Senior Scientist — Advanced Human Model Systems

Position: 12-month contract, with potential to convert to a permanent role;
On-site, Baltimore, MD

Anticipated start date: September 1, 2026

Expected salary range: $145,000–$175,000, commensurate with experience

The National Center to Accelerate Cures (NCAC) is an independent nonprofit institute dedicated to accelerating the regulatory acceptance and commercial adoption of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). NCAC works with technology developers, regulators, industry and academic partners to generate the evidence needed to validate promising NAMs for regulatory decision-making. In its first year, NCAC will validate its first NAMs, establish shared standards for the field, and build the data infrastructure needed to support regulatory review at scale.

Serve as NCAC's technical expert in advanced human biological model systems, ensuring externally developed NAMs can be robustly implemented, standardized and operated within NCAC validation workflows.

• Implement organoids, organ-on-chip and other advanced models from external developers.
• Establish reproducible in-house workflows while preserving developer methodologies.
• Troubleshoot diverse model systems.
• Benchmark model performance.
• Develop SOPs and train staff.

• PhD with typically 4+ years relevant experience.
• Hands-on experience across multiple advanced model systems.
• Experience implementing technologies from external collaborators.
• Strong troubleshooting skills.

• Quality systems and documentation.
• Workflow standardization.
• Commercial platform experience.

Successful candidates will have experience working within structured scientific environments where reproducibility, standardized workflows, traceability, data integrity, and documentation are essential. Experience with SOP development, GLP/GCLP/GMP or comparable quality systems, validation studies, and audit-ready documentation is highly valued.

As NCAC establishes its laboratory infrastructure, you will lead implementation of the institute's advanced biological model capabilities.

• Assist with laboratory design, equipment selection, and setup to support advanced human in vitro model systems.
• Establish standardized workflows for cell culture, organoid, and organ-on-chip systems expected to support NCAC's first validation studies.
• Work closely with NAM developers to understand technical requirements and ensure successful implementation of externally developed model systems.
• Develop laboratory SOPs for culture, maintenance, operation, and quality control of advanced biological models.
• Lead procurement of biological materials, culture reagents, consumables, and model-specific supplies.
• Execute initial culture optimization and control experiments to establish robust, reproducible laboratory workflows.

• Establish multiple external NAM platforms.
• Become NCAC's technical implementation expert.
• Standardize workflows and training.
• Support reproducible validation studies.