Life Sciences Research Associate, Debug

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Entomology, Biological Sciences, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 2 years of experience working in insect biology.

Preferred qualifications:

• 2 years of experience in mass rearing insects.
• Experience in the application of pest control products.
• Experience in basic molecular techniques such as DNA extraction.
• Proficiency in data analytics using Google Sheets, R, Python, or similar tools to support daily tasks and reporting.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and adapt to flexible hours to meet project deadlines.

About the job
Founded over ten years ago, the Debug team is an interdisciplinary group of mosquito biologists, data scientists, engineers, build technicians, and operations specialists. We are dedicated to developing innovative solutions to reduce the impact of mosquito-borne diseases. In collaboration with global partners, we are deploying Wolbachia mosquitoes at-scale to prevent mosquito-borne disease.

In this role, you will develop and run various behavioral and physiological bioassays to assess Wolbachia mosquito quality and competitiveness. Additionally, you will be tasked with helping to refine and assess novel tools for the mass rearing, sex sorting, distribution, and release of Wolbachia mosquitoes.

Responsibilities

• Characterize the bionomics and performance of mass-produced mosquitoes using insectary and field-based bioassays.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to troubleshoot and resolve mosquito quality issues.
• Test the impact of new rearing methods and equipment on key output metrics.