---
title: 'Research Scientist/Engineer at Astera Institute'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/research-scientist-engineer-astera-institute-emeryville-k6fre74479bx'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-13'
---

# Research Scientist/Engineer at Astera Institute

- **Company:** Astera Institute
- **Location:** Emeryville, CA
- **Compensation:** $150k–$300k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2026-02-25
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-13
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/astera/1dd75b2d-8562-4411-9d22-ac35415debcf/application

**Skills:** Deep Learning, PyTorch, JAX, Graphical Models, Information Theory, Causality, Probabilistic Models, Energy-based Models, Neuroscience-based World Models

> Develop foundational principles of Artificial General Intelligence by bridging biological intelligence, computational theory, and scalable systems. The role involves fundamental research on brain-like world models, designing scientific experiments, and collaborating with cross-disciplinary teams to translate abstrac...

## Job description

## About Astera

Astera is a private foundation on a mission to steer science and technology toward a better future. We believe the coming years will bring an era of unprecedented scientific and technological advancement as exponential progress in AI converges with central advances in other fields to accelerate innovation. This inflection point provides an unparalleled opportunity to fundamentally rethink the institutions, systems, and tools that drive progress. We have committed a $3.5B endowment to that work and fit the form of our support to the function it serves: grants, investments, and in-house research programs. We accept meaningful risk in the research we back and expect some of it to fail because transformative ideas are rarely the ones already proven. Our projects, and the foundation itself, operate like high-velocity startups, with a high performance bar and competitive compensation to match. We are searching for leaders who are compelled by the challenge of driving high-impact change in the way science is funded, conducted, and communicated. You can read more about our mission, vision, and programming at [astera.org/vision](http://astera.org/vision).

Position Summary We are seeking brilliant, unconventional thinkers to join us. In this role, you will not be chasing incremental gains on standard benchmarks. Instead, you will be tasked with developing the foundational principles of Artificial General Intelligence. We believe that understanding the "code of the brain" is the most viable path to building truly intelligent machines, and we are looking for scientists who can bridge the gap between biological intelligence, computational theory, and building at scale.

Core Responsibilities

- Fundamental research on brain-like world models: Develop and implement new architectures and learning algorithms for neuroscience-based world models. You will draw up on insights from deep learning, causality, probabilistic and energy based models, and biologically inspired architectures.
- Scientific Discovery: Design experiments to test hypotheses regarding high-level cognition, causal representations, sensory-motor integration, active inference, and unsupervised learning.
- Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Work alongside neuroscientists and software engineers to translate abstract mathematical frameworks into scalable systems.
- Contribute to open science: Help innovate new publication models that incentivize speedy dissemination, open source code releases, free open access, and impact measurements based on uptake.

Desired Qualifications

- Technical Depth: Preferred: PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Neuroscience, Physics, or a related quantitative field. We are always open to considering exceptional candidates, even those with non-traditional educational histories.
- Theoretical Rigor: Strong foundations in deep learning, graphical models, and information theory.
- Coding Proficiency: Expert-level skills in deep learning frameworks (PyTorch/JAX), with a focus on clean, reproducible research code.
- AGI Mindset: A demonstrated interest in the "big questions" of AI—robustness, generalization, and common-sense reasoning.
- Curious about the brain: A genuine passion for exploring the computational and architectural principles of the mammalian brain.
- Startup DNA: Ability to thrive in a lean, fast-paced environment where you have high autonomy and a direct influence on research direction.

Why Join Us?

- We recognize the need for fundamental research: No pressure to align research with quarterly revenue goals, market competition, or product roadmaps. We can focus on solving the core problems and achieving breakthroughs that enable the next generation of AGI technology.
- Mission-First: Your work contributes directly to the global pool of knowledge and the safe development of AGI.
- Collaborative culture: We work in teams, organized around challenge problems and attack paths, without big-company inertia or politics.

## Compensation

The posted salary range is based on location in the Bay Area. The successful candidate will receive a competitive compensation package, commensurate with their experience and location.

- [Benefits summary](https://www.notion.so/Astera-Benefits-Summary-Residents-and-Temporary-Staff-30caa1d01f248091ab8be9eaed84f998)

## About Astera Institute

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Astera Institute is a nonprofit organization that funds and conducts high-impact scientific research and engineering projects focused on neuroscience, artificial general intelligence (AGI), and open science to accelerate positive futures for humanity.
- **Entity Type**: Private nonprofit (501(c)(3) private foundation)
- **Headquarters**: Berkeley, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2020
- **Founders**: Jed McCaleb (also co-founder of Stellar Development Foundation and founder of Vast)

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Research services, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, life sciences, grantmaking
- **Target customers**: Not applicable (nonprofit; serves the research community and the public through open science and foundational advances)
- **Mission / purpose**: Empower visionary, high-leverage science and technology projects with the capacity to create transformative progress for human civilization. Focus on areas like AGI, science, and climate that lack natural homes in the existing innovation ecosystem.

## Products & Services
Astera operates three main divisions (not commercial products):
- **Neuro & AGI**: Directed neuroscience and AI research effort to understand biological intelligence and engineer safe, successful general intelligence systems. [astera.org](https://astera.org/)
- **Radial**: Life sciences research division that funds and runs high-impact fundamental scientific challenges, testing new models for how science is conducted. [astera.org](https://astera.org/)
- **Foundation**: Centralized operational, financial support, and ecosystem-building for Neuro-AI, Science, and Strategic Investments. Also leads Residency and Fellowship programs. [astera.org](https://astera.org/)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not applicable (nonprofit)
- **Key Metrics**: 
  - **Total assets** (2023): $2,003,858,714 [causeiq.com](https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/astera-institute,845162617/)
  - **Total expenses** (2023): $27,504,754 [causeiq.com](https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/astera-institute,845162617/)
  - **Investment income and dividends** (2023): $58,598,494 [causeiq.com](https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/astera-institute,845162617/)
  - **Headcount**: 55 employees (+63.4% YoY) [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/astera-institute)
- **Notable Investors / Partners**: Funded primarily by founder Jed McCaleb (grants contributed $131M in 2022). Key leaders include Prachee Avasthi (Head of Open Science), Doris Tsao (Chief Scientist – Neuro), Seemay Chou (CEO – Radial), and Dileep George (Co-Founder, Neuro & AGI). [astera.org](https://astera.org/team/)
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - 63.4% employee growth year-over-year (55 people) [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/astera-institute)
  - 23 active job postings (up 1050% YoY) [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/astera-institute)
  - LinkedIn followers grew 128.9% yearly [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/astera-institute)
  - Presence in Netherlands and United Kingdom [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/astera-institute)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Unique model**: Nonprofit foundation that internally incubates and directly funds high-risk, high-leverage research across neuroscience, AI, and life sciences — without the pressure of commercial returns.
- **Top-tier leadership**: Led by accomplished scientists (e.g., Doris Tsao, Dileep George) and experienced operators from organizations like Stellar, Google, and Arcadia Science. [astera.org](https://astera.org/team/)
- **Open science focus**: Strong commitment to open access research and new models for scientific collaboration, attracting talent who value transparency and impact.
- **Substantial capital base**: Over $2B in assets provides long-term runway for ambitious, multi-year projects.

## Strategic Focus
- Deepen understanding of biological intelligence through large-scale neural circuit analysis and causal manipulation (Neuro & AGI). [astera.org](https://astera.org/)
- Continue incubation of radical science projects via Radial, particularly in aging, biotech, and platforms. [causeiq.com](https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/astera-institute,845162617/)
- Expand the Residency and Fellowship programs to attract diverse scientific and engineering talent. [astera.org](https://astera.org/)
- Scale operations and hiring: current job postings span roles from vivarium operations manager to research scientists in energy-based models and distributed simulation systems. [jobs.ashbyhq.com](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/astera)

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven work**: Directly contribute to foundational research that could reshape humanity’s future with AGI and novel science.
- **Benefits**: Full-time W2 employees receive top-tier medical/dental/vision insurance, 403(b) retirement plans, long-term disability plan, health/dependent-care FSAs, and commuter pre-tax accounts. [astera.org](https://astera.org/careers/)
- **Culture**: Described as an equal opportunity employer committed to equity and inclusion, encouraging diverse applicants. Emphasis on open science, experimentation, and high-leverage impact. [astera.org](https://astera.org/careers/)
- **Work setup**: Headquarters in Berkeley, CA; also has staff in the Netherlands and UK. Specific remote/hybrid policy not disclosed but multiple job postings suggest flexible arrangements.
- **Team composition**: Highly technical and research-oriented (21 researchers, 10 technical staff, 6 medical). Staff previously from Google, Stanford, UCSF, Arcadia Science, Relay Therapeutics. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/astera-institute)
- **Rapid growth**: 63% YoY headcount increase and 1050% growth in job postings signal an expanding organization with ample career opportunities.

## Sources
1. [astera.org](https://astera.org/) – Homepage and division descriptions
2. [astera.org](https://astera.org/team/) – Leadership team details
3. [astera.org](https://astera.org/careers/) – Benefits and culture
4. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/astera-institute) – Company page with headcount, growth, job postings, and talent sources
5. [causeiq.com](https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/astera-institute,845162617/) – Financials (990-PF: revenues, expenses, assets, program areas)
6. [jobs.ashbyhq.com](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/astera) – Active open positions list

## Other roles at Astera Institute

- [Administrative Assistant](https://feeny.ai/job/administrative-assistant-astera-institute-emeryville-0qk239d039tq) — Emeryville, CA
- [Founding Technical Recruiter](https://feeny.ai/job/founding-technical-recruiter-astera-institute-emeryville-1dqbvewa4hca) — Emeryville, CA
- [Open Science Policy and Operations Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/open-science-policy-and-operations-manager-astera-institute-emeryville-e9favr4btbyy) — Emeryville, CA
- [Probe Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/probe-engineer-astera-institute-alameda-v8cj3qr564xq) — Alameda, CA
- [Scientific Writer, Life Science (Radial)](https://feeny.ai/job/scientific-writer-life-science-radial-astera-institute-emeryville-fs8456g7v3fx) — Emeryville, CA
- [Principal AI Scientist (Polytope Bio)](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-ai-scientist-polytope-bio-astera-institute-remote-5wqeq3z45wdk)
- [Research Scientist, Multiregional Electrophysiology of Rodent Cognition](https://feeny.ai/job/research-scientist-multiregional-electrophysiology-of-rodent-cognition-astera-cqc9p1d3hhvq) — Alameda, CA
- [Research Scientist/Engineer, Deep Brain Two Photon Imaging and Optogenetics](https://feeny.ai/job/research-scientist-engineer-deep-brain-two-photon-imaging-and-optogenetics-67dzysn3hyam) — Alameda, CA
- [Research Scientist, All-Optical Investigation of Rodent Cognition](https://feeny.ai/job/research-scientist-all-optical-investigation-of-rodent-cognition-astera-6mt4g8pwc4hn) — Alameda, CA
- [Optical Engineer, Precision Instrumentation](https://feeny.ai/job/optical-engineer-precision-instrumentation-astera-institute-alameda-t3gpdst5ecvz) — Alameda, CA