FDA Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in MALDI Imaging Mass Spectrometry

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

A postdoctoral fellowship opportunity is currently available in the Division of Systems Biology, Omics, Modeling, Imaging, and Chemistry Branch, National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Jefferson Laboratories Campus located in Jefferson, Arkansas. 

The postdoctoral fellow will collaborate on multi-disciplinary research efforts in nationally recognized research programs in support of FDA’s mission and will be part of the Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Imaging Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-IMS) Lab, which supports NCTR research and regulatory sciences across the other FDA Centers.  

The successful candidate will collaborate with the Principal Investigator (PI) in a multi-disciplinary research effort and be trained in: (a) visualization and spatial localization of analytes such as lipids, drugs, drug metabolites, endogenous metabolites, neurotransmitters, n-linked glycans, and peptides; (b) imaging whole tissues, organs, biopsies, or rodents; (c) imaging fixed or fresh-frozen sections; and (d) collaborate on ongoing FDA-relevant projects in toxicology and regulatory science protocols.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: November 1, 2022; start date is flexible

This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and FDA. The appointment is up to 3 years and will be full-time. The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Participants do not become employees of FDA, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits.

Completion of a successful background investigation by the Office of Personnel Management is required for an applicant to be on-boarded at FDA.  OPM can complete a background investigation only for individuals, including non-US Citizens, who have resided in the US for a total of three of the past five years.

FDA requires ORISE participants to read and sign their FDA Education and Training Agreement within 30 days of his/her start date, setting forth the conditions and expectations for his/her educational appointment at the agency.  This agreement covers such topics as the following:

• Non-employee nature of the ORISE appointment;
• Prohibition on ORISE Fellows performing inherently governmental functions;
• Obligation of ORISE Fellows to convey all necessary rights to the FDA regarding intellectual property conceived or first reduced to practice during their fellowship;
• The fact that research materials and laboratory notebooks are the property of the FDA;
• ORISE fellow’s obligation to protect and not to further disclose or use non-public information.