# Probe Engineer

**Company:** [Astera](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/astera)
**Location:** Unspecified
**Role:** Hardware Engineering
**Salary:** $200k – $350k/yr
**Experience:** 3+ years
**Skills:** CAD, Mechanical Design, Robotics, Microfabrication, Photolithography, Thin-Film Processes, Python, C/C++, Real-Time Control, Signal Acquisition, Machine Vision, Electrochemistry, Analog Design, Fpga, Rtos
**Posted:** 2026-08-16

> Design and build flexible neural probes, insertion mechanisms, and precision robotics for large-scale neural recording. The role requires hands-on mechanical prototyping, precision electromechanical systems experience, familiarity with microfabrication, and programming for real-time hardware control.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Design flexible, high-density neural probes using thin-film polymer arrays such as polyimide and Parylene C, from layout through fabrication and encapsulation.
- Build probe-to-chip integration and readout signal chains, bonding electrode arrays to amplifier and acquisition electronics and developing low-noise front ends for microvolt neural signals.
- Design insertion needles and needle-pincher mechanisms using micromachining and electrochemical etching.
- Develop insertion strategies for placing flexible probes into soft tissue, including management of bending stiffness, buckling, temporary stiffening, and insertion forces.
- Build precision insertion robots with multi-axis motion, servo and linear-motor drives, and real-time control.
- Develop machine-vision guidance to locate targets, guide needles, and avoid surface vasculature.
- Build electrode characterization and process pipelines covering impedance, electrochemistry, yield, and reliability testing.
- At senior and principal levels, own hardware lines or define probe and robotics roadmaps, drive design and fabrication strategy, mentor engineers, and lead technical initiatives.

## Requirements
- Hands-on engineering experience across mechanical design and prototyping, including CAD, machine-shop work, and benchtop validation.
- Experience building precision electromechanical or robotic systems, including multi-axis motion, servo or linear-motor control, and tight tolerance stacks.
- Familiarity with microfabrication and thin-film processes such as photolithography, deposition, etching, and cleanroom work, or demonstrated ability to learn them quickly.
- Experience with real-time control and hardware software, including Python plus C/C++ or comparable technologies.
- Working knowledge of signal acquisition, including low-level analog amplification, digitization, and acquisition systems.
- Interest in neuroscience instrumentation and tissue-mechanics constraints.
- For senior and principal roles: experience taking hardware from concept to a working, validated device; making tradeoffs across precision, reliability, manufacturability, and biocompatibility; and working across mechanical design, fabrication, controls, and system integration.
- Education in mechanical, electrical, biomedical, materials engineering, mechatronics, robotics, applied physics, MEMS/microfabrication, or a related field, with a BS, MS, or PhD and 3 to 12+ years of experience.

## Nice-to-haves
- Flexible or thin-film electrode microfabrication using polyimide, Parylene C, or PDMS.
- Electrode electrochemistry.
- Micromachining and electrochemical etching of fine metal tooling, including tungsten or tungsten-rhenium.
- Low-noise analog or mixed-signal front-end design for microvolt-scale recording.
- High-density interconnect and packaging, including flip-chip, wire bonding, or ACF.
- Precision motion control, machine vision, or real-time closed-loop robotics.
- Surgical or medical-device hardware, sterilization, sterile workflows, or regulatory-constrained design.
- Neural interfaces, MEMS sensors, or implantable devices.
- Open-source hardware, instrumentation, or scientific-computing contributions.
- Embedded systems, FPGA, or RTOS experience.
- Mentoring engineers or leading technical initiatives.

## Compensation and benefits
- Salary range: **$200,000–$350,000**.
- Competitive compensation package commensurate with experience and location.
- Philanthropically funded, well-resourced research environment.
- Collaborative, high-risk, high-reward scientific work.
- Open sharing of tools, data, and discoveries under Astera's Open Science Policy.

## Similar jobs

- [Controls Engineer, SCADA](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/98f4a30d-4ac5-481a-b3fe-2a701a5d819d) - Fluidstack - Austin, TX - $197k – $227k/yr
- [Product Manufacturing Engineer - PCB/PCBA](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/a1287218-82fc-421a-9319-4aa9b812cceb) - OpenAI - San Francisco, CA - $207k – $365k/yr
- [PCBA Manufacturing Engineer](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/ee3f3fae-59fe-4492-8edb-48544684cf55) - OpenAI - Remote - $209k – $365k/yr
- [Robotics Integration Engineer](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/344a3e08-0820-4441-b62e-f12bd7bbbd11) - Applied Intuition - Sunnyvale, CA - $180k – $210k/yr
- [Electrical Engineer, Actuator Test Infrastructure](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/adcb5e4b-ee6d-45a7-acfa-983be659f621) - OpenAI - San Francisco, CA - $225k – $295k/yr

**Apply:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/7d08a130-283f-465c-a25e-f340c567f41d
**Canonical:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/7d08a130-283f-465c-a25e-f340c567f41d