Program Manager, Neurotech

About Protocol Labs

Protocol Labs is an innovation network of 750+ teams, projects, and movements with a common mission: to drive breakthroughs in computing to push humanity forward. For us, decentralization is more than just a rallying cry; it's an operational ethos and a belief system baked into the products we develop. Protocol Labs operates as an innovation network built to help breakthrough technologies move from bold R&D into real-world adoption. Through funding, mentorship, and deep network support, PL has enabled pioneering teams to cross the critical "R&D chasm" and bring transformative products to market. Our network has supported projects like IPFS, Filecoin, and libp2p, alongside emerging efforts in neurotech, AI, and digital rights, demonstrating the breadth of impact possible when world-class founders and investors connect through Protocol Labs. Our key focus areas include digital human rights, upgrading economies and governance systems, safe AI, and neurotech. For more information on Protocol Labs and our focus areas, please watch Juan Benet's talk from PL Summit 2023 and the 2024 PL Summit Video (Remote Update).

What is PL Neuro?

PL Neuro focused on accelerating safe neurotechnology breakthroughs including brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), neuro-AI, neuromodulation, and whole-brain emulation research.

PL Neuro operates on the premise that neurotechnology will fundamentally reshape human experience, cognition, and agency over the next decades, but that today the field is under-coordinated, under-funded, and under-examined relative to its impact potential.

What are the objectives of this role?

The PL Neuro Operations Lead will build and coordinate the PL’s neurotech field-building activities, including preparing the field for upcoming inflection points in capability, capital, and governance, while ensuring safety, ethics, and long-term human outcomes remain central. They will work closely with the PL Neuro Science Advisory Board and other PL Neuro leads to design, execute, measure, and shape field-building interventions.

This role focuses on field acceleration, not product development: aligning research, capital, and talent so that breakthroughs happen faster and more responsibly.

What are the 3–5 essential functions of this role?

• Develop a deep understanding of the neurotech landscape, including BCIs, NeuroAI, clinical research, and regulatory dynamics
• Identify & catalyze inflection points that could rapidly shift the field (technical demonstrations, AI-neuro convergence, national security interest)
• Map and engage the neurotech ecosystem across academia, startups, funders, governments, and labs
• Design and operate programs that catalyze research, talent formation, and capital coordination
• Track and communicate progress toward field-level acceleration and readiness

The programs you run may include:

• High-risk neurotech research grants and coordinated funding efforts
• Convenings that connect neurotech insiders with high-agency outsiders (“organize the accelerationists”)
• Whitepapers and roadmaps outlining plausible neurotech futures and guardrails
• Talent programs for students, postdocs, and early-career researchers
• Field-level narratives that elevate neurotech into mainstream research and policy conversations

What are the core competencies needed to do this job?

• Familiarity with neuroscience, neurotech, AI, or adjacent deep-tech fields
• 3+ years of experience in research, venture, or frontier technology ecosystems
• Ability to operate credibly across academia, startups, and funders
• Strong operator skillset building programs & field-building initiatives from 0 to 1
• Excellent communication skills and comfort representing the field publicly

Success metrics

Field-level progress metrics may include:

• Increased capital deployed into neurotech R&D
• Growth in coordinated research efforts and shared roadmaps
• Improved visibility and legitimacy of neurotech as a serious frontier
• Stronger talent pipelines into high-risk neurotech research