{"id":1145153,"url":"https://alion.io/job/colossal-senior-entomologist","title":"Senior Entomologist","company":{"id":673658,"name":"Colossal","domain":"colossal.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/colossal-4","size_band":null,"is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":null},"role":"Sales","role_family":"Sales","seniority":"senior","employment_type":"contractor","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Dallas, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":88000,"max_usd":186000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":3402},"experience_years_min":15,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"SAS","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-23T13:16:09Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-23","last_verified_at":"2026-10-13T10:44:09Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":20,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":20},"description":"We are seeking a contract Senior Entomologist to serve as the scientific lead for Colossal Biosciences’ New World Screwworm (NWS; Cochliomyia hominivorax) Biobanking Program, a multi-phase effort to establish a secure, traceable genetic baseline for NWS populations across North and Central America before, during, and after gene drive deployment. This role will design and execute the standardized fitness-validation battery for fresh and cryopreserved (thawed) screwworm cohorts, lead the field collection strategy across active outbreak regions, and oversee live-colony rearing in partnership with COPEG and USDA-APHIS. The Senior Entomologist will act as the central point of scientific accountability for the program - from protocol design and field deployment through data analysis, interpretation, and reporting to federal and partner stakeholders.\nThis is a 6 month contract position that includes collections trips. You do not need to be based on-site in Dallas but do need to be available for travel. \nKey Responsibilities:\nServe as scientific lead for the NWS Biobanking Program, owning experimental design, protocol standardization, and interpretation of results across Phase 1 (Fitness Validation), Phase 2 (Biobanking), and Phase 3 (Embryology Production) as activated.\nDesign, implement, and quality-control the nine-trait fitness battery - mating latency, copulation duration, fecundity, egg hatch rate, larval viability (1st-3rd instar and 3rd instar-pupa), adult eclosion and sex ratio, flight performance, and host-seeking latency - across CF-Gen1, CT-Gen1, CF-Gen2, and CT-Gen2 cohorts.\nEstablish and enforce strict standardization of temperature, humidity, photoperiod, age at testing, diet, handling, and observer methods so that cryopreservation-associated fitness effects can be distinguished from normal biological variation.\nLead statistical analysis of fitness data, including calculation of Hedge’s g effect sizes and percent-difference comparisons relative to the CF-Gen1 baseline, and determine whether observed effects persist, recover, or change across generations.\nDirect the mobile field collection team across priority outbreak regions in Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, and southern Mexico, targeting 600-900 individuals from confirmed breeding populations.\nOversee field collection methods including wound sampling from naturally infested animals, Swormlure-4 baited trapping, rotted-liver bait stations for gravid females, and controlled oviposition on heated substrates to meet live-material targets (2,500+ fertile eggs, 1,200+ larvae, 280+ mated pairs).\nCoordinate with local veterinarians, livestock facilities, COPEG operations, and ongoing eradication efforts to secure site access, maintain cross-border coordination, and ensure enhanced biosecurity protocols in active outbreak zones.\nOversee live-colony rearing, larval diet preparation, pupation, and eclosion procedures in coordination with COPEG animal care protocols and Arthropod Containment Level 3 (ACL-3) requirements.\nDevelop sample chain-of-custody, labeling, metadata, and quality-assurance procedures for live and non-live genetic material entering the biobank in accordance with established biobanking standards.\nPrepare detailed protocols, standard operating procedures, equipment specifications, and training materials for laboratory technicians and field personnel.\nDeliver weekly progress updates and monthly scientific reports to program leadership; prepare data summaries, statistical analyses, and technical narratives for federal and partner stakeholders and regulatory review.\nProvide entomological guidance to embryology, cryopreservation, and cell-culture teams on screwworm developmental biology, reproductive behavior, and host-seeking ecology to support colony reconstitution and restoration success metrics.\nSupport post-intervention monitoring design, including documentation of genetic bottlenecks, founder effects, and population dynamics during range expansion.\nContribute to peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, and presentations that communicate program findings to the scientific and regulatory communities.\nRequired Skills and Abilities:\nDeep expertise in insect behavioral ecology, host selection, and developmental biology, with demonstrated ability to design and run rigorous laboratory behavioral and life-history assays.\nStrong foundation in experimental design and applied statistics, including effect-size analysis, power analysis, and interpretation of variance in behavioral and reproductive traits.\nHands-on experience with insect field sampling and monitoring methods, including baited and pheromone trapping, sentinel or bait-station collection, and standardized arthropod survey techniques.\nExperience establishing and maintaining live insect colonies under controlled environmental conditions, including diet formulation and rearing standardization.\nProven ability to lead interdisciplinary research teams and to coordinate across scientific, operations, and external partner organizations.\nStrong written and verbal communication skills; ability to author protocols, technical reports, and peer-reviewed manuscripts and to present findings to executive and government stakeholders.\nWorking knowledge of biosafety, containment, and animal-care compliance requirements for arthropod research facilities.\nWillingness and ability to travel to and work in field settings across Central America and southern Mexico, including active livestock outbreak zones.\nPreferred Skills and Certifications:\nDirect experience with Diptera, particularly Calliphoridae or other myiasis-causing or livestock-pest flies; familiarity with Cochliomyia hominivorax biology, the Sterile Insect Technique, and COPEG operations strongly preferred.\nPrior research experience with USDA-ARS, USDA-APHIS, or comparable federal or international agricultural research programs.\nBackground in biological control, beneficial insect introduction, or area-wide integrated pest management programs.\nFamiliarity with cryopreservation, biobanking, or genetic resource preservation programs for insects or other invertebrates.\nExperience working under Arthropod Containment Level 2 or 3 (ACL-2/ACL-3) conditions or with USDA-APHIS permitting.\nProficiency in statistical software (R, SAS, or similar) and data management platforms for large behavioral datasets.\nSpanish language proficiency a plus.\nRecord of peer-reviewed publications in entomology, behavioral ecology, or related fields.\nEducation and Experience:\nPh.D. in Entomology, Behavioral Ecology, or a closely related field required; emphasis in experimental statistics or ecological biochemistry a plus.\n15 or more years of progressive research experience in entomology or insect ecology, with a substantial portion in a lead scientist or principal investigator role.\nDemonstrated track record of leading multi-year, multi-site research programs from design through publication.\nExperience in academic, federal, or industry research environments; adjunct or teaching experience in entomology or wildlife ecology a plus.\nProven ability to mentor and supervise technicians, students, and early-career scientists.\nWhat Colossal Offers Full-Time Employees:\nMedical, dental, and vision coverage\nExcellent paid time off and company holidays so you can rest and recharge \nFlexible spending accounts (FSA)\nCompany matched 401k retirement plan\nPaid parental leave at 100% salary for up to 12 weeks\nEducation reimbursement \nAn opportunity to help us return the Earth to a healthier state\nThe team at Colossal is committed, colorful, passionate, intelligent, collaborative, creative, experienced, scientific and world-class. That sounds like a lot to fit into one building. That’s why we are spread out in several locations that include laboratories, test facilities, academic institutions, libraries and offices. \nThrough it all, however, we maintain a culture of positivity, hope, happiness and belief that we’re doing something big. Something Colossal.\nColossal is proud to be an equal employment opportunity workplace. We welcome people from all backgrounds as well as celebrate and support diversity. We are committed to providing an inclusive environment of mutual respect that is free from discrimination and harassment so everyone can thrive. \nEEO is the Law \nSearch Firm Representatives: Colossal does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms. No fees will be paid for a hired candidate where no pre-existing agreement is in place. We handle most recruitment in-house. \nColossal is proud to be named a Best Place to Work by BuiltIn for 4 years in a row across multiple categories in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026:\n#1 on the 50 Best Startups to Work For in Dallas in 2023!\n100 Best Midsize Places to Work in Dallas in 2024 & 2025\n100 Best Places to Work in Dallas, TX (All Size Employers) in 2024, 2025, and 2026.\nBuilt In 2026 Award Lists\nGreat Place to Work Certification Page\nMost Loved Workplace Certification Page - Proud to be certified as a most loved workplace including: most loved CEO, most loved workplaces for LGBTQ+, most loved workplaces for women, and most loved workplaces for young professionals.\nNewsweek's Most Loved Workplaces 2024 Award List - Excited to be amongst the winners of Newsweek's 2024 Most Loved Workplaces!","description_format":"text","description_chars":9349,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":15,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"phd","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[{"language":"Spanish","level":"Advanced (C1)","optional":true}]},"benefits":["401k plan","Parental leave","Retirement plans"],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Synthetic Biology","Environmental Biotechnology"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-23T14:38:50Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":71,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.793,"p_room":0.9,"age_days":19,"expected_fill_days":48,"reasons":["conf:1","win:mid"],"computed_at":"2026-10-13T05:45:00Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/colossal-senior-entomologist","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/colossal-senior-entomologist.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-13T14:29:43Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":22301,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-14T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":673658},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=673658"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fcolossal-senior-entomologist"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fcolossal-senior-entomologist"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fcolossal-senior-entomologist"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/colossal-senior-entomologist\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fcolossal-senior-entomologist"}]}