About Astera:

Astera is a private foundation on a mission to steer science and technology toward an abundant 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 dramatically accelerate innovation. This inflection point provides an unparalleled opportunity to fundamentally rethink the institutions, systems, and tools that drive scientific progress.

Unlike traditional non-profit research organizations, projects supported by Astera operate like high-velocity startups, allowing us to focus on ambitious goals, match structure to problem, and attract strong technical talent and leadership. You can read more about our mission, vision, and programming here.

Position Summary

Astera Institute is seeking a Computational Neuroscience Intern to help analyze large-scale connectome and neurophysiology datasets and develop computational models of neural circuits and brain function. This role is ideal for students or early-career researchers interested in combining neuroscience, data analysis, and scientific computing.

Responsibilities:

• Process and analyze neurophysiology data such as electrophysiology, calcium imaging, or spike train recordings

• Analyze connectomics datasets, including neuronal connectivity graphs and anatomical reconstructions

• Develop computational models of neural circuits and network dynamics

• Implement data analysis pipelines and visualization tools

• Collaborate with researchers to interpret experimental data and generate hypotheses

• Contribute to documentation, reproducible workflows, and scientific reports

Qualifications and Experience

• Experience programming in Python and Matlab

• Familiarity with scientific computing libraries such as NumPy, SciPy, pandas, PyTorch, TensorFlow, or similar tools

• Basic understanding of neuroscience concepts, neural systems, or computational modeling

• Experience working with data analysis, statistics, or machine learning workflows

• Ability to work independently and communicate technical findings clearly

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with connectomics or neurophysiology datasets

• Knowledge of computational neuroscience frameworks or simulators (e.g., NEST, Brian, NEURON)

• Experience with machine learning or dynamical systems modeling

• C++ programming experience is a strong bonus

• Familiarity with Linux, Git, and high-performance computing environments

Nice-to-Have Areas of Interest

• Neural circuit modeling

• Vision neuroscience

• Synaptic plasticity and learning

• Large-scale brain simulations

• Data-driven modeling of neural systems

Education

• Pursuing or recently completed a degree in Computational Neuroscience, Neuroscience, Computer Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a related field

Location

This position is hybrid at our office in Emeryville, CA. Some travel may occasionally be required for collaboration and team events.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or in the future.

Compensation

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

Cultural Alignment

• Surprising problem-solver – you love finding unexpected solutions to problems we don't even know we have, and see options where others only see constraints.

• Flexible by default – you don't draw hard lines around your job description and expect your role to evolve significantly over 6–12 months.

• Bias to action – you launch and iterate on thoughtful experiments rather than waiting for perfect plans, and you're energized by novel problems.

• High standards, internally driven – you believe you can build the world's best vehicle for unleashing extraordinary individuals to create public goods, and you hold yourself to that bar without benchmarking against others.

• Open to feedback – You create opportunities to give and receive honest feedback, staying focused on both personal and team growth, and committing to transparency even when it’s uncomfortable.

• Operate with the highest levels of integrity, judgment, and stewardship -- you treat residents, peers, and vendors with genuine respect for their time and contributions.

• Embrace the tools that define great work today – Astera is building for an AI-driven future and equips the team accordingly. We see these as genuine force multipliers, not optional extras, and we expect our people to use them.