FDA Postgraduate Research Fellowship

*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 (ORS), located in College Park, Maryland.

The selected applicants will be paired up with an experienced FDA research scientist who will guide the participant through a hands-on research training experience related to their STEM field of study. The participant will receive training in the following areas during the specified period:

1. The development and/or execution of sample preparation methods, such as sample homogenization, digestion and/or extraction procedures, for the analysis of complex foods, cosmetics, and/or dietary supplements.

2. The development and/or execution of chromatographic (e.g. gas chromatography and liquid chromatography) and/or mass spectrometric methods for the characterization of chemical composition and identification of potential contaminants or unapproved compounds in foods, cosmetics, and/or dietary supplements.

3. Conducting laboratory experiments to evaluate and validate the analytical procedures under study.

4. Data analysis for the quantification of contaminants in foods, cosmetics and/or dietary supplements.

5. Preparation of scientific reports or manuscripts.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: September 2023; 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 12 months 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