Role Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Insect Scientist to join a dynamic project team dedicated to the research and development of ground-breaking biological technologies designed to sustainably and safely control insects that transmit deadly diseases and devastate crops.

In this role, you will act as a key scientific contributor and US-based technical expert working in close coordination with the UK Team Lead, ensuring alignment of project goals, timelines, and deliverables across sites. You will bring deep technical expertise and scientific judgement to design, guide, and execute experimental strategies, taking ownership of establishing insect colonies and developing robust experimental protocols that drive measurable progress against company priorities.

To succeed in this role, you will demonstrate a strong interest in insect biology, a proactive and self-starting mindset, and excellent organisational skills. You will apply innovative thinking and critical analysis to complex biological challenges, maintaining a high level of scientific rigour and attention to detail. Your responsibilities will span the full experimental lifecycle, including equipment procurement, experimental design, hands-on execution, data analysis, and reporting, while also ensuring a safe and efficient working environment.

As a Senior Insect Scientist, you will take ownership of experimental outcomes and project deliverables, balancing multiple planned and unplanned workstreams in response to evolving company priorities. You will independently generate and interpret data, drawing actionable conclusions and clearly communicating findings through presentations and reports to the UK Team Lead and UK Group Lead.

A key aspect of the role is cross-site collaboration, working closely with both local colleagues and the UK team to ensure consistency of methods, data quality, and scientific standards. You will also partner with the Rearing and Molecular teams to test, refine, and validate new insect husbandry techniques, genetic transformation approaches, and strain phenotypes.

You will combine a hands-on approach with scientific leadership, contributing to method development and continuous improvement while supporting and guiding team members as needed. The ability to work independently while fostering a strong team ethos, adhering to SOPs, and promoting good laboratory practices is essential. Excellent communication skills, particularly in a transatlantic team environment, and enthusiasm for the Flyttr mission are critical for success in this role.

Key Responsibilities

• Generate self-limiting strains and assess them against the Flyttr target product profile metrics;
• Design and run experiments independently, but in full alignment with program goals and with the endorsement of the UK Team Lead and UK Group Lead;
• Carefully record data and document activities and processes within laboratory books or other applicable records;
• Contribute to data analysis and interpretation, report data in meetings throughout the organisation, to audiences with various technical knowledge, and write clear and concise reports for internal review;
• Provide clear communication regarding outcomes of processes, experiments, and planning with the UK Team Lead and UK Group Lead;
• Support the smooth running of the laboratory, maintaining tidiness, improving processes and supporting the team's compliance to established procedures, regulations and health and safety;
• Follow and maintain up to date health and safety records and write and update SOPs, COSHH and risk assessments;
• Manage and train any direct report in line with SOPs and training records;
• Provide occasional weekend support as part of a rota within the team;

Qualifications & Experience

• A bachelor's (Bachelor of Science) or master's degree (Master of Science) in a relevant field (e.g., entomology, biology, biochemistry) is required;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are essential;
• Based in the US and must be legally authorized to work in the United States;
• Demonstrate technical abilities appropriate for the role;
• Competency in MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint required;
• Track record of scientific diligence including valuing careful generation and recording of data, demonstrating good laboratory practices, including following SOPs;
• Experience in animal husbandry and/or maintaining insect colonies is desirable;
• Expertise in insect or arthropod transformation is highly desirable;
• Proficiency in R/R Studio and experience in using statistics is highly desirable.

Behavioral Requirements

• Commitment to, and passion for, the Flyttr mission and values.
• Responsive to the needs of an international business working across different time zones, adapting working patterns in-line with business requirements.
• Positive, humble, co-operative and professional, always.
• Works with urgency and solves things promptly.
• Resilient and persistent in an innovative and constantly changing environment.
• Proactive, resourceful, and comfortable building processes from scratch.
• Values collaboration and works effectively with global colleagues.

At Flyttr, you will be at the forefront of critical global biosecurity efforts, working alongside a dynamic team of leaders, technologists, scientists, engineers, commercial teams, regulatory experts and operational drivers on the front lines. You will have the opportunity to directly shape the policy landscape for pioneering technologies and build the critical relationships necessary to protect global agriculture and public health.

These roles also require current authorisation to work in the United States that does not require, now or in future, any employer sponsorship or support for a change of immigration status. Flyttr does not sponsor employment-based visas or immigration status changes for US-based roles.