Lead Entomologist - Behavioral Assay Development

Job Overview

Monarch is seeking a Lead Entomologist to develop and implement behavioral assays that assess how insects respond to visual and olfactory stimuli. Your work will be critical in validating the efficacy of machine-learning-predicted compounds across multiple insect species.

• Design and develop behavioral assays to assess insect response to predicted repellent compounds.
• Lead experiments to test compounds for broad-spectrum effectiveness.
• Analyze experimental data to optimize compound performance, ensuring both repellency and pleasant odor characteristics.
• Present findings to the leadership team and contribute to the ongoing development of novel insect repellents.

This is a full-time, on-site position based in Alameda, CA.

Building an alternative to insecticides is one of the most important technical challenges of our time. Monarch is developing a product that works—a spatial repellent that protects crops from insects, humans from toxins, and insects from needless harm. If that mission motivates you, consider applying.

• PhD or Master’s degree in Entomology or a related field.
• Experience in behavioral assays and insect behavior research.
• Experience working with machine learning models or cheminformatics pipelines is a plus.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Strong work ethic.