Field Scientist

**Our Mission**:Oxitec’s mission is to save lives and improve livelihoods by developing safe, highly-effective biologically-engineered solutions to control disease-transmitting and crop-destroying insects globally.

To do our work, we leverage our world-class team of scientists, engineers, public health and agricultural experts, entrepreneurs, community engagement experts and others to build safe, targeted, sustainable and highly effective genetically modified insect technologies that can be applied in the fields of public health and food security.

We do our work with a commitment to safety, effectiveness, scientific integrity, and transparency, making Oxitec’s technologies one of the largest self-limiting insect platforms in the world. Oxitec’s technology has been studied and analyzed by independent researchers, academics and independent collaborators for more than a decade, with more than 100 scientific, peer-reviewed papers published on our work. You can find a sample of the growing body of scientific evidence here.

**Our History**:Oxitec was formed in 2002 by Oxford University Innovation and, in 2015, was acquired by U.S.based Intrexon.

Since inception, Oxitec has pioneered work on controlling insects that spread disease and damage crops through world-class genetic engineering and the use of self-limiting gene technology. In the mid and late 2000s, Oxitec successfully deployed genetically engineered insects in select locations in the USA, Caribbean, South America, and has continued to grow these projects, expanding to new regions and countries.

In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a positive recommendation in support of Oxitec’s self-limiting mosquitoes (OX513A) for a planned pilot in response to the Zika virus outbreak. Oxitec continues to engage with communities around the world that are in need of effective, scalable solutions to combat the dangerous vectors that threaten lives and livelihoods.

Oxitec is a subsidiary of Intrexon Corporation ( NASDAQ: XON), which engineers biology to help solve some of the world’s biggest problems.

**About Us**

We are a team of passionate individuals from 15 countries, developing ground-breaking biological technologies designed to sustainably, and safely, control insects that transmit diseases and destroy crops. We do this work to improve lives and livelihoods around the world in the face of the growing threats that insects pose to human health and the global food supply.

Whilst what we do relates to developing insect control technologies, our organisation is about people and in its service to people.

We are strongly committed to a set of values and principles and foster a culture of trust, respect, creativity, and accountability.

**Purpose of the Job**

Oxitec’s Field Scientist for Central America will be responsible for the day-to-day operations, both laboratory and field, related to field pilots in Central America.

You will be the heart of an exciting new project in Central America, working as a team with our host in the country, both out in the community - as the face of Oxitec - and in the laboratory. Day-to-day duties will include training collaborators, adapting Oxitec’s rearing processes to site-specific needs, deploying Oxitec’s innovative insect control solution, collecting field samples, and analysing them in the laboratory.

This job will be highly dynamic, with opportunities to spend time in the field, as well as in the laboratory. You will need to be comfortable working in a laboratory, as well as driving on local roads, and confident interacting with community members about our technology. You will be fully trained and supported by a professional and capable site manager.

**Responsibilities**

Your key responsibilities will involve rearing, deploying, and monitoring our insect control solution in the field, collecting and analysing trap samples, maintaining health and safety compliance, and nurturing respectful relationships with our partner organizations.
- Working under the guidance of the Field Trial Manager and as part of a close project team you will:

- Work closely with partner organizations and maintain strong and collaborative relationships with them;
- Train our collaborators to excellent standards in compliance with Oxitec’s protocols, as well as health and safety procedures;
- Rear Oxitec’s self-limiting mosquitoes under the guidance of the UK team, while finding innovative solutions to adapt our rearing systems to country-specific challenges;
- Deploy Oxitec’s mosquitoes according to standard protocols;
- Set mosquito adult and egg traps, collect and analyze their catches;
- Plan each day’s activities under the Country Manager’s direction;
- Report frequently to the Field Trial Manager on progress throughout the day;
- Care for vehicles, equipment, and materials;
- Solve problems proactively and with the help of the team and managers;
- Where required, support our field efforts.

**Skills