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A complete application consists of:

• An application
• Transcripts – Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts
• A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
• One educational or professional recommendation

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.

If you have questions, send an email to ORISE.FDA.CFSAN@orau.org. Please include the reference code for this opportunity in your email.

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

A research opportunity is currently available at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Office of Regulatory Science, located in College Park, Maryland.

The primary research goals for this appointment are to help develop analytical methods to identify and quantify select products and contaminants in food \ to support food safety assessment. The participant will contribute to research projects that are components of agency-wide, on-going food safety and food defense programs, which support important FDA policy and regulatory decisions. The participant will be collaborating with their mentor to learn things that need to be considered when developing methods for the extraction of contaminants from complex food systems.  They will also be learning how to develop methods on complex instrumentation such as LC-MS/MS systems.  The participant will be given chances to develop their presentation skills with opportunities for both poster/oral presentations as well as manuscript preparation.

Under the guidance of a mentor, the selected participant shall be involved in the following research activities during the appointment, including:

• 1. The development and/or execution of sample preparation methods for the analysis of complex mixtures for the presence of industrial chemical contaminants, toxins, and/or allergens
• 2. The development and/or execution of separation methods (GC, LC and related methods) for the analysis of contaminants in foods and dietary supplements
• 3. The development and/or execution of instrumental analysis methods (MS techniques) for the analysis of contaminants in foods
• 4. Data analysis for the quantification of contaminants in foods and dietary supplements

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: August 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 initial appointment is for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of FDA contingent on the availability of funds. The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. The appointment is full-time at FDA in the College Park, Maryland, area. 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.

The qualified candidate should have received a bachelor's or master's degree in one of the relevant fields (e.g. Chemistry), or be currently pursuing one of the degrees with completion by September 1, 2022. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.

Preferred skills:

• Experience in sample preparation techniques such as QuEChERS extractions and solid phase extractions (SPE)
• Experience using LC-MS/MS instrumentation

• Citizenship: LPR or U.S. Citizen
• Degree: Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree received within the last 60 months or anticipated to be received by 9/1/2022 11:59:00 PM.
• Discipline(s):
  • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (3 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (48 )

I have lived in the United States for at least 36 out of the past 60 months. (36 months do not have to be consecutive.)