About the Role
This is a founding-level research and engineering role at a Y Combinator–backed wearable startup building AI-powered emotional intelligence tools. You'll own the core inference model that quantifies emotional states from wearable sensor data — sitting at the intersection of computational neuroscience and production machine learning, and directly shaping the company's technical direction as it scales.
What You'll Do
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Design, develop, and iterate on the inference model that quantifies real-time emotional states from wearable biometric and audio signals.
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Bridge neuroscience research and production ML systems, translating scientific insight into deployable, reliable software.
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Function as a hybrid researcher and ML engineer, owning both the theoretical and engineering layers of the model stack.
What We're Looking For
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PhD in computational neuroscience, cognitive science, active inference, or a closely related field.
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2–7 years of experience bridging neuroscience research and production machine learning systems.
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Strong Python proficiency for ML model development and deployment.
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Comfort operating as both a researcher and an ML engineer — this role requires both mindsets.
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US work authorization required (visa transfers considered; new sponsorship not available).
Compensation & Benefits
Salary of $150,000 USD annually (US) or approximately £75,000 GBP (London). Equity participation of up to 1–2% available for a founding-level hire. No new visa sponsorship; visa transfers are acceptable.
Location
On-site in London, England, UK or San Francisco, CA, USA. Remote and hybrid arrangements are also considered.