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
The Astera Institute is seeking a Nanoelectronics & Device-Physics Engineer to design the electrostatic drive and the field-effect position sensor for a nanoscale actuator, and own its fabrication process and electrical characterization. This position reports to Dr. Jeremy Barton (Astera Institute Resident, Project Lead). This is a full-time position.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Design the electrostatic drive stack — the patterned electrode, insulating (high-k) dielectric, and compliant polymer that deflect the charged DNA-origami plate — to targets of roughly 10 nm of plate displacement and about 100 pN of force at low drive voltage, and validate the dielectric's long-term reliability.
- Design a field-effect (FET) sensor that reads the mechanism's position electrically, including the low-noise readout needed to resolve nanometer-scale motion for closed-loop control.
- Define the full device stack — patterned electrode, high-k dielectric, compliant polymer, and the DNA-origami actuator — and direct its fabrication (including electron-beam lithography) at cleanroom partners.
- Characterize the finished device on the bench: voltage–displacement response, reversibility and hysteresis over many actuation cycles, and force/displacement by single-molecule AFM.
- Ensure the measurement toolchain can actually resolve the quantities being measured.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- PhD or MS in electrical engineering, applied physics, materials science, or a related field, grounded in semiconductor device physics.
- Experience with high-k dielectrics and thin-film stacks, FET or biosensor charge sensing, and low-noise electrical measurement.
- Cleanroom process design and working familiarity with electron-beam lithography (running or directing fabrication).
- Comfort at the bench with nanoscale electromechanical characterization; AFM experience is a plus.
- Ability to partner closely with molecular-design and controls colleagues on a tightly integrated device.
LOCATION
This position is on site at our office in Emeryville, CA. Some travel may be required from time-to-time for in-person collaboration and work.
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.
- See the Benefits Summary https://app.notion.com/p/Benefits-Summary-Permanent-Staff-224445d3aea54599a8cad2ef46640b21?source=copy_link.
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.
- 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 hold yourself to the bar of building world-class public goods without benchmarking against others.
- 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.