Associate Laboratory Director - MoCha

Job ID: req3890
Employee Type: exempt full-time
Division: Clinical Research Program
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.

Accountability, Compassion, Collaboration, Dedication, Integrity and Versatility; it's the FNL way.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

 The Molecular Characterization Laboratory (MoCha) is part of Leidos Biomedical Research’s Clinical Research Directorate (CRD) at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research. The MoCha Laboratory is responsible for providing high-level research in support of the NCI-Cancer Diagnostics Program (CDP) within the Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD). MoCha is charged with the development and application of genomic assays for use in medical research and diagnostics for DCTD-sponsored national extramural clinical trials.

KEY ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES

The Sr. Principal Scientist/Associate Director will:

• Be responsible for the direct leadership of a team of scientists in the development and application of research and clinical assays
• Lead and take full responsibility for multiple complex programs
• Provide guidance and consultation on problems within the program and where relevant, throughout the facility
• Write assay standard operating procedures (SOPs) and report and publish results
• Ensure work is published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, where appropriate, and for the integrity of the data being presented
• Stay abreast of the latest cutting edge technologies and maintain collaborations with known experts at the national and/or international level
• Recruit staff to ensure the continued success of the program and the accomplishment of defined goals

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

To be considered for this position, you must minimally meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below: 

• Possession of a Doctoral degree (e.g., D.V.M., D.Sc., M.D., or Ph.D.) from an accredited college or university according to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) appropriate to biomedical research. Foreign degrees must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency
• A minimum of twelve (12) years post-graduate experience, including at least five (5) years at a Senior Scientist level
• Five (5) or more years of experience managing complex programs
• Demonstrated skills and understanding of nucleic acid-based assays such as PCR, RT-PCR, next-generation sequencing (Whole Exome and Whole Genome), RNA sequencing, ctDNA-based and other molecular and genomic assay technologies
• Basic understanding of next-generation sequencing data analysis pipelines
• Experience with assay development, validation and trouble-shooting
• Experience with the research, diagnostic and clinical application of assays
• Experience managing groups and complex projects from inception to successful completion
• In-depth knowledge and experience in cancer biology
• Demonstrated ability to work independently on a complex project(s), or development of techniques and procedures
• First or senior authorships on peer-reviewed publications, attendance and presentation at national and international meetings, high citation record
• Experience effectively supervising and motivating staff
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates with these desired skills will be given preferential consideration:

• Clinical trial experience
• Familiarity with drug development processes
• Knowledge covering all aspects of sample handling (sample logging and tracking databases, pre-assay analytics, assay quality assurance and result reporting)
• A solid knowledge of oncology and related biomarkers
• Excellent team player driven to achieve success

JOB HAZARDS

• This position is subject to working with or have potential for exposure to infectious material, requiring medical clearance and immunizations.

Commitment to Diversity
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.
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