Senior Scientist

About Us

We are a team of passionate individuals from 15 countries developing the world’s first biosecurity platform built to combat critical pest threats to human health, food security and the environment. With a deep commitment to trust, integrity and collaboration, Flyttr has become the trusted partner of governments, industries, philanthropies and communities seeking to make bold advancements on the biggest pest threats of our time.

We work with urgency because lives and livelihoods depend on it. Successful candidates will find Flyttr to be an exhilarating place to do their best work and will find that every person at Flyttr plays a critical role in a dynamic, exciting, team-oriented culture.

We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Insect Scientist to join a dynamic project team dedicated to the research and development of ground‑breaking biological technologies designed to sustainably and safely control insects that transmit deadly diseases and devastate crops.

In this role, you will act as a key scientific contributor and US-based technical expert working in close coordination with the UK Team Lead, ensuring alignment of project goals, timelines, and deliverables across sites. You will bring deep technical expertise and scientific judgement to design, guide, and execute experimental strategies, taking ownership of establishing insect colonies and developing robust experimental protocols that drive measurable progress against company priorities.

To succeed in this role, you will demonstrate a strong interest in insect biology, a proactive and self-starting mindset, and excellent organisational skills. You will apply innovative thinking and critical analysis to complex biological challenges, maintaining a high level of scientific rigour and attention to detail. Your responsibilities will span the full experimental lifecycle, including equipment procurement, experimental design, hands‑on execution, data analysis, and reporting, while also ensuring a safe and efficient working environment.

As a Senior Insect Scientist, you will take ownership of experimental outcomes and project deliverables, balancing multiple planned and unplanned work streams in response to evolving company priorities. You will independently generate and interpret data, drawing actionable conclusions and clearly communicating findings through presentations and reports to the UK Team Lead and UK Group Lead.

A key aspect of the role is cross‑site collaboration, working closely with both local colleagues and the UK team to ensure consistency of methods, data quality, and scientific standards. You will also partner with the Rearing and Molecular teams to test, refine, and validate new insect husbandry techniques, genetic transformation approaches, and strain phenotypes.

You will combine a hands‑on approach with scientific leadership, contributing to method development and continuous improvement while supporting and guiding team members as needed. The ability to work independently while fostering a strong team ethos, adhering to SOPs, and promoting good laboratory practices is essential. Excellent communication skills, particularly in a transatlantic team environment, and enthusiasm for the Flyttr mission are critical for success in this role.

• Generate self‑limiting strains and assess them against the Flyttr target product profile metrics;
• Design and run experiments independently, but in full alignment with program goals and with the endorsement of the UK Team Lead and UK Group Lead;
• Carefully record data and document activities and processes within laboratory books or other applicable records;
• Contribute to data analysis and interpretation, report data in meetings throughout the organisation, to audiences with various technical knowledge, and write clear and concise reports for internal review;
• Provide clear communication regarding outcomes of processes, experiments, and planning with the UK Team Lead and UK Group Lead;
• Support the smooth running of the laboratory, maintaining tidiness, improving processes and supporting the team’s compliance to established procedures, regulations and health and…