Biosecurity & Synthetic Biology Expert

About the role

Biosecurity & Synthetic Biology Expert

Role Type: Contractor

Location: Remote

Scope of Work

Develop a comprehensive taxonomy for biological misuse scenarios, incorporating current and emergent threats.

Design safe and realistic evaluation scenarios to test biosafety measures and dual-use risk protocols.

Establish robust severity ratings for biological risks, supporting nuanced threat modeling and mitigation strategies.

Conduct rigorous false-negative reviews of draft benchmarks to ensure both protective and pragmatic outcomes.

Advise on lab safety protocols, pathogen containment strategies, and dual-use governance best practices.

Contribute written and verbal insights to documentation, scenario development, and cross-functional communication.

Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to contextualize biological misuse risks for public-health impact modeling.

Preferred Qualifications

5+ years of experience in biosecurity, biorisk management, synthetic biology, or a related field; 8–20 years preferred for senior contributors.

Advanced degree, professional certification, or equivalent operational experience in biosecurity, synthetic biology, or public health.

Deep familiarity with laboratory safety protocols, dual-use research governance, and biological threat modeling.

Hands-on experience as a biorisk officer, synthetic biology researcher, public-health biodefense specialist, government biosecurity advisor, or lab director.

Demonstrated ability to develop and review threat scenarios and risk taxonomies with high domain credibility.

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a commitment to precise and actionable input.

Experience engaging with multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral teams in research, policy, or safety-critical environments.