Postdoctoral Fellow

As the Office of Vaccines Research and Review at the FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, we are now seeking a postdoctoral fellow to join our team. Our lab uses cryo-electron microscopy to understand how viral proteins are recognized by antibodies at an atomic level, and how that recognition can be exploited to design effective vaccines.

As a fellow, you will learn how to design and execute experiments that determine the structures of clinically relevant viral proteins and their associated antibodies and receptors. This is an exciting opportunity for prospective postdocs who want to learn structural biology and apply new ideas to antigen design.

Prospective candidates should have received a master's or doctoral degree in Structural Biology, Virology, Immunology, or Biochemistry, or be currently pursuing the degree with a completion date expected prior to this appointments starting date. This degree must have been received within the past five years. A background in protein expression, purification, and structural biology is preferred but not required. Drive, initiative, and an enthusiastic attitude will make up for a lack of experience in the aforementioned fields. Preferably, candidates will have:

• Organizational and communication skills
• A strong drive to learn new techniques
• Experience with protein expression using mammalian cells
• Experience with protein purification
• Record of publications in peer-reviewed journals
• Knowledge of immunology and virology
• Experience with structural biology software (such as Pymol, Phenix, Chimera)

This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non-U.S. citizen applicants should refer to the Guidelines for Non-U.S. Citizens Details page of the program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that are acceptable for program participation. 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 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 Ethics Requirements If an ORISE Fellow, to include their spouse and minor children, reports what is identified as a Significantly Regulated Organization or prohibited investment fund financial interest in any amount, or a relationship with an SRO, except for spousal employment with an SRO, and the individual will not voluntarily divest the financial interest or terminate the relationship, then the individual is not placed at FDA. For additional requirements, see FDA Ethics for Nonemployee Scientists. 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.