CRISPR & Gene Editing Subject Matter Expert (PhD / Masters)

This is a remote, project-based role for a PhD student or strong Masters-level researcher with hands-on CRISPR and gene editing experience to contribute to a short-term AI safety evaluation project. Ideal candidates have familiarity with dual-use research of concern (DURC) or biosecurity. Work is over the next week, asynchronous, and assigned on a project-by-project basis, with an expected commitment of 10–20 hours per week for the projects you accept. This position offers exceptional pay, exposure to cutting-edge problems, and a strong addition to your research portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and annotate AI-generated responses to CRISPR and gene editing-related prompts for scientific accuracy, safety relevance, and potential dual-use risk
• Apply domain expertise to assess whether AI outputs reflect appropriate handling of sensitive biological topics
• Flag responses that may constitute biosecurity concerns or misrepresent gene editing techniques
• Provide structured written feedback and rationale for each evaluation decision
• Complete a defined set of annotation tasks within a 1-week project window (10–20 hrs/week)

Requirements

• Currently enrolled in or completed a PhD (Year 2+) or Master's program in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Synthetic Biology, Computational Biology, Bioengineering, Genetics, Microbiology, Virology, or Biomedical Engineering
• Minimum 2+ years of hands-on CRISPR or gene-editing bench experience
• Proficiency with CRISPR/Cas systems (Cas9, Cas12, Cas13), gRNA design tools (Benchling, CRISPick, CHOPCHOP), and cell line work
• Experience with cell line work and off-target analysis methods (e.g., CIRCLE-seq, GUIDE-seq)

Preferred qualifications

• Research focus in disease/therapeutic CRISPR applications
• Experience with base editing, prime editing, or gene drives
• Familiarity with dual-use research of concern (DURC), biosafety policy, or biosecurity
• BSL-2+ laboratory clearance or experience
• Computational skills in Python or R for bioinformatics, sequence analysis, or BLAST
• Background at or affiliation with gene editing therapeutics companies (e.g., Editas, Intellia, Beam Therapeutics) or biosecurity organizations (e.g., Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, NTI Bio, SecureBio, Georgetown CSET)