Scientist – Protein Immunoengineering

Merge Labs is a frontier research lab with the mission of bridging biological and artificial intelligence to maximize human ability, agency and experience. We’re pursuing this goal by developing fundamentally new approaches to brain-computer interfaces that interact with the brain at high bandwidth, integrate with advanced AI, and are ultimately safe and accessible for anyone to use.

About the team:

Our Bioengineering team designs, builds, and characterizes the biotechnologies that form the foundation of next-generation brain-computer interfaces. We combine molecular engineering, synthetic biology, neuroscience and advanced physical methods such as ultrasound to establish less invasive, high-bandwidth connections with neurons. The Bioengineering team develops our core molecular technologies, validates their performance in vitro and in vivo, and demonstrates their advanced capabilities in animal models. We build custom experimental setups and pipelines and collaborate closely with engineers and data scientists. We work across disciplines to come up with creative ideas and solve some of the most challenging problems in biotechnology.

About the role:

As a Protein Immunoengineering Scientist, you will lead the development of in vitro systems to understand and control how novel proteins are seen by the immune system. You’ll build the experimental and analytical foundation to evaluate immunogenicity and drive de-immunization efforts across our core molecular technologies. Your work will directly shape how we design proteins that are compatible with the human immune system – enabling durable, safe, and scalable brain-computer interfaces.

In this role, you will:

• Characterize the immunogenicity of engineered proteins, establishing quantitative readouts and benchmarks for immune processing, presentation, and recognition in relevant in vitro experimental models.

• Scale high-throughput immune characterization assays and workflows to enable rapid hypothesis testing and iteration.

• Partner with our computational and program teams to design and execute strategies to reduce the immunogenicity of expressed proteins.

• Drive technical ownership of projects from concept to execution, including experimental planning, prioritization, documentation, and clear communication of results.

You might thrive in this role if you have:

• Have a PhD in Immunology, Bioengineering, or a related field, or have equivalent experience leading research projects end-to-end.

• Bring strong expertise in the mechanisms that govern antigen processing and immune recognition

• Are proficient in designing, executing, and interpreting in vitro assays that interrogate immune responses, with strong experimental rigor and quantitative reasoning.

• Are comfortable working at the intersection of immunology, protein engineering, and data-driven design

• Are comfortable contributing to the design and evaluation of innovative solutions aimed at promoting immune compatibility.

• Think mechanistically: you are motivated by understanding how things work, not just that they work.

• Feel joy in collaboration and communicate naturally with experts across disciplines.

• Are energized by 0->1 innovations and always on the lookout for creative ways to do better.

• Want to be part of a fast-paced team working on frontier scientific and technical problems.

If you're excited about this role but don't meet every qualification, please apply. As we build, we're hiring for complementary strengths to form a high-impact team.
For more information about hiring at Merge, please visit our Hiring FAQ

Merge Labs does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, family status, ancestry, citizenship, U.S. military (state and federal) and veteran status, or any other legally protected status. It is our intention that all applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions are based on job related factors. We are an equal opportunity employer.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made by emailing [email protected].