Job Description

The mission of FDA HFP is to assure the safety and wholesomeness of regulated foods and related products. DSST laboratories provide scientific support for Agency policy, regulation, compliance programs, research, and outbreak investigations related to seafood safety. The DFPST Proficiency Testing (PT) Laboratory, accredited under ISO/IEC 17043, serves as an FDA-designated Proficiency Test Provider supporting analytical capability and capacity across FDA, state, and local public health laboratories. The PT Laboratory conducts proficiency testing exercises and supports validation and verification of microbiological and chemical analytical methods through inter-laboratory studies and comparison exercises

Requirements
Researcher I - Proficiency Testing and Method Validation

Compare and apply FDA and other recognized analytical methods, including aseptic cultural techniques, PCR/dPCR, WGS, MALDI-TOF, immunoassays, biosensors, GC-MS, LC-MS, ICP-OES/ICP-MS,spectroscopy, chromatography, and immunochemistry, as applicable.
Perform laboratory-scale homogeneity and stability studies involving pathogenic organisms, chemical contaminants, or biothreat agents in food matrices.
Prepare and distribute uniform, homogeneous, and stable food samples containing target pathogens or chemical contaminants to laboratory networks in accordance with approved study designs.
Collect, analyze, and summarize inter-laboratory data and detailed method parameters in accordance with applicable ISO 17043, ISO 13528, and ISO 5725 standards.
Prepare proficiency testing reports, manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication, and posters or presentations for scientific conferences.
Coordinate and oversee applicable laboratory operations and work conducted with Illinois Institute of Technology graduate students.

Location: Onsite (Laurel, MD)

Benefits
PPO/HMO Health Plan (includes medical, dental, and vision)
401K Retirement Plan
Paid Time Off (PTO)