CLOSED: Expression of Interest: Contractor for Microbial Forensics Emerging Technology Literature Research

Deadline: Apply here before 02 November.

Summary:

 

• Duration of contract: 14 November 2025 – January 2026

• Location: Remote, any time zone

• Hours: Flexible, 5 – 20 hours per week

• Rate: Competitive compensation offered, dependent on experience

• Apply: Please use this form to apply by 02 November

Do you have a passion for making the world a safer place from biological risks, and experience with technological and scientific literature reviews? The Centre for Long-Term Resilience (CLTR) is seeking a contractor to support a research project conducted by the Biosecurity Policy Unit in advancing the UK’s microbial forensics capabilities.

 

About CLTR

The Centre for Long-Term Resilience is an independent think tank with a mission to transform global resilience to extreme risks, focusing on biosecurity, artificial intelligence, and improving how governments manage extreme risks.

 

The Project

The UK Microbial Forensics Consortium (UKMFC) was formed out of the 2023 UK Biological Security Strategy and aims to strengthen microbial forensics as a national capability. It consists of a suite of UK‑based forensic tools and investigation capabilities to conduct forensic examinations that support the attribution of a biological threat or incident, holding those responsible for its development or use accountable. This work is critical to enhancing the UK’s deterrence and preparedness against biological threats and CLTR has been working to advocate for the success of the consortium since its inception.

We are commissioning research to map the current and emerging technological landscape that could support microbial forensic analysis within the UKMFC programme. This includes examining existing technologies and tools, identifying promising technological developments and assessing their applicability to the UK context. We are particularly interested in identifying innovative future technologies/techniques that may outcompete current technologies. 

 

The Role

The contractor will conduct a comprehensive literature review to:

• Generate an assessment of state-of-the-art publicly known capabilities for microbial forensics for genetically engineered viruses.
• Identify the top 2-5 examples of what (AI-enabled) developments could help with genetic engineering detection and attribution.

The role will entail approximately 5 – 20 hours of work per week for the review period between November 2025 and 09 January 2026. Literature review findings and refinements of information will be discussed via periodic check-ins with the project lead. There will also be an option to renew the contract for other project work if agreed by both parties. 

 

What We’re Looking For

The ideal contractor will have:

• Demonstrated experience conducting literature reviews, particularly in technical or scientific domains.
• Experience in biotechnology,  engineering biology, medicine or related fields associated with genome editing technologies and molecular identification techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously on discrete projects/challenges. 
• Ability to succinctly summarise key findings and place them in the context of applied science. 
• A background in computational analysis, AI/ML within bioinformatics is desirable but not essential.
• A background in biological hazard assessment and ‘omics’ is desirable but not essential.

 

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit a brief expression of interest (no more than one page) outlining relevant experience, along with a CV and Linkedin link via this form.

As an employer, we encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply and do not discriminate based on age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

Thank you for reading. If you have any questions, please reach out to frankie@longtermresilience.org