Neuralink has announced it is hiring a clinical trial director, in a sign that Elon Musk's company is closer to its goal of starting to implant microchips in human brains.
In a just-published new job listing, the brain implant company said that the applicant will "work closely with some of the most innovative doctors and top engineers" as well as collaborate with "Neuralink's first clinical trial participants".
The listing also points out that the position, which is based in Fremont, California, will stipulate leading and building "the team responsible for enabling Neuralink's clinical research activities", and sticking to regulations.
According to the job description, the position provides the candidate with commuter benefits, meals, and "an opportunity to change the world".
The announcement comes after Musk argued in early December that Neuralink hopes to start implanting its brain microchips in humans this year, and that the chips are currently "working well in monkeys".
"We're actually doing just a lot of testing and just confirming that it's very safe and reliable, and [that] the Neuralink device can be removed safely", the billionaire tech entrepreneur asserted.
He added that the chip, specifically designed for people who suffer from full or partial paralysis of the arms and legs, will be implanted pending approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The CEO and chief engineer at SpaceX voiced hope that a green light would not be a problem given that Neuralink's "standards for implanting the device are substantially higher than what the FDA requires".
Neuralink was first unveiled by Musk in 2016, when he touted the technology as something that purportedly helps paraplegics walk, treats depression, and adds to merging humans with computers.
Three years later, the billionaire entrepreneur vowed human Neuralink chip tests would be launched by the end of 2020, a timeframe that was then amended to 2021 and now – to later this year.