Elon Musk hires Neuralink to get more implants

After successful tests in the US on at least two patients and receiving the green light to begin work in Canada, Neuralink is enthusiastic about the brain implant business.

And along the way, Elon Musk has demanded that the job market in his fledgling industry change.

Neuralink is looking for manufacturing technicians and micromachining specialists and posted openings on its website this week. The company also held several recruiting events at its California and Texas facilities this month, according to a review of LinkedIn posts from Neuralink recruiters and engineers.

The roles will help “increase production,” according to the release. “They will help increase production and accelerate progress toward our goal of restoring autonomy to those with unmet medical needs,” another post said.

Manufacturing technicians in Texas will be paid a flat rate of $22 per hour to produce brain implants and accessories and will be required to work “overtime and weekends as needed.” In California, technicians will be paid between $28.85 and $44.23 per hour to build the R1 surgical robot, which is designed to fully automate the implantation of the Neuralink brain-computer interface.

In May 2023, the company received FDA approval to begin human trials. To date, two patients have been reported to have the device implanted.