Head of CMOS & Microfabrication Engineering; Founding Leadership

Head of CMOS & Microfabrication Engineering (Founding Leadership)

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NEXI Biotech is an inception-stage neurotechnology startup pioneering next-generation human neural models for translational drug discovery. Our mission is to transform how neurological therapies are developed by replacing animal models with predictive, high-resolution human cell platforms. We operate at the intersection of neuroscience, stem cell biology, bioengineering, and data science—where frontier technologies meet clinical translation.

Our vision is to build the leading platform for functional human neurophysiology, enabling precision neurology, safer medicines, and faster clinical development.

Please do not apply directly.

Send a personalized Linked In message introducing yourself and why this mission resonates with you.

We also welcome interest from motivated scientific interns looking to gain hands-on experience at the frontier of neurotechnology.

At this time, we are not engaging staffing agencies or external recruiters for this role.

This is a fractional leadership role based in the Greater Tampa Bay / Gainesville region, with the potential to evolve into a full-time, founding Director/VP of Research or CSO-track position as the company scales and secures funding.

Compensation is equity-based during the seed stage, with future salary structures tied to milestones and fundraising progress. We are assembling the founding scientific leadership team, and early contributors will have an opportunity to earn a significant vested equity position.

We operate with the belief that the future belongs to founders, not employees. We’re building a team that embraces autonomy, ownership, and the desire to leave an enduring legacy on the future of neurological drug discovery.

The Head of Research will serve as the scientific architect of NEXI’s platform, shaping our experimental strategy, setting quality standards, and guiding the development of human-relevant neural models that will become the new foundation for preclinical neuroscience.

This role is equal parts visionary and hands-on. You’ll design the scientific roadmap, write and oversee experimental protocols, guide regulatory-aligned assay development, and help translate complex functional data into meaningful biological and clinical insights. You’ll work closely with leadership and engineering partners to build a platform that stands up to regulatory scrutiny and serves as a new gold standard for IND-supporting data.

The ideal candidate has deep experience with drug discovery, iPSC-derived neural systems, organoid/assembloid generation, advanced cell culture, or functional neurophysiology, and thrives in an environment where scientific creativity meets disciplined execution.

• Architect the scientific strategy for NEXI’s neural circuit platforms, including assay design, biomarker selection, and model validation
• Lead development of advanced iPSC-derived models, organoids, and assembloids across key brain regions and cell types
• Establish reproducible workflows for neural differentiation, co-culture systems, microfluidics, and MEA-based functional assays
• Generate and review scientific writing, including grant submissions, publications, IND-supportive documents, and regulatory frameworks
• Partner with engineering to define experimental requirements for usability, scalability, and regulatory alignment
• Translate complex datasets (e.g., electrophysiology, network dynamics) into mechanistic insights and clinically relevant narratives
• Support customer-facing scientific discussions with pharma partners, translational centers, and strategic collaborators
• Build the early research organization—hiring, mentoring, and setting the scientific culture for excellence and innovation
• Oversee scientific rigor, documentation, and reproducibility standards
• Contribute to IP strategy, experimental validation plans, and long-term scientific differentiation

• Demonstrated expertise in iPSC-derived neural systems, organoids/assembloids, advanced CNS…