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Research Scientist/Engineer, Biological Safety

AnthropicSan Francisco, CASafeguards (Trust & Safety)
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Salary
Not listed
Job type
Full-time
Posted
14 Jan 2026
Status
Open · checked 8d ago

About this role

Role Overview

Anthropic in San Francisco, CA is seeking a Research Scientist or Engineer for Biological Safety within the Safeguards team. This role focuses on building safety and oversight mechanisms to govern how advanced models handle biological knowledge. It suits a scientific programmer with a strong background in modern biology who wants to tackle applied machine learning and biosecurity challenges.

Key Responsibilities

Design, build, and run capability evaluations to measure frontier model performance in the biological domain and turn findings into deployment recommendations.
Develop training and evaluation datasets for safety classifiers alongside threat modeling experts.
Train, tune, and iterate on safety classifiers with machine learning engineers to balance adversarial robustness with low false-positive rates.
Build internal tooling and pipelines to ensure fast and repeatable classifier development and model evaluation.
Analyze classifier performance against live production traffic to identify gaps and prioritize system improvements.
Conduct red-teaming and stress-testing of safeguards as threats and product surfaces evolve over time.
Collaborate with Research, Product, and Policy teams to integrate biological safety across the entire model lifecycle.
Contribute to public-facing documentation including model cards, policy documents, and blog posts.
Track emerging developments across biology, machine learning, and biosecurity for potential new risks or mitigation strategies.

Requirements

Strong proficiency in Python with an extensive background in data analysis and scientific programming.
Excellent understanding of machine learning fundamentals and the ability to adopt development practices quickly.
Deep knowledge of modern biology spanning high-throughput assays, functional characterization, gene synthesis, genome editing, strain construction, and protein engineering.
Proven ability to build and maintain personal tooling independently.
Experience designing quantitative experiments and drawing conclusions from noisy results.
Strong written and analytical skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
Familiarity with dual-use research concerns and biosecurity frameworks such as select agent regulations, the Biological Weapons Convention, or Australia Group guidelines.
Comfort working in a fast-paced environment with ambiguity and shifting priorities.
Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
Minimum of 8 years of hands-on life sciences experience with specialized expertise in areas like molecular biology, drug discovery, or computational biology.
Ability to work on a location-based hybrid policy requiring presence in the office at least 25% of the time.

Nice to Have

Practical experience working with large language models through prompting, evaluation, or fine-tuning.
Experience training or deploying classifiers and machine learning systems in production environments.
Experience developing machine learning methods specifically for biological systems or data.
Prior familiarity with adversarial robustness, safety evaluation, or red-teaming of machine learning systems.
Demonstrated leadership experience managing complex technical projects across multiple stakeholder groups.

Skills and Tools

Python
Machine Learning Fundamentals
Scientific Programming and Data Analysis
Modern Biology and Biosecurity Frameworks
Safety Classifiers and Model Evaluation

Salary and Benefits

Annual base salary range of $300,000 to $405,000 USD
Competitive compensation and benefits package
Optional equity donation matching
Generous parental leave and vacation policies
Flexible working hours
Office space in San Francisco for collaboration
Visa sponsorship provided where applicable with immigration lawyer support

About the Company

Anthropic is a public benefit corporation headquartered in San Francisco, California, dedicated to building reliable, interpretable, and steerable artificial intelligence systems. The organization operates as a cohesive team focused on large-scale research efforts to ensure artificial intelligence remains safe and beneficial for society. Anthropic values empirical science, collaboration, and high-impact contributions to the field of trustworthy artificial intelligence.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should visit the official Anthropic careers page to submit an application for this position.

Skills and tech stack

Python

Questions candidates ask

What is the salary range for the Research Scientist, Biological Safety role?

The annual base salary range for this position is $300,000 to $405,000 USD.

Where is the position located?

The role is located in San Francisco, CA, with a location-based hybrid policy requiring staff to be in the office at least 25% of the time.

What level of experience is required?

Candidates must have a minimum of 8 years of hands-on experience in the life sciences with deep expertise in areas such as molecular biology, drug discovery, or computational biology, along with a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field.

Does Anthropic offer visa sponsorship for this role?

Yes, Anthropic sponsors visas and retains an immigration lawyer to assist candidates receiving an offer, though they cannot successfully sponsor visas for every single candidate or role.

What programming languages are required?

Strong proficiency in Python is required for this role, along with an extensive background in scientific programming and data analysis.

Ready to apply?

The application is on the official Anthropic careers page.

Apply on company site