Convergent Research

• Teach FRO teams how to develop a media and communications strategy – Help FRO teams build a real communications strategy — audience mapping, outcome prioritization, content and channel planning. You facilitate; they build. They leave with something they own and can act on. • Coach FRO CEOs and scientific leaders on media readiness – Prepare FRO leaders to talk to journalists, find their public voice, and think through their Q&A before they're in the room. Some will ask for this; some will need a nudge. You make the coaching genuinely useful, you know when to push, and you know when to stand down. • Serve as the primary communications resource for FRO teams – Be the first call when an FRO has a communications question, need, or problem. Help them think clearly about what they're trying to accomplish. Connect them to curated vendor and consultant resources. Review anything that carries Convergent's or a funder's name before it goes out. • Curate and manage the external vendor and consultant network – Build and maintain Convergent's roster of vetted communications vendors — PR firms, video producers, designers, science writers — and help FRO and Convergent leadership navigate it when they need execution support. This isn't about agencies on retainer; it's about a lean, responsive network that can be accessed on demand. • Own Convergent's internal and FRO-facing communications – Run the newsletter, the FRO update digest, and the internal knowledge base. Keep these consistent, current, and increasingly automated — and build the systems that make them sustainable as the portfolio grows. • Manage Convergent's owned digital channels – Keep the website current, coordinate social media, and manage the editorial calendar for the Convergent blog and announcements. Serve as the day-to-day internal contact for external web development and multimedia vendors. • Coordinate press and media for FRO and Convergent announcements – Manage the logistics of press releases, media briefings, and launch announcements. Support executive and FRO CEO media preparation. Maintain relationships with external PR vendors for outbound media work, with clear judgment about where agency value is real and where it isn't. • Protect the Convergent brand across the portfolio – Ensure external communications carrying Convergent's name or a funder's name meet quality and messaging standards. Part quality control, part relationship-building — you're the person who knows what's going out and flags what needs a second look. • Leverage AI to scale your reach – Use AI tools for newsletter generation, content summarization, and workflow automation. Help build systems that let Convergent's communications function scale with the portfolio without scaling headcount proportionally.

Lead FPGA system development for microscopy platforms, evaluate hardware design trade-offs, port existing designs to new devices, and maintain system integrity through debugging and collaboration with engineering and neuroscience teams.

Title: Engineer / Sr. Engineer - Optics and Photonics Locations: London or Cambridge Type: Full Time Workplace: hybrid Category: Meridial Job Description: About Meridial Meridial is a Focused Research Organisation (FRO) with a mission to bring connectomics into the living brain. We are building a platform for longitudinal, synapse-resolution mapping of functional neural circuitry in preclinical models. Our aim is to deploy this platform for translational projects and improve drug development outcomes for disorders of the Central Nervous System. Meridial is a new not-for-profit FRO in the Convergent Research Ecosystem and powered by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA). About the role Meridial is seeking an entrepreneurial Optics & Photonics Engineer to join as a core technical contributor on our multi-photon microscopy platform. This is a hands-on role spanning optical system design, prototyping, iterative development and maintenance in close partnership with our neuroscience and engineering teams. This role reports to the Director of Engineering. You will own the optical stack end-to-end — from ultrafast laser source to sample and detector — and play an active part in identifying and solving technical challenges as our platform grows in capability and ambition. The position calls for substantial practical experience with multi-photon microscopy and the ability to engage deeply with custom optical design, including working directly with specialty manufacturers to specify and refine components beyond off-the-shelf solutions. It will also involve interfacing with expert contractors who have deep familiarity with specific aspects of our platform, so a genuine eagerness to learn quickly and apply that knowledge effectively is essential. More broadly, the ideal candidate will bring strong optical engineering fundamentals and a startup-friendly mindset that keeps development moving forward in a fast-paced build-and-iterate environment. Key Responsibilities - Lead the optical design, prototyping, alignment, and characterisation of our two-photon microscopy platform and its extensions — taking ownership of the full system from ultrafast laser source to the sample and detector - Develop and iterate on Zemax (or equivalent) optical models; critically evaluate vendor-supplied designs and push them beyond conservative defaults to meet our performance targets - Drive the commissioning of custom optical components, including custom objective lenses — working directly with specialist manufacturers, understanding their design constraints, and independently modifying or extending their models - Stay current with emerging optical fabrication and design technologies and proactively identify opportunities to incorporate them into our platform - Collaborate closely with neuroscientists and engineers to deeply understand imaging requirements and translate them into optical system specifications - Contribute to mechanical design of optical assemblies and opto-mechanical mounts - Maintain, troubleshoot, and continuously improve existing microscope systems; develop alignment procedures and documentation that scale with the team - Help define and raise our technical ambitions — identifying problems we haven't yet seen and proposing creative solutions Required Qualifications - Degree in Optics, Photonics, Physics, Biomedical Engineering, or a closely related field - Significant hands-on experience designing, building, and characterising complex optical systems — ideally custom research microscopes including multi-photon systems or other high-performance imaging instruments - Proficiency in optical design software (Zemax OpticStudio or equivalent) - Strong working knowledge of imaging optics fundamentals: aberration theory, Fourier optics, coherence, nonlinear optical processes, and ultrafast laser physics as they apply to multiphoton imaging - Demonstrated ability to move fluidly between simulation/modeling and physical hardware - Programming ability — enough to write acquisition scripts, automate alignment routines, process and visualize optical characterization data, and interface with hardware (Python preferred; MATLAB acceptable) - Experience engaging with optical vendors and custom component manufacturers; ability to critically assess and modify third-party optical designs - Strong communication skills and a collaborative mindset — you can explain a complex optical trade-off to a biologist and take feedback from a neuroscientist and turn it into a design requirement Preferred Qualifications - Ph.D. in Optics, Photonics, Physics, Biomedical Engineering, or a closely related field - Industry or startup experience in the field (optical engineering, photonics, instrumentation etc) or postdoctoral research experience, particularly in a lab developing novel microscopy instrumentation — you know how to apply the theory and what it means to build something that has to work reliably - Experience with custom objective lens design and/or commissioning, including immersion objectives, high-NA systems, or specialty wavelength ranges - Experience with Acousto-optics and Electro-optics - Experience with photodetectors (PMTs, Avalanche Photodiodes, photon counting) - Experience with laser systems, ultrafast pulse characterization, beam delivery, and photonics integration in experimental setups - Familiarity with CAD tools (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or similar) for opto-mechanical design; experience with rapid prototyping workflows (3D printing, machine shop coordination) - Experience or strong familiarity with three-photon microscopy - Experience with advanced two-photon system extensions: adaptive optics, spatial light modulators (SLMs), temporal focusing, or related wavefront/pulse shaping techniques - Familiarity with fiber optics and gradient-index (GRIN) lens systems for minimally invasive or endoscopic imaging applications Physical Demands - Fine motor skills for operating computers and office/lab equipment - Ability to move light-to-moderately heavy items (typical lab supplies/equipment); may include occasional lifting/carrying with appropriate equipment (e.g., carts/dollies Position Type / Schedule - Full-time, 40 hours/week - Lab location based in London or Cambridge - ability to travel to both preferred - Work arrangement: Hybrid with expected regular onsite presence due to laboratory responsibilities Additional Information - Application materials: CV/resume + cover letter + 2 references - For exceptional candidates, we will consider sponsoring visas and supporting relocation - Compensation: competitive salary commensurate with experience - Generous Benefits will be communicated in interviews We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and do not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion or religious belief, ethnic or national origin, nationality, sex, gender, gender-identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law or company policy. We strive for a diverse, healthy and safe workplace and strictly prohibit harassment of any kind.

• Manage the full AP cycle across multiple entities — invoice intake, coding, approval routing, payment execution, and reconciliation — with minimal oversight • Maintain vendor master data and ensure documentation (W-9/W-8, contracts, purchase orders) is complete and audit-ready • Enforce internal controls and approval thresholds in accordance with company policy and procurement guidelines, including three-way match where applicable • Execute payment runs accurately and on schedule, coordinating with the Finance Team on timing of significant disbursements • Serve as the primary point of contact for vendor inquiries and billing disputes, resolving issues independently and professionally • Reconcile vendor statements and manage AP aging proactively • Own AP close activities — including accruals, aging review, and balance sheet reconciliations — and deliver on time each month • Support external audits with organized, complete documentation and direct auditor engagement on AP-related inquiries • Manage 1099 preparation and filing; support VAT coding as applicable across our UK entities • Ensure records are maintained in accordance with retention policies and regulatory requirements • As the day-to-day operator, you'll often be the first to spot friction or gaps — flag and escalate these so the right improvements can be made • Support the rollout and adoption of spend management tools (Ramp and others as we grow) as directed by your manager, providing on-the-ground feedback on what's working and what isn't • Maintain AP policy documentation and procedure guides across all entities we support, flagging when updates are needed

• Lead UK Residency & FRO pipeline: Own the execution of our UK Residency program. • Manage UK Office and Hiring: Help our team continue to build the operational foundations Convergent needs in the UK. • Grow UK government and funding relationships: Deepen our partnership with ARIA while building relationships with UKRI, Innovate UK, DSIT. • Represent Convergent in UK policy and science circles: Be Convergent's face in London, Cambridge, and beyond. • Provide board governance: Serve as voting board member on multiple UK-based FROs. • Shape Convergent's UK/Europe strategy: Work with Convergent leadership to refine our UK expansion roadmap.

• Lead initiatives on the Hill and grow government funding portfolio • Represent Convergent in policy circles and ensure FROs have needed resources • Interface with agency leadership and translate ambitious science into understandable language • Identify and source breakthrough concepts for new FROs