Job Details

Scientist I

Job ID: req1542
Employee Type: exempt full-time
Facility: Frederick: Ft Detrick
Location: PO Box B, Frederick, MD 21702 USA

The Frederick National Laboratory is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and operated by Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc.  The lab addresses some of the most urgent and intractable problems in the biomedical sciences in cancer and AIDS, drug development and first-in-human clinical trials, applications of nanotechnology in medicine, and rapid response to emerging threats of infectious diseases.

Our core values of accountability, compassion, collaboration, dedication, integrity, and versatility serve as a guidepost for how we do our work every day in serving the public’s interest.  

 Position Overview:

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNL) is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and operated by the prime contractor Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc. FNL is responsible for pursuing a unique mission in translational and applied biomedical research that is unsuitable for academia, the pharmaceutical industry, or other federal contractors.  This open position in is ideally suited for a scientist who is more interested in applied Research & Development than in pursuing basic research knowledge. The selected candidate will join the Clinical Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers Program support group located at the NCI-Frederick campus.

The Clinical Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers Program is responsible for identification of biomarkers of response to new targeted agents entering clinical trials in the Developmental Therapeutics Program (DTP) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The scope of work includes assay design, development, validation, fitness for purpose testing, transfer of assays to clinical laboratories, and clinical specimen analysis when required. The program facilitates mechanistic and performance analysis of putative anti-cancer agents, and therapeutic interventions to clinical applications, including distinct molecular signatures for cancer, refined molecular assays, and state-of-the-art imaging techniques.

KEY ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Development, validation and implementation of multiplex immunofluorescence pharmacodynamic assays on clinical trial blood specimens
• Perform and analyze experiments for multiparameter analysis of individual cells from blood and other tissues such as bone marrow aspirates, by flow cytometry, imaging cytometry and confocal microscopy to test pharmacodynamic marker responses to novel anti-cancer therapeutics
• Oversee day-to-day lab activities and coordinate clinical trial specimen analysis
• Prepare progress reports for clinical specimen analysis underway and present data at weekly internal meetings
• Perform qualification/validation of new reagents used in multiplex clinical immunofluorescence assays
• Coordinate with internal QC staff to ensure adequate reagents are available for clinical analyses
• Ensure laboratory procedures are compliant with internal requirements and quality systems

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Possession of a PhD degree from an accredited college/university according to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in a field related to biomedical research.  Foreign degrees must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency
• No work experience required with a PhD degree
• Proven record of success in the design and validation of immunofluorescence assays
• Excellent written and oral communication skills (English language)
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with multiplex flow cytometry assays involving compensation and advanced gating strategies
• Experience with image analysis and microscopy
• Experience with imaging flow cytometry (Amnis ImageStream) and multiparameter fluorescent and morphological analysis of single cells
• Experience in assays and instrumentation used for purification of Circulating Tumor Cells from blood
• Demonstrated expertise in multichannel immunofluorescence, single cell analysis, and advanced computational platforms
• Experience with current generation laboratory instrumentation and image analysis
• Experience in clinical specimen testing of tissues and cells
• Ability to identify and troubleshoot multiplex immunofluorescence assay problems and take corrective actions
• Must be an excellent team player and forward-thinking with exceptional problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication, troubleshooting, and organizational skills

JOB HAZARDS

• This position is subject to working with or have potential for exposure to animal(s) and/or animal material(s)
• This position is subject to working with or have potential for exposure to infectious material, requiring medical clearance and immunizations
• This position is subject to working with or have the potential for exposure to laser emissions, requiring medical clearance
• This position is subject to the environmental conditions such as working outdoors, high humidity areas indoors, dampness and chilling, dry atmospheric conditions, etc. as part of the job

Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) | Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran (M/F/D/V) | Drug Free Workplace (DFW)

#readytowork