FDA Postdoctoral Fellowship - Hepatotoxicity Approach Methodologies

Description

The National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR), part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, offers a research opportunity in Jefferson, Arkansas. The one‑million square foot campus supports the agency’s mission to protect and promote public health.

You will contribute to a project that investigates the performance of established and emerging liver toxicity biomarkers in two New Approach Methodology (NAM) platforms, including liver microtissues and liver‑on‑a‑chip systems. The goal is to develop translational biomarkers that can be reliably measured in NAMs to predict chemical‑induced liver toxicity in humans. Your responsibilities will include experimental design; evaluating the toxicity of selected chemicals in NAM models;

drafting technical reports, meeting abstracts and manuscripts; and gaining experience conducting research within a regulatory agency.

You will be trained to culture primary human liver cells using NAM platforms; treat cells with chemicals at human‑relevant concentrations; and assess liver toxicity using biochemical assays of enzyme activities. You will have opportunities to communicate research outcomes with regulatory agency staff and to learn about the processes and pathways for biomarker and NAM qualification. Through this experience you will develop skills necessary to become an independent investigator in regulatory agencies, industry or academia.

The mentor for this opportunity is Qiang Shi (Qiang.Shi.gov).

• Start date: November 2, 2026 (flexible)
• Initial length: two years, with possible renewal contingent on mandate and funding
• Participation level: full time
• Stipend: monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience
• Health insurance: proof required

This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non‑U.S. citizens must meet immigration status requirements and reside in the U.S. for at least three of the past five years to qualify for the OPM background investigation.

Completion of a successful background investigation by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is required before onboarding at FDA.

ORISE Fellows, including spouses and minor children, who maintain a significantly regulated organization (SRO) or prohibited investment fund financial interest, or a relationship with an SRO (except for spousal employment with an SRO), must voluntarily divest or terminate that relationship. Fellows who do not comply are not placed  FDA Ethics for Non‑employee Scientists for additional requirements.

• 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 the fellowship
• Research materials and laboratory notebooks are property of the FDA
• ORISE Fellows’ obligation to protect and not further disclose or use non‑public information

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a doctoral degree in one of the following fields:

• Chemistry and Materials Sciences
• Communications and Graphics Design
• Computer, Information, and Data Sciences
• Earth and Geosciences
• Engineering
• Environmental and Marine Sciences
• Life Health and Medical Sciences
• Mathematics and Statistics
• Physics
• Science & Engineering‑related
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

I am a U.S. citizen, or I have lived in the United States for at least 36 out of the past 60 months. I have read the FDA Ethics Requirements.

Ashley