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I’d be keen for great people to apply to the Deputy Director role ($180-210k/y, remote) at the Mirror Biology Dialogues Fund. I spoke a bit about mirror bacteria on the 80k podcast, James Smith also had a recent episode on it. I generally think this is among the most important roles in the biosecurity space and I’ve been working with the MBDF team for a while now and am impressed by what they’re getting done.
People might be surprised to hear that I put ballpark 1% p(doom) on mirror bacteria alone at the start of 2024. That risk has been cut substantially by the scientific consensus that has formed against building it since then, but there is some remaining risk that the boundaries are not drawn far enough from the brink that bad actors could access it. Having a great person in this role would help ensure a wider safety margin.
This role sounds important precisely because the risk is no longer theoretical but also not fully contained. Cutting risk through consensus helps, but it does not replace strong governance and clear red lines. A Deputy Director who understands both the technical details and the incentives of bad actors can close gaps that policy statements cannot. If mirror bacteria still sit close enough to misuse, staffing quality becomes a real safety control, not just an admin decision.
I’d be keen for great people to apply to the Deputy Director role ($180-210k/y, remote) at the Mirror Biology Dialogues Fund. I spoke a bit about mirror bacteria on the 80k podcast, James Smith also had a recent episode on it. I generally think this is among the most important roles in the biosecurity space and I’ve been working with the MBDF team for a while now and am impressed by what they’re getting done.
People might be surprised to hear that I put ballpark 1% p(doom) on mirror bacteria alone at the start of 2024. That risk has been cut substantially by the scientific consensus that has formed against building it since then, but there is some remaining risk that the boundaries are not drawn far enough from the brink that bad actors could access it. Having a great person in this role would help ensure a wider safety margin.
This role sounds important precisely because the risk is no longer theoretical but also not fully contained. Cutting risk through consensus helps, but it does not replace strong governance and clear red lines. A Deputy Director who understands both the technical details and the incentives of bad actors can close gaps that policy statements cannot. If mirror bacteria still sit close enough to misuse, staffing quality becomes a real safety control, not just an admin decision.