Postdoctoral Research Opportunity in Antimicrobial Resistance

Organization
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Reference Code
BARDA-AB-2018-249-0009
How to Apply

A complete application package consists of:

  • An application
  • Transcript(s) – For this opportunity, an unofficial transcript or copy of the student academic records printed by the applicant or by academic advisors from internal institution systems may be submitted.  Selected candidate must provide proof of completion of the degree before the appointment can start.  Proof must be sent to ORISE directly from the academic institution including graduation date and degree awarded.  All transcripts must be in English or include an official English translation.  Click Here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts.
  • A current resume/CV
  • Two references – While two references are requested, applications will be considered without reference information.  It is preferred that a complete application package contains a minimum of one reference.

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

Application Deadline
10/26/2018 4:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

A research opportunity is available in the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).  BARDA provides an integrated, systematic approach to the advanced research and development of medical countermeasures for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents that threaten the U.S. civilian population.

Antibacterial drugs play a critical role in improving health outcomes in the health care setting while at the same time ensuring the government is able to effectively respond to a mass public health emergency.  The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority’s (BARDA) Antibacterials (AB) Medical Countermeasure (MCM) program was established with the goal of re-vitalizing the antibacterial pipeline by investing in advanced research and development of novel antibacterial drugs. Through the establishment of public - private partnerships, the AB program aims to bolster antibacterial drug development while concurrently providing clinicians additional treatment options for biological threat agents. Each antibiotic supported by the AB program is being developed for both its commercial use of treating community-acquired infections as well as for its use in the treatment or post-exposure prophylaxis of diseases caused by biological threat organisms. This is an exciting opportunity for the participant to be involved with such critical activities to help protect our Nation and work with world renowned pharmaceutical companies and inter-agency partners (CDC, FDA, NIH, NIAID, etc.).  The primary research focus will be on the analysis of antibacterial resistance surveillance data and presentation of the results.

The participant will assist with project modeling the effect of antimicrobial resistance on the ability of the US government to respond to a public health emergency. BARDA is engaged in program management; there will be no bench or wet lab research associated with this position.  While some information on bacterial sensitivity and resistance exists in the published literature, it is sparse, incomplete, and often difficult to gather, sort, and analyze. Industry routinely collects three years of surveillance data as part of their New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA. The information gathered in these reports, not only on the company’s drug of interest but more broadly on comparator drugs, would address the challenges of locating relevant data and provide the US government access to comprehensive and detailed studies that assess antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance against numerous Gram positive and negative bacteria globally.  However, this data needs to be extracted and collated. The participant will assist with mining the surveillance database, collating the data, helping with the modeling effort to use the information to determine antimicrobial resistance during a public health emergency, and ultimately facilitating the publication of the findings. Other opportunities may include providing administrative and technical support to the AB programs portfolio analysis, assisting in the development of relevant policy documents, interacting with product developers, participation in team communications with FDA, drug developers, CROs, and NIH all to ensure progress on the mission of the AB program.

Travel for presentations at conferences/meetings may be required. Training opportunities could include: Contracting Officers Representative (COR) training, Acquisition training, and various drug development courses. 

This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and BARDA. The initial appointment is for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of BARDA and is contingent on the availability of funds. The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience, a monthly health insurance stipend supplement, and a travel allowance. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. The appointment is full-time. Participants do not become employees of HHS, BARDA, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits.

While participants will not enter into an employment relationship with BARDA, this position requires a pre-appointment check and a full background investigation.

This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens only.

Qualifications

The applicant should have a Ph.D. or in the process of pursuing a Ph.D. in biology, microbiology, or molecular biology.  A strong background in microbiology is preferred.

Advantage would be for an applicant with experience in: microbiology, laboratory research, drug discovery and development and/or animal research and experimentation.  Strong oral and written skills will be needed. Critical thinking and data analysis are highly preferred.  Independence, self motivation, and the ability to take initiative would be considered favorable.

Eligibility Requirements
  • Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
  • Degree: Doctoral Degree.
  • Discipline(s):
    • Communications and Graphics Design (2 )
    • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (1 )
    • Life Health and Medical Sciences (9 )