Public Health Response Manager

September 15, 2026

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Public Health Response Manager

Project/Division: SecureBio Detection
Start date: As soon as possible
Status: Full-time SecureBio employee
Approximate compensation: $147,000 - 190,000; we may make exceptions for outstanding candidates
Visa sponsorship: No
Work location: Cambridge, MA (preferred), Washington, DC, or Remote for outstanding candidates
Reports to: Head of Response and Federal Strategy

The role

SecureBio Detection runs a pathogen-agnostic early warning system to protect the world from catastrophic pandemics. SecureBio Detection is a project of the non-profit SecureBio; our mission is to ensure that, as advances in biotechnology lower the barriers to engineering pathogens, humanity is prepared. We’re developing systems to identify novel threats early enough to mount an effective response. We’re looking for a Public Health Response Manager to spearhead SecureBio’s engagement with state and local public health to ensure detection translates into effective response. You’ll build on your existing credibility and peer relationships with state and local public health to establish partnerships necessary to enable response, and craft proactive crisis communication materials tailored to the state and local public health customer. You will help shape SecureBio’s approach to defining what constitutes an effective response for a variety of scenarios, develop and maintain relationships necessary to minimize the time between an alert on SecureBio’s biosurveillance system and a decisionmaker enabled to take appropriate action in response, and provide support to the Head of Response and Federal Strategy.

You’ll also work closely with our Genomic Biosecurity Scientists to translate technical findings into appropriate actions. Finally, you'll serve as SecureBio's internal expert on state and local public health needs, constraints, workflows, and decision-making processes.

Responsibilities

Build and nurture trusted relationships with state and local public-health partners, ensuring SecureBio communications are credible, useful, and designed for uptake during both routine engagement and potential crisis events.
Establish and maintain partnerships with state, local, territorial, and tribal public-health agencies and relevant public-health professional networks.
Maintain crisis communication templates that convey appropriate urgency while acknowledging uncertainty and setting expectations tailored to different audiences.
Work with our Genomic Biosecurity Scientists to translate technical findings into clear, appropriately caveated information that public-health partners can evaluate and act on.
Inform escalation frameworks for detection events, ranging from routine anomalies to potential pandemic-level events.
Lead aspects of the response process when concerning signals are detected, from initial assessment, alerting state and local customers, through resolution.
Support development of exercises and simulations to test and improve response protocols.
Inform decision trees for various detection scenarios that balance false alarm costs against catastrophic risk.
Maintain up-to-date contact lists and communication channels with key stakeholders.
Draft after-action reports following response events to continuously improve protocols.
On occasion, work outside of normal business hours to ensure key stakeholders have information necessary to take response actions during escalation events.

Role Expectations

Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, with a demonstrated ability to earn trust and convey complex information clearly.
Track record of successfully handling high-pressure situations with incomplete information, including the ability to stay calm, make considered decisions, and communicate clearly.
Exceptional ability to synthesize complex, often incomplete technical information to extract decision-critical insights and drive action.
Demonstrated skill in coordinating across multiple independent teams or organizations, even without formal authority.
Strategic thinker who can think several steps ahead, communicate shifting priorities, and adapt in uncertain environments.
Strong judgment and discretion, particularly in situations involving ambiguity and serious risk.

Required Qualifications

7+ years of experience in public health, or interacting closely with state and/or local health officials.
Existing peer relationships with public health officials and practitioners, and demonstrated credibility with state/local public health decisionmakers.
Demonstrated experience with biological incident response or infectious disease outbreak investigation, and developing and implementing response policy or protocols.
Strong understanding of the US public health infrastructure.
Advanced degree in public health or related field.

Desired Qualifications

Experience working with and managing confidential or otherwise sensitive information.
Experience tailoring communications to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Logistics and benefits

Our employee benefits reflect our belief in investing to build the strongest possible team, in which everyone receives the trust and support they need to excel. Our benefits package includes:

Comprehensive healthcare: Comprehensive healthcare coverage, including health, dental & vision insurance, as well as a yearly mental health allowance for every employee.
Flexible work schedule: Flexible work hours; unlimited paid time off (PTO) for all employees; and minimum 12 weeks fully-paid parental leave.
Development opportunities: Generous professional development opportunities, including fully-paid conference sponsorships and a yearly development allowance for every employee.
401(k): Employer 401(k) match up to 4% of total salary.
Excellent offices: Superb working environments in our Kendall Square offices, including high-quality ergonomic office equipment, snacks, and daily catered lunches.
Relocation & commuter support: Free commuter benefits up to $340/month, plus a generous relocation allowance for employees who move to the Boston area.

Referral bonus

We offer a referral bonus of up to $5,000 to individuals who refer successful candidates for this position: To receive these bonuses, we must reasonably believe that you were responsible for referring the candidate to us (e.g. due to you introducing them to us when we didn't previously know them, or them mentioning you on their application as the reason they heard about the position).

If you refer a candidate that we invite to an in-person work trial, you will receive $1,000;
If the candidate accepts a job offer from us, you will receive a further $4,000, for a total of $5,000.

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