Biodefense Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Why choose between doing meaningful work and having a fulfilling life? At MITRE, you can have both. That's because MITRE people are committed to tackling our nation's toughest challenges-and we're committed to the long-term well-being of our employees. MITRE is different from most technology companies. We are a not-for-profit corporation chartered to work for the public interest, with no commercial conflicts to influence what we do. The R&D centers we operate for the government create lasting impact in fields as diverse as cybersecurity, healthcare, aviation, defense, and enterprise transformation. We're making a difference every day-working for a safer, healthier, and more secure nation and world. Our workplace reflects our values. We offer competitive benefits, exceptional professional development opportunities for career growth, and a culture of innovation that embraces adaptability, collaboration, technical excellence, and people in partnership. If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose MITRE - and make a difference with us. Department Summary: MITRE's Biotechnology and Life Sciences Department is a mission-focused scientific department that brings multidisciplinary life science, engineering, analytic, and national security expertise to help government sponsors address complex biological threats and strengthen U.S. preparedness. The department supports mission needs in biodefense, biosecurity, CBRN/WMD defense, medical countermeasures, biosurveillance, health security, and the responsible application and advancement of emerging biotechnology. Roles & Responsibilities: We are seeking an experienced Senior Biodefense and Biosecurity Scientist with an active TS/SCI clearance to provide technical and strategic leadership across sensitive national security missions. The selected candidate will work with multidisciplinary teams and government sponsors to evaluate biological risks, strengthen preparedness, and develop actionable solutions. The ideal candidate will apply technical knowledge, systems-level thinking, and multidisciplinary approaches to address complex national biodefense challenges. Additional roles and responsibilities include: * Serve as a lead subject matter expert and trusted advisor on biodefense, biosecurity, biorisk management, biosurveillance, and biological threat preparedness for government sponsors.
* Lead technical assessments of biological threats, emerging biotechnology, dual-use risks, system vulnerabilities, and preparedness gaps.
* Develop actionable technical, operational, and policy recommendations that help sponsors prevent, detect, and respond to biological incidents.
* Design and facilitate analyses, workshops, tabletop exercises, decision-support products, and strategic reviews that support sponsor planning and decision-making for complex biodefense and biosecurity challenges.
* Engage across government, industry, academia, and MITRE to identify emerging risks, mature technical approaches, and transition solutions to mission use.
* Author and brief technical reports, white papers, strategic assessments, and senior-leader briefings in classified and unclassified settings.
* Mentor technical staff, contribute to work-shaping, and help grow MITRE's biodefense work program. Basic Qualifications: * Bachelor's degree in biological sciences, microbiology, molecular biology, bioengineering, public health, biodefense, biosecurity, or a related field with a minimum of 5 years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
* Demonstrated experience in biodefense, biosecurity, biorisk management, biosurveillance, health security, CBRN/WMD defense, biological threat reduction, or related national security mission areas.
* Experience assessing biological threats, emerging biotechnology capabilities, vulnerabilities, or preparedness gaps and translating findings into sponsor-ready recommendations.
* Experience leading multidisciplinary technical efforts and engaging senior government, defense, public health, academic, industry, or interagency stakeholders.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience producing briefings, technical reports, policy recommendations, and strategic assessments for senior decision-makers.
* Active TS/SCI clearance at time of hire; ability to maintain TS/SCI access.
* Per the U.S. Government's eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.
* This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week on-site. Preferred Qualifications: * Master's degree, PhD, MD, or equivalent advanced degree in a relevant scientific or public health discipline.
* 7+ years of experience supporting biodefense, biosecurity, biological threat assessment, CBRN/WMD defense, or related national security programs.
* Extensive knowledge of established and emerging techniques for characterizing biological organisms including both computational and laboratory methods and spanning areas such as genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and related analytical approaches.
* Strong familiarity with modern biotechnology techniques across fields including synthetic biology, biosurveillance, bioinformatics, and bio-AI modeling and design tools.
* Experience supporting federal national security, defense, intelligence, homeland security, and/or interagency biodefense sponsors in classified environments.
* Experience conducting intelligence-informed biological threat assessments or supporting sensitive sponsor engagements involving biological threats, emerging biotechnology, or biorisk management.
* Experience designing tabletop exercises, operational analyses, strategies, concepts of operation, roadmaps, and/or investment plans for biological preparedness and response.
* Demonstrated ability to develop new work, lead task teams, mentor staff, and collaborate across scientific, technical, operational, and policy disciplines.
* Familiarity with the application of AI techniques to biotechnology, assessing the risks AI/Bio poses, or potential applications of AI in the national security space. This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):
Top Secret/SCI This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):
Top Secret/SCI Salary compensation range and midpoint:
$119,500 - $149,500 - $179,500 Annual Work Location Type:
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