Research Engineer

Experimental Research Engineer

2445 Faber Pl, Ste 101, Palo Alto, CA 94303

R&D /

Full-Time /

On-site

apply for this job

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 are seeking a highly hands-on Research Engineer to lead and execute multidisciplinary experiments at the intersection of physics, engineering, nanotechnology, and biology.

This role is centered on experimental development. You will design experiments, build and operate laboratory systems, coordinate complex studies across multiple teams, and translate experimental results into actionable engineering improvements. You will spend a significant portion of your time in the lab running experiments, troubleshooting systems, collecting data, and working closely with scientists and engineers to advance our technology platform.

The ideal candidate enjoys moving quickly between theory and practice, thrives in a fast-paced startup environment, and is excited about solving difficult problems through experimentation.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, plan, and execute experiments to evaluate new technologies, devices, materials, and biological systems.
• Lead day-to-day laboratory activities, including setup, operation, troubleshooting, and optimization of experimental platforms.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary experiments involving hardware, software, optics, electromagnetics, nanomaterials, and biological systems.
• Work closely with scientists and engineers across departments to develop experimental plans, protocols, and success metrics.
• Build, modify, and maintain research platforms, prototypes, and test systems.
• Develop experimental procedures and ensure repeatable, high-quality data collection.
• Analyze experimental data and identify trends, opportunities, and next-step investigations.
• Drive rapid iteration cycles by translating experimental findings into design improvements.
• Support biological experiments involving cell cultures, neural systems, and related laboratory workflows.
• Collaborate with software and data teams to automate experiments, data acquisition, and analysis pipelines.
• Document experimental methods, results, and technical recommendations.
• Present findings to internal teams and contribute to technical strategy discussions.

What You''ll Bring

• MS or PhD in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineering, Neuroscience, Applied Physics, or a related field.
• 0-5 years of industry, academic, or research laboratory experience.
• Strong experimental mindset with demonstrated experience designing and executing complex experiments.
• Experience operating laboratory equipment and developing experimental workflows.
• Ability to troubleshoot multidisciplinary systems spanning hardware, software, and instrumentation.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including data analysis in Python, MATLAB, or similar environments.
• Experience with scientific instrumentation, sensors, optics, electromagnetics, control systems, or related technologies.
• Comfortable working with uncertainty and rapidly evolving research objectives.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills in cross-functional environments.
• Startup mindset-curious, adaptable, hands-on, and highly execution-oriented.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with neurotechnology, neuroscience, biomedical devices, or bioelectrical systems.
• Experience working with cell culture, biological assays, or laboratory research environments.
• Familiarity with magnetic systems, electromagnetics, optics, photonics, or nanoparticle-based technologies.
• Experience developing automated experimental platforms and data acquisition systems.
• Experience with COMSOL, MATLAB, Python, LabVIEW, or similar scientific computing tools.

Why This Role Is Different

This is not a desk-based design role. You will be in the lab daily, working directly with experiments, instrumentation, and multidisciplinary teams to advance breakthrough neurotechnology. Success in this role comes from curiosity, creativity, rigorous experimentation, and the ability to turn complex experimental observations into engineering progress.

$120,000 - $140,000 a year

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

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

apply for this job