[Hiring] Principal Biology Specialist @TaskUs

Role Description

TaskUs partners with pioneering technology companies to build the safety, intelligence, and human-in-the-loop operations powering next-generation artificial intelligence. In this role, you will lead a specialized domain pod supporting one of the world’s foremost frontier AI research and safety companies. Their Safeguards mission is paramount: prevent state-of-the-art AI systems from lowering technical barriers to the creation or proliferation of biological weapons and catastrophic risks.

As the Principal Biology Specialist, you will serve as the pod’s senior subject matter authority and technical lead. You will oversee a tiered team of specialists, establish nuanced adjudication frameworks, resolve the most ambiguous dual-use escalations, and provide executive briefings to client safety leads on emerging biological risk vectors.

• Senior Technical Authority: Act as the final escalation authority on the pod for ambiguous, high-consequence cases, complex customer appeals, and potential high-severity biological threat activity.
• Dual-Use & CBRN Adjudication: Set the standard for distinguishing benign, legitimate scientific inquiry from catastrophic misuse.
• Classifier Training & Labeling: Deliver high-fidelity, peer-reviewed ground-truth labels that directly validate, evaluate, and fine-tune automated AI safety and refusal classifiers.
• Risk Playbooks & Policy Feedback: Refine investigative playbooks and labeling taxonomies in alignment with international biological conventions and US Select Agent regulations.
• Lead & Mentor a Pod: Technically direct and mentor Senior and Junior Biology Specialists; manage review calibration and quality assurance protocols.
• Client Briefings & Threat Advisory: Synthesize technical findings into clear, actionable risk memos for client biosecurity leads.

Qualifications

• Advanced Degree (Master’s or Ph.D.) in Microbiology, Virology, Molecular Biology, Immunology, Synthetic Biology, Biosecurity, or a directly related life-sciences discipline.
• 9+ years of professional experience in biodefense, biosecurity policy, public health threat surveillance, biosafety (BSL-3/BSL-4 operations), or specialized CBRN analysis.
• Deep Dual-Use Expertise: Exceptional fluency in life-science research protocols.
• Regulatory & Treaties Fluency: Deep familiarity with national and international biosecurity frameworks.
• Technical Leadership: Proven track record of technically leading a team of scientists, analysts, or intelligence specialists.
• Communication: Exceptional ability to communicate complex microbiological principles and risk assessments.

Requirements

• Location: Based in the United States with unrestricted work authorization.
• Nice to have: Prior experience with the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, USAMRIID, or the Intelligence Community.
• Active or recent U.S. Government Security Clearance (Secret / Top Secret).
• Direct experience evaluating computational biology misuse, AI safety red-teaming, or automated bio-classifier benchmarking.
• Practical experience working in high-containment laboratories (BSL-3 or BSL-4) or with DNA synthesis screening providers.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Paid time off including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

Application Window

This position is expected to remain open until 11-30-2026. We recommend that interested candidates apply within 7 days of the posting date to ensure consideration.

Salary Range

$150,000 - $220,000 per year.

How We Partner To Protect You

TaskUs will neither solicit money from you during your application process nor require any form of payment in order to proceed with your application. Kindly ensure that you are always in communication with only authorized recruiters of TaskUs.

DEI

In TaskUs we believe that innovation and higher performance are brought by people from all walks of life. We welcome applicants of different backgrounds, demographics, and circumstances.

EEO

TaskUs is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We celebrate and support diversity; we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Company Description

Join our team today and experience firsthand our dedication to supporting People First.