Member of Technical Staff, Virology
About The Position
As molecular data generation and frontier model intelligence grows, new approaches to data analysis are needed across the biotech industry. Latch is building intelligent, high performance agents for biological data analysis, empowering over 5,000 scientists across 150+ R&D labs to handle data from instrument-to-insights. We're seeking a Member of Technical Staff for Virology to lead our safety benchmarking efforts in the Biosecurity group, ensuring frontier artificial intelligence is deployed responsibly in biology. You will design our technical approach to understand how agents could be misused for biological harm, and measure where current safety guardrails fall short. You will work with research engineers and biologists to build evaluations that measure whether AI systems can meaningfully assist with: Designing and assessing virology experiments, Troubleshooting protocols and identifying where an AI-generated recommendation would fail in the wet lab, Interpreting viral genomes, proteins, mutations, and phenotypic data, Selecting, using, and evaluating bioinformatics and biological design tools, Planning iterative experimental workflows, Evaluating experimental feasibility across conditions, Identifying when AI systems provide inaccurate, unsafe, or incomplete guidance in dual-use contexts.
Requirements
- PhD in virology or a closely related field, with doctoral or postdoctoral research centered on viruses
- Substantial hands-on wet-lab virology experience, including experimental design, execution, and troubleshooting
- Experience working in BSL-3 or high-containment BSL-2 laboratories
- Have used or evaluated Large Language Models, biological foundation models, or AI-enabled biological design tools
- Proficiency in Python and/or R
Responsibilities
- Lead safety benchmarking efforts in the Biosecurity group.
- Design technical approach to understand how agents could be misused for biological harm.
- Measure where current safety guardrails fall short.
- Work with research engineers and biologists to build evaluations that measure whether AI systems can meaningfully assist with designing and assessing virology experiments.
- Troubleshoot protocols and identify where an AI-generated recommendation would fail in the wet lab.
- Interpret viral genomes, proteins, mutations, and phenotypic data.
- Select, use, and evaluate bioinformatics and biological design tools.
- Plan iterative experimental workflows.
- Evaluate experimental feasibility across conditions.
- Identify when AI systems provide inaccurate, unsafe, or incomplete guidance in dual-use contexts.
Benefits
- Genuinely flexible schedules
- 2x free daily meals
- Unlimited snacks
- Company outings most months
- Team offsites
- 100% premium covered Blue Shield platinum health plan ($0 deductible / $0 out-of-pocket)
- Free meals (lunch and dinner)
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
