “collaborate across neuroscience, nanoscience, and engineering and deliver well-documented results”
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · Individual

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • successful transition of neurotechnology platform from rodents to large animals
  • establishment of nanoparticle delivery and neural response
Typical background
PhD in neuroscience, neuroengineering, or biomedical engineering

Skills & requirements

Required

NeuroscienceNeuroengineeringBiomedical EngineeringNeural RecordingStereotactic Procedures

Preferred

NanoscienceHardware EngineeringSoftware Development

Stack & domain

NeuroscienceNeuroengineeringBiomedical EngineeringLeadershipTeamworkCommunicationBiomedical

About the role

Original posting from Subsense via Lever

About Subsense

Subsense is a deep-tech company developing the world’s first non-surgical, bidirectional brain-computer interface powered by plasmonic and magnetoelectric nanoparticles. Our mission is to unlock direct communication between the human brain and AI - starting with medical applications such as stroke recovery and moving toward cognitive enhancement for healthy users. Headquartered in Palo Alto, Subsense brings together leading scientists and engineers to redefine the future of human–machine interaction.

The Opportunity

We're looking for a Large Animal Neuroscience Lead to lead the transition of our nanoparticle-based neurotechnology platform from rodents to large animals. This is a hands-on scientific leadership role: you'll run pig neuroscience experiments, manage CRO partnerships, and lead a 3–4-person team. Your initial focus will be rapid, rigorous, acute, non-GLP proof-of-concept studies that establish nanoparticle delivery, neural target engagement, and system performance. You'll work closely with nanoscience, hardware, software, data science, and R&D leadership to adapt research hardware, evaluate intranasal administration, and turn experimental results into clear development decisions.

What You'll Do:

  • Design and execute acute, non-GLP pig neuroscience studies, defining controls, endpoints, and success criteria that separate nanoparticle delivery, activation, and neural response
  • Work hands-on in the operating room on stereotactic targeting, experimental instrumentation, stimulation, and electrophysiological recordings alongside veterinary and surgical teams
  • Lead a 3–4-person group of scientists and research staff, setting priorities, coordinating study days, and providing practical training, mentorship, and performance feedback
  • Select and manage contract research organizations (CROs) and academic partners, owning study scopes, protocols, budgets, timelines, on-site execution, and data quality
  • Translate rodent methods into large-animal workflows; work with hardware engineers on prototype requirements, positioning, calibration, synchronization, and troubleshooting
  • Establish reliable neural readouts and analysis workflows, distinguishing true biological responses from stimulation artifacts and physiological confounds
  • Coordinate animal-use protocols, training, humane endpoints, and study documentation with institutional animal care and use committees (IACUCs) and veterinary teams
  • Connect physiology with imaging, particle-localization measurements, and tissue analysis to assess target engagement and acute tissue effects
  • Deliver clear study reports and reproducible datasets that support technical decisions, development milestones, and investor diligence

What You'll Bring:

Must-have experience

  • A PhD in neuroscience, neuroengineering, biomedical engineering, or a related field; alternatively, an MD, DVM, or other suitable advanced degree with substantial relevant research experience
  • A track record of independently designing and executing in-vivo neuroscience studies, with substantial hands-on experience in pigs and other large animals
  • Practical experience with large-animal neurophysiology, stereotactic procedures, and neural recording or stimulation; confidence troubleshooting during live experiments
  • Strong experimental-design and quantitative-analysis skills, including appropriate controls, artifact identification, and interpretation of electrophysiological data
  • Experience managing CROs or comparable external research partners, including study planning, execution oversight, and evaluation of deliverables
  • Demonstrated ability to lead and develop a small research team while remaining actively involved in experiments
  • Experience working with veterinary teams and institutional animal-care and use processes, with a strong commitment to animal welfare and data integrity
  • Ability to collaborate across neuroscience, nanoscience, and engineering and deliver well-documented results in a fast-paced, early-stage environment
  • U.S.-based, with the ability to work on-site at study facilities and travel to CRO and partner sites as needed
  • Clear written and spoken English, with the ability to communicate methods, results, and limitations to technical and nontechnical audiences

Nice to have

  • Intranasal or nose-to-brain delivery, nanoparticle biodistribution, or quantitative tissue-localization methods
  • Deep brain stimulation, movement-disorder neuroscience, or other neuromodulation technologies, including optical or magnetic approaches
  • MRI/CT-guided targeting, histology, or electrophysiology analysis in Python or MATLAB
  • Experience translating rodent methods or neurotechnology prototypes to large animals, or connecting non-GLP feasibility work to later regulated preclinical development

Why You’ll Thrive

You'd be joining a small team developing a non-surgical, bidirectional brain-computer interface powered by plasmonic and magnetoelectric nanoparticles. You’ll help translate early research into working technology, with the opportunity to influence both the platform and how we build it.

A few things that make this different:

Own meaningful technical work: Take projects from early R&D through functional prototypes, with room to test ideas, solve complex problems, and shape design decisions.

Build across disciplines: Work hands-on with ultrasound, electronics, and instrumentation alongside scientists and engineers in neuroscience, nanotechnology, and AI.

Help shape a novel platform: Contribute to technology with the potential to restore neurological function and, over time, enable direct brain-to-AI communication.

Make a visible impact: Join a team where your contributions directly influence technical progress, with equity that lets you share in the company’s growth.

Our work takes place across labs in Palo Alto and Mountain View. We offer a competitive salary, equity, and comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k), commuter benefits, and paid time off.

Subsense is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Source: Subsense careers (Lever)

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