Head of Responsible Innovation

About the Company

At the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), we’re on a mission to translate scientific discovery into real world impact. We bring together visionary scientists, technologists, engineers, researchers, educators and innovators to tackle humanity’s greatest challenges in four transformative areas: Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology; Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture; Climate Change & Managing CO₂; and Artificial Intelligence & Robotics.

The Generative Biology Institute (GBI) is tackling the key challenges in making biology engineerable, unlocking its potential for good across health, agriculture, and clean energy.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead GBI’s Responsible Innovation strategy, embedding ethical foresight and security into research programs
• Establish frameworks to forecast and address potential dual-use of emerging technologies
• Collaborate with researchers to evaluate potential biological risk from emerging biotechnologies
• Build and chair advisory boards to review innovation pathways
• Drive engagement with global stakeholders including academic, regulatory, and industry partners
• Design and implement training programs for researchers to integrate responsible innovation into projects
• Guide the development of technical safeguards, such as hard prompt refusals in models and misuse detection tools
• Identify areas of special concern in emerging technologies to prioritize monitoring and testing

Requirements

• PhD in Life Sciences, Bioengineering, Synthetic Biology, or a related field
• Demonstrated expertise in forecasting and securing emerging technologies
• Experience leading frameworks for responsible research and innovation
• Understanding of security, legal, and social implications of synthetic biology and automation
• Ability to collaborate with interdisciplinary stakeholders including scientists, ethicists, and regulators
• Proven track record of team building and inspiring mission-driven science
• Exceptional communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven track record of embedding responsible innovation in complex scientific environments
• Experience in academic, industrial, or policy contexts