Scientist / Senior Scientist, Insect Biology and Bioassays

Apply on YC · Original job listing

• Role: Science / Biotechnology
• Experience: 3+ years
• Visa: US citizenship/visa not required

We are seeking an insect biologist to develop cell-based and whole-insect assays for VLP delivery, payload expression, and bioinsecticidal activity in pest insects.

You will lead insect biology and bioassay development at Molagri. This role will build the assays we use to test whether our VLPs enter insect tissues and cells, deliver RNA payloads, express the intended payload, and drive insecticidal activity. You will work across insect cell assays, whole-insect bioassays, and outsourced studies with CROs. The goal is to generate clean, quantitative data that helps the team decide which VLPs, receptors, payloads, and pest species to advance.

You will:

• Develop insect-cell assays for particle uptake, RNA delivery, payload expression, and payload activity.
• Develop whole-insect bioassays for oral delivery, dose response, potency, speed of kill, growth inhibition, feeding inhibition, and species selectivity. 
• Establish assays in target pest species and relevant non-target insects.
• Design studies with appropriate controls, dose ranges, replication, endpoints, acceptance criteria, and statistical analysis.
• Build workflows that connect insect-cell data to oral activity and whole-insect potency.
• Run insect bioassays internally where appropriate and manage outsourced studies with CRO partners.
• Write CRO protocols, select assay formats, review raw data, and troubleshoot inconsistent or low-quality bioassay results.
• Partner with virology and protein engineering teammates to interpret failures in binding, uptake, delivery, payload expression, and potency.
• Maintain SOPs, assay records, and data packages that support VLP and payload progression.