What We Are Looking For in Talent Database Applicants and Potential Project Leads
Jan 9
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Oxford Biosecurity Group aims to increase the amount of impactful biosecurity work that is done in the long term. As part of this, we are building a community of people interested in taking on leadership roles within biosecurity and leading impactful biosecurity projects.
This post summarises what we are looking for applicants to our talent database, which also makes up part of the full project lead application process.
Who are you looking for and who can apply?
We are looking for people with a range of backgrounds to apply.
Minimum experience requirements (at least one of):
2+ years of experience after undergraduate in a relevant area (including graduate study)
Completed a past biosecurity-related fellowship or project with an initiative or organisation
Biosecurity needs a range of skillsets beyond biology, including people with experience in policy, communications, engineering, operations and entrepreneurship.
You can apply from any country for the talent database, as well as for projects as these are led remotely. Note that project leads are paid as contractors, and that you are responsible for checking any visa requirements for this if applicable.
What are you assessing applicants and applications on?
For the talent database, and throughout the full project lead application process, we are looking at:
Motivation: Your motivation for working on biosecurity both in the short and long term
Career impact: How being a project lead with OBG fits in with your longer term career plans
Skills: Relevant skills (including project management skills), experience and accomplishments, both related to biosecurity overall and in the area of your proposed project (if applicable)
Note that we consider this in terms of career stage, and if you are earlier in your career we understand that you will have less experience. We also look for transferable skills, in particular for early career people and those with experience in another field interested in pivoting into biosecurity
Reasoning: Your approach to reasoning and how you prioritise between different options, rather than any specific answer
For project leads we then additionally look at your approach to project planning, including awareness of uncertainties, and how you approach risk assessment and mitigation, as well as the quality and the potential for impact of the project itself.
For more details about what we are looking for in project proposals, see the relevant section of our 2025 Application Pack for project leads.
Application tip: For the text-based written response questions, prioritise focusing on content and clarity rather than specific formatting or wording. Bullet points are fine, as are concise answers providing you think the key information is covered.
Apply Here
You can apply to our talent database and express your interest in becoming a project lead with OBG here.
This form remains open, and is reviewed approximately once every three months - see in the form description when it will next be reviewed.
If you have any questions, please email projectleads@oxfordbiosecuritygroup.com.