Appendix D — Building a Biosecurity Career
Biosecurity is a growing field with genuine opportunities, yet success rarely follows the standard playbook. There is no single correct entry path, and the field is small enough that sustained engagement and quality work get noticed. The AI-bio intersection creates high demand for professionals who bridge technical biology and computational skills, the so-called “unicorns” everyone wants to hire.
- Identify the primary career pathways into biosecurity from different educational backgrounds
- Describe key organizations and sectors where biosecurity professionals work
- Recognize the emerging roles where AI and biosecurity converge
- Develop a practical strategy for entering or advancing in the biosecurity field
- Understand the skills, experiences, and networks that matter most for career development
Introduction: A Field in Transition
Biosecurity as a distinct career field is relatively young. Twenty years ago, most people working on biological threats did so as part of broader public health, national security, or scientific research careers. “Biosecurity” was a niche within larger fields, not a field of its own.
That has changed dramatically.
The COVID-19 pandemic made biosecurity a household word. Government investment in pandemic preparedness has increased. AI-biology convergence has created new risk categories that require new expertise. And a generation of young professionals has become interested in working on existential and global catastrophic risks, including biological threats.
The result: real career opportunities in biosecurity exist today in ways they did not a decade ago. But the field remains small enough that standard advice does not fully apply. Success often depends on demonstrating genuine engagement, building relationships, and developing expertise in specific areas.
This chapter provides practical guidance for entering and advancing in biosecurity careers, with particular attention to the emerging AI-bio intersection.
Educational Backgrounds
There is no single “correct” educational background for biosecurity. People enter from many directions.
The “Three Tribes” of Biosecurity
To understand the landscape, it helps to recognize three cultural “tribes” that work on biosecurity:
| Tribe | Background | Focus | Where They Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wet Lab | PhDs in virology, microbiology, genomics | Technical attribution, countermeasures, biosafety | CDC, USAMRIID, national labs, biopharma |
| Policy Wonk | International relations, law, public health | Treaties (BWC), governance, nonproliferation | State Dept, NTI, think tanks, OSTP |
| Cyber-Bio Interface | ML, data science, bioinformatics | Red-teaming, detection algorithms, cloud lab security | AI labs, startups, ARPA-H |
The highest demand right now is where Tribe 1 and Tribe 3 overlap. If you understand both the biology (can read a BSL-3 protocol) and the code (can read a Python script), you are a “Unicorn” in this field. There are not many of you, and everyone wants to hire you.
Within these tribes, the specific educational backgrounds vary:
Life Sciences Background
Typical paths: MD, PhD in microbiology/virology/immunology, MPH with lab experience
Strengths: - Deep technical understanding of pathogens and biological systems - Credibility when discussing technical risk assessments - Ability to evaluate scientific claims and research quality
Common transitions: - Lab scientist → biosafety officer → biosecurity policy - Physician → public health → pandemic preparedness - Microbiologist → dual-use research oversight → AI-bio governance
What to add: Policy experience, writing for non-technical audiences, exposure to security/intelligence perspectives
Public Health Background
Typical paths: MPH, DrPH, epidemiology training
Strengths: - Population-level thinking about health threats - Experience with outbreak investigation and response - Understanding of health systems and governance
Common transitions: - Epidemiologist → outbreak response → biosurveillance policy - Health policy analyst → pandemic preparedness → AI-health governance - Global health practitioner → biosecurity implementation
What to add: Deeper technical biology, national security perspectives, AI/technology literacy
Policy and Security Background
Typical paths: International relations, security studies, law, political science
Strengths: - Understanding of governance, institutions, and policy processes - Familiarity with national security frameworks - Skills in policy analysis and advocacy
Common transitions: - Defense policy analyst → WMD nonproliferation → biological threats - Arms control specialist → BWC engagement → AI-bio governance - National security generalist → biosecurity specialization
What to add: Scientific literacy, understanding of biological systems, field experience
Technology and AI Background
Typical paths: Computer science, AI/ML research, software engineering
Strengths: - Understanding of AI capabilities and limitations - Technical credibility on AI-bio convergence issues - Experience with AI safety and governance
Common transitions: - AI safety researcher → biosecurity applications - ML engineer → red-teaming biological capabilities - Tech policy analyst → AI-bio governance
What to add: Biology fundamentals, public health perspectives, biosecurity history and context
The most effective biosecurity professionals often have “T-shaped” expertise:
- Deep knowledge in one area (the vertical bar): technical biology, AI systems, policy analysis, etc.
- Broad familiarity across related areas (the horizontal bar): enough to collaborate effectively with specialists in other domains
You do not need to be an expert in everything. But you do need to understand enough about adjacent fields to communicate, collaborate, and identify when you need to bring in specialized expertise.
Key Organizations and Sectors
Government
Government remains the largest employer in biosecurity, with roles across multiple agencies:
United States: - CDC Biosecurity and Biodefense: Disease surveillance, laboratory safety, emergency response - BARDA: Medical countermeasure development and stockpiling - IARPA: Advanced research including biosurveillance technologies - State Department: BWC implementation, international biosecurity cooperation - DHS: Biodefense coordination, critical infrastructure protection - DoD: Force health protection, CBRN defense
Other Countries: - UK: UKHSA, Cabinet Office, FCDO biosecurity teams - EU: ECDC, Commission biosecurity directorate - Australia: Department of Health, CSIRO biosecurity - International: WHO Health Emergencies Programme, UN Office for Disarmament Affairs
Career notes: - Security clearances often required for policy roles - Hiring processes can be slow and bureaucratic - Stability and benefits are strong - Policy impact can be significant but incremental
Academia
Academic positions in biosecurity are limited but growing:
Key institutions: - Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security: Policy research, exercises, publications - Georgetown Center for Global Health Science and Security: Training, research, policy engagement - MIT Synthetic Biology (Dept. of Biological Engineering): Technical research with policy dimensions - Cambridge/Oxford biosecurity programs: UK-focused research and training - Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation: Biosecurity within broader security studies
Career notes: - Pure academic positions (tenure-track faculty) are scarce - Research positions at centers are more common - Teaching often combined with policy engagement - Publications matter but so does policy impact
Think Tanks and Research Organizations
Research-focused organizations that influence policy without being in government:
Major organizations: - Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI): Biosecurity programs, AI-bio work, international engagement - Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Health security, biodefense policy - RAND Corporation: Research on biosurveillance, AI-bio, defense - Council on Foreign Relations: Global health security, pandemic preparedness - Chatham House: International biosecurity, UK policy
Career notes: - Positions often project-funded (less stable than government) - High visibility and influence on policy debates - Strong writing and communication skills essential - Often serve as stepping stones to government or academia
Nonprofits and Foundations
Organizations funding or implementing biosecurity work:
Funders: - Open Philanthropy: Major funder of biosecurity and AI safety work - Schmidt Sciences: Technology-focused philanthropy including biosecurity - Wellcome Trust: Global health including epidemic preparedness
Implementing organizations: - International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science (IBBIS): DNA synthesis screening, governance - iGEM Foundation: Synthetic biology education and safety - SecureBio: Technical biosecurity research
Career notes: - Program officer roles influence funding priorities - Technical advisor positions shape implementation - Often collaborative work with grantees - Requires both subject expertise and relationship skills
Private Sector
Private sector biosecurity is growing, especially at the AI-bio intersection:
AI Companies: - Major AI labs (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google DeepMind) employ biosecurity specialists - Roles include: red-teaming, policy, safety research, governance - Often hire from academic or policy backgrounds
Biotech and Pharmaceutical: - Biosafety and biosecurity officers - Regulatory affairs specialists - Risk assessment professionals
Consulting: - Firms like Booz Allen, Deloitte, McKinsey have health security practices - Typically government-focused contract work
DNA Synthesis Providers: - Security officers implementing screening - Policy and compliance roles
Specialized Biosecurity Consulting: - Gryphon Scientific: Technical risk assessments for government (including NIH risk-benefit analyses) - Georgetown CSET: Data-driven policy analysis on AI and emerging tech - These firms do the “heavy lifting” on technical biosecurity assessments
Job boards: - 80,000 Hours Job Board: Curated positions in impactful careers including biosecurity - Global Health Security Agenda Jobs: Government and NGO positions - USAJobs.gov: US federal positions
Networking: - Biosecurity-focused conferences (work your way up from attending to presenting) - Online communities (EA Biosecurity, various Slack groups) - Cold outreach to people doing interesting work
Fellowships (The “On-Ramps”):
Fellowships are designed to take experts from other fields and rapidly “download” biosecurity context. They are often better entry points than applying to entry-level jobs.
| Fellowship | Run By | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity (ELBI) | Johns Hopkins CHS | Mid-career rising stars | Highly competitive (<10% acceptance); alumni network is “Who’s Who” of the field |
| Horizon Fellowship | Horizon Institute | Technical experts (PhDs, engineers) wanting policy exposure | Tech-forward; places in Congress and Executive agencies |
| CSR Biodefense Fellowship | Council on Strategic Risks | Early-to-mid career professionals | Intensive “bootcamp” on bioweapons history and strategic risks |
| AAAS S&T Policy Fellowship | AAAS | Scientists wanting policy experience | One-year placements in federal agencies or Congress |
Emerging Roles at the AI-Bio Intersection
The convergence of AI and biosecurity is creating genuinely new positions:
AI Safety Researcher (Biosecurity Focus)
What you do: Evaluate AI models for biological capabilities, develop biosecurity benchmarks, research technical mitigations
Background needed: AI/ML expertise plus biology literacy, or biology expertise plus AI literacy
Where you work: AI labs, academic centers, government AI safety institutes
Biosecurity Red-Teamer
What you do: Stress-test AI systems for potential biosecurity vulnerabilities, conduct capability evaluations, advise on safeguards
Background needed: Deep technical knowledge in either AI or biology, strong analytical skills, security mindset
Where you work: AI labs, government, specialized consulting
Technical Policy Translator (The “Unicorn” Role)
What you do: Explain technical AI-bio issues to policymakers, help technical experts engage with policy, draft technical policy documents
Background needed: Comfort with both technical and policy communities, strong writing and communication
Where you work: Think tanks, government, advocacy organizations
We have plenty of brilliant virologists who cannot explain to a Senator why AI is a biosecurity risk. We have plenty of brilliant policy analysts who do not know the difference between DNA and RNA.
The Policy Translator can translate technical developments into policy implications (“RFdiffusion just released a new protein design update” → “We need to update screening guidelines for de novo proteins”).
If you can do this, you will always be in demand.
Governance Specialist for Biological Design Tools
What you do: Develop governance frameworks for cloud labs, DNA synthesis, biological AI models
Background needed: Policy expertise with technical literacy, understanding of governance mechanisms
Where you work: Government, international organizations, industry
The AI-bio intersection is “hot” right now, which means:
- Many people are interested in these roles
- Positions are limited (the field is still small)
- Genuine expertise is required (interest alone is not enough)
- Building relevant skills takes time
Do not be discouraged, but also do not expect to land a senior AI-bio role immediately. Most people build toward these positions over years, often through adjacent work.
Practical Career Advice
Early Career (0-3 years)
Priority: Build foundational skills and demonstrate genuine engagement
Concrete actions: 1. Develop expertise in your base field - Strong credentials in your primary area (public health, biology, AI, policy) matter 2. Learn the biosecurity landscape - Read widely, attend conferences, follow key researchers 3. Produce tangible work - Write policy memos, research reports, blog posts; contribute to open-source projects 4. Build relationships - Meet people in the field, seek mentorship, be helpful to others 5. Seek relevant experience - Internships, fellowships, part-time roles even if not perfectly aligned
Mid-Career (3-10 years)
Priority: Develop specialized expertise and impact
Concrete actions: 1. Specialize strategically - Identify specific areas where you can become genuinely expert 2. Build a track record - Publications, projects, policy influence that demonstrates your value 3. Expand your network - Move from being connected to being known for something 4. Take on leadership - Lead projects, mentor others, organize initiatives 5. Consider sector transitions - Government to think tank, academia to industry, etc.
Senior Career (10+ years)
Priority: Shape the field and develop the next generation
Concrete actions: 1. Mentor actively - The field needs more people; help develop them 2. Engage in institution-building - Create programs, centers, fellowships 3. Bridge communities - Connect different sectors and disciplines 4. Work on hard governance problems - The messy coordination challenges 5. Maintain technical currency - Fields change; keep learning
Skills That Matter
Beyond your primary expertise, several skills are particularly valuable in biosecurity:
Writing
Why it matters: Biosecurity impact often comes through reports, policy memos, and publications. The ability to write clearly for different audiences is essential.
How to develop: Practice regularly; get feedback; study effective policy writing; learn to translate technical content for general audiences
Communication
Why it matters: Explaining complex issues to policymakers, journalists, and the public is core to the job.
How to develop: Present at conferences; practice briefing formats; learn to answer hard questions concisely
Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration
Why it matters: Biosecurity problems require multiple types of expertise. Being able to work effectively with people from different backgrounds is crucial.
How to develop: Seek interdisciplinary projects; learn vocabulary and frameworks from adjacent fields; practice asking good questions
Policy Acumen
Why it matters: Understanding how policy actually gets made - incentives, institutions, timing - determines whether good ideas have impact.
How to develop: Work in or adjacent to policy processes; read policy history and analysis; develop relationships with policymakers
Technical Literacy
Why it matters: Even if you are not a scientist, understanding the technical dimensions of biological threats enables better analysis and credibility.
How to develop: Take courses; read primary literature; ask colleagues to explain concepts; visit labs
You do not need permission to start working in biosecurity. You do not need to wait for a job offer.
- Read the papers cited in this handbook
- Write a critique of a recent policy
- Contribute to open-source safety tools
- Start a Substack or blog breaking down complex papers for general audiences
The field is small. If you do good work in public, we will notice you.
What educational background do I need for a biosecurity career?
There is no single required background. People enter from life sciences (MD, PhD in microbiology/virology), public health (MPH, epidemiology), policy and security (international relations, law), and technology (computer science, AI/ML). The most effective professionals develop T-shaped expertise with deep knowledge in one area and broad familiarity across related domains.
What is the “unicorn” role in AI-biosecurity?
The “unicorn” role combines expertise in both biology (can read BSL-3 protocols) and AI/code (can read Python scripts). This rare combination is highly valued because AI-bio convergence requires understanding both domains. Technical policy translators who can explain AI-bio issues to policymakers are similarly in high demand.
What are the best fellowships for entering biosecurity?
Key fellowships include: Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity (ELBI) at Johns Hopkins for mid-career professionals, Horizon Fellowship for technical experts seeking policy exposure, CSR Biodefense Fellowship for early-to-mid career, and AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship for scientists. These programs help experts from other fields rapidly gain biosecurity context.
How can I start building a biosecurity career without formal positions?
Build a public portfolio: read papers cited in biosecurity handbooks, write critiques of recent policies, contribute to open-source safety tools, or start a blog translating complex papers for general audiences. The field is small enough that quality public work gets noticed. Attend conferences, engage with online communities, and demonstrate genuine sustained engagement.
This chapter is part of The Biosecurity Handbook. For a quick reference of career pathways, see Appendix E: Career Pathways Directory.