(Senior) Biosecurity Specialist
BlueDot Impact
On-site
London United Kingdom
## Who is BlueDot Impact?
We're a nonprofit startup **building the workforce that protects humanity.**
COVID-19 [killed an estimated 27 million people](https://ourworldindata.org/excess-mortality-covid#estimated-excess-mortality-from-the-economist) worldwide and [cost tens of trillions of dollars](https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/fandd/issues/2021/12/Accelerating-Vaccinations-Baker-Chaudhuri-Kremer#:~:text=it%20is%20expected%20to%20reduce%20global%20GDP%20by%20%2412%20trillion%20in%202020%20and%202021%2C%20according%20to%20IMF%20projections%2C%20which%20works%20out%20to%20roughly%20%24500%20billion%20a%20month). Worse: advances in synthetic biology and AI are making engineered pandemics easier, while our defences remain ineffective.
We're betting that the best way we can help make the world pandemic-proof is to train and accelerate the most talented people into the organisations doing the most impactful work.
Since 2022, we've trained over 5,000 people across AI safety and biosecurity. We run one of the world's largest biosecurity courses, training 500+ professionals including people at CDC, WHO, UK Health Security Agency, and Africa CDC, and researchers investigating what it’ll take to build metagenomic sequencing platforms, Far-UVC systems, and rapid vaccine technologies.
We're a small team based out of London. We're relocating to San Francisco in Q1 2026 to be closer to the best founders and entrepreneurs in the world. This year, we raised $25M from Open Philanthropy.
We're just getting started. By 2027, we plan to:
- Train 10,000+ people annually on pandemic prevention
- Build the definitive course portfolio covering every key intervention - from DNA synthesis screening to Far-UVC deployment to vaccine platform acceleration
- Hire specialists who each own a critical part of making the world pandemic-proof
## What you'll do
Your mission: **Build the workforce that makes the world pandemic-proof.**
Most biosecurity work is stuck in neutral. Not because people don't care, but because the field lacks the basic infrastructure that makes progress possible: trained people, clear career paths, shared knowledge, functioning talent pipelines. You'll build that infrastructure.
You'll diagnose what's preventing faster progress on pandemic prevention, then fix it by getting the right people trained and placed. You'll source top talent who could contribute to making the world pandemic-proof, get them up to speed, and place them at Sentinel, SecureBio, Blueprint, IBBIS, BWC ISU, and whatever new organizations emerge. Then you'll track whether they're actually moving the field forward and adjust accordingly.
You'll read obsessively, build relationships with everyone doing good work, write explainers, form strong opinions about what's broken, and test those opinions by placing people and building things.
## About you
You might be a great fit if you:
- **Have biosecurity expertise:** Masters in relevant field (epidemiology, virology, microbiology, public health) or 1+ years working in biosecurity policy, biodefense, pandemic preparedness at organizations like CDC, UKHSA, WHO, SecureBio, or equivalent. You understand the technical details and the institutional landscape.
- **Have built things people use:** Maybe a newsletter that 1,000+ people read, or a resource others cite, or a working group that still meets, or a database the field uses. You don't just consume knowledge, you create artefacts that help others.
- **Can translate between worlds:** Equally comfortable explaining gain-of-function research to policymakers and explaining the BWC to virologists. Can write for Nature and for Congressional staffers.
- **Have strong opinions, loosely held:** Can name 3-5 specific bottlenecks in biodefense and argue which matter most. Says "Far-UVC adoption is blocked by X" not "we need more research." But you're always improving your models as you incorporate more evidence and arguments.
- **Have high agency** to take ownership and find creative ways past obstacles. Will launch a course in 2 weeks if that's what's needed instead of waiting for perfect conditions.
- **Care viscerally** about preventing the next pandemic.
**We encourage speculative applications**; most strong candidates won't meet all these criteria!
## What we offer
- **Massive impact:** Shape how humanity builds biodefenses against the next pandemic.
- **Freedom and autonomy:** Our expense policy is "act in BlueDot's best interest", unlimited PTO, minimal bureaucracy.
- **Leadership accelerator:** Become a recognized voice in biosecurity with access to leading experts and networks.
- **$150-225k salary:** Competitive compensation that reflects the stakes, not standard nonprofit rates
- **Generous benefits:** 10% employer pension contribution and private healthcare.
- **San Francisco-based role:** BlueDot is relocating to SF in early 2026. We have a strong preference for you to work with us in-person in our new SF office. US visa sponsorship available. Some remote exceptions possible but shouldn't be assumed.
If you're energized by this challenge and want to ensure the world survives the next pandemic, we want to hear from you!
## Apply today
Applying takes 20-30 minutes, and we encourage you to **apply as soon as possible**.
We're evaluating candidates on a rolling basis and expect to make offers ASAP. We're looking to hire 1-2 people for this role.
**Interested in learning about what the future might hold?** Apply to our [AGI Strategy course](https://bluedot.org/courses/agi-strategy) or our [Biosecurity course](https://bluedot.org/courses/biosecurity)!
### Application process
- Initial application
- 4-hour work test (paid)
- 45-minute interview
- In-person work trial in London
If you have any questions about the role, email [dewi@bluedot.org](mailto:dewi@bluedot.org)
We're a nonprofit startup **building the workforce that protects humanity.**
COVID-19 [killed an estimated 27 million people](https://ourworldindata.org/excess-mortality-covid#estimated-excess-mortality-from-the-economist) worldwide and [cost tens of trillions of dollars](https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/fandd/issues/2021/12/Accelerating-Vaccinations-Baker-Chaudhuri-Kremer#:~:text=it%20is%20expected%20to%20reduce%20global%20GDP%20by%20%2412%20trillion%20in%202020%20and%202021%2C%20according%20to%20IMF%20projections%2C%20which%20works%20out%20to%20roughly%20%24500%20billion%20a%20month). Worse: advances in synthetic biology and AI are making engineered pandemics easier, while our defences remain ineffective.
We're betting that the best way we can help make the world pandemic-proof is to train and accelerate the most talented people into the organisations doing the most impactful work.
Since 2022, we've trained over 5,000 people across AI safety and biosecurity. We run one of the world's largest biosecurity courses, training 500+ professionals including people at CDC, WHO, UK Health Security Agency, and Africa CDC, and researchers investigating what it’ll take to build metagenomic sequencing platforms, Far-UVC systems, and rapid vaccine technologies.
We're a small team based out of London. We're relocating to San Francisco in Q1 2026 to be closer to the best founders and entrepreneurs in the world. This year, we raised $25M from Open Philanthropy.
We're just getting started. By 2027, we plan to:
- Train 10,000+ people annually on pandemic prevention
- Build the definitive course portfolio covering every key intervention - from DNA synthesis screening to Far-UVC deployment to vaccine platform acceleration
- Hire specialists who each own a critical part of making the world pandemic-proof
## What you'll do
Your mission: **Build the workforce that makes the world pandemic-proof.**
Most biosecurity work is stuck in neutral. Not because people don't care, but because the field lacks the basic infrastructure that makes progress possible: trained people, clear career paths, shared knowledge, functioning talent pipelines. You'll build that infrastructure.
You'll diagnose what's preventing faster progress on pandemic prevention, then fix it by getting the right people trained and placed. You'll source top talent who could contribute to making the world pandemic-proof, get them up to speed, and place them at Sentinel, SecureBio, Blueprint, IBBIS, BWC ISU, and whatever new organizations emerge. Then you'll track whether they're actually moving the field forward and adjust accordingly.
You'll read obsessively, build relationships with everyone doing good work, write explainers, form strong opinions about what's broken, and test those opinions by placing people and building things.
## About you
You might be a great fit if you:
- **Have biosecurity expertise:** Masters in relevant field (epidemiology, virology, microbiology, public health) or 1+ years working in biosecurity policy, biodefense, pandemic preparedness at organizations like CDC, UKHSA, WHO, SecureBio, or equivalent. You understand the technical details and the institutional landscape.
- **Have built things people use:** Maybe a newsletter that 1,000+ people read, or a resource others cite, or a working group that still meets, or a database the field uses. You don't just consume knowledge, you create artefacts that help others.
- **Can translate between worlds:** Equally comfortable explaining gain-of-function research to policymakers and explaining the BWC to virologists. Can write for Nature and for Congressional staffers.
- **Have strong opinions, loosely held:** Can name 3-5 specific bottlenecks in biodefense and argue which matter most. Says "Far-UVC adoption is blocked by X" not "we need more research." But you're always improving your models as you incorporate more evidence and arguments.
- **Have high agency** to take ownership and find creative ways past obstacles. Will launch a course in 2 weeks if that's what's needed instead of waiting for perfect conditions.
- **Care viscerally** about preventing the next pandemic.
**We encourage speculative applications**; most strong candidates won't meet all these criteria!
## What we offer
- **Massive impact:** Shape how humanity builds biodefenses against the next pandemic.
- **Freedom and autonomy:** Our expense policy is "act in BlueDot's best interest", unlimited PTO, minimal bureaucracy.
- **Leadership accelerator:** Become a recognized voice in biosecurity with access to leading experts and networks.
- **$150-225k salary:** Competitive compensation that reflects the stakes, not standard nonprofit rates
- **Generous benefits:** 10% employer pension contribution and private healthcare.
- **San Francisco-based role:** BlueDot is relocating to SF in early 2026. We have a strong preference for you to work with us in-person in our new SF office. US visa sponsorship available. Some remote exceptions possible but shouldn't be assumed.
If you're energized by this challenge and want to ensure the world survives the next pandemic, we want to hear from you!
## Apply today
Applying takes 20-30 minutes, and we encourage you to **apply as soon as possible**.
We're evaluating candidates on a rolling basis and expect to make offers ASAP. We're looking to hire 1-2 people for this role.
**Interested in learning about what the future might hold?** Apply to our [AGI Strategy course](https://bluedot.org/courses/agi-strategy) or our [Biosecurity course](https://bluedot.org/courses/biosecurity)!
### Application process
- Initial application
- 4-hour work test (paid)
- 45-minute interview
- In-person work trial in London
If you have any questions about the role, email [dewi@bluedot.org](mailto:dewi@bluedot.org)