Fast-paced research, discovery and invention in an amazing environemnt
Pros
- I have had the lucky opportunity to spend half a year at Kernel while between academic positions. Having worked in both academia and industry positions in the past, this company offers essentially the best of both works. - Kernel is pushing the boundaries of neuroscience research and engineering, which allows everyone involved to study new topics, propose new ideas and experiments and collectively brainstorm new inventions with a large amount of flexibility - At the same time, as a commercial (non-academic) entity, the pace of exploration and discovery is extremely fast. Faster than I have ever experienced, and I seek out "drinking from the firehose" opportunities. There are few hurdles that prevent this company from quickly exploring topics that need to be explored, testing and validating useful ideas, and designing and executing experiments that will help them achieve their end goals. - The current Kernel team is comprised of some of the smartest, kindest and most interesting people I have ever had the pleasure of working with - The leadership is extremely talented at guiding this team, while at the same time leaving everyone with enough flexibility to achieve new discoveries as they march forward. Pretty much the best model for targeted invention that I have come across after ~15 years of this type of work. - Very nice compensation, great office experience, large amount of work flexibility, free food, etc etc.
Cons
- As someone who came into this job opportunity with a set start and end date (due to other obligations), I really cannot think of any downsides to this experience - it was a great opportunity that I feel very fortunate to have found. - For those considering to join Kernel without other future obligations already set, which is probably the majority of people who will read this, I would caution that you will not just be a robot expected to do one task. The company's work is dynamic and ever-evolving, which requires everyone to continually refine their projects, learn about new topics and remain flexible. If you are the type of person that likes to work on just one well-defined topic and is afraid to learn and try new things, then this company is likely not for you.
