FDA Postdoctoral Fellowship – Investigating Glycoconjugate Based Vaccines

Organization

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Reference Code

FDA-CBER-2026-0057

How To Apply

To submit your application, scroll to the bottom of this opportunity and click APPLY.

A Complete Application Consists Of

• An application
• Transcripts – Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts
• A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
• One educational or professional recommendation
  
  

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.

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

Application Deadline

6/19/2026 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone

Description

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.
  
  

FDA Office and Location: A research opportunity is currently available with the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in Silver Spring, Maryland.

The Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), a Center within the Food and Drug Administration, is an Agency within the United States Government's Department of Health and Human Services. CBER's mission is to protect and enhance the public health through the regulation of biological and related products including blood, vaccines, allergenics, tissues, and cellular and gene therapies.

Research Project: The Food and Drug Administration Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research is seeking a motivated post-doctoral fellow to join The Division of Bacterial, Parasitic & Allergenic Products Laboratory of Bacterial Polysaccharides, Vaccine Structure Group. The successful candidate will learn from an experienced research team and investigate the structural aspects of glycoconjugate based vaccines.

The Fellowship Will Focus On Mass Spectrometry-based Approaches For Analysis Of Glycoproteins, Other Glycoconjugate Vaccine Antigens, And Related Compounds. Key Mass Spectrometry Driven Processes Investigate

• Glycosylation on the peptide backbone to reveal location, composition, heterogeneity, glycan subclass, site occupancies, and relationship to antigen structure as well as potential targets of human lectin based innate immune factors,
• Structural elements of polysaccharide glycoconjugates such as linkage sites to carrier protein and saccharide heterogeneity at linkage sites, modifications to the polysaccharide backbone, as well as intermediates of the production process.
  
  

These studies facilitate a better understanding of how key structural elements of glycoconjugates impact vaccine performance and interactions at the host-pathogen interface.

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, you will:

• Learn the structural and immunological principles underlying glycoconjugate vaccine design and function.
• Learn mass spectrometry–based workflows for detailed characterization of glycoproteins and glycoconjugate vaccine antigens.
• Learn to analyze glycosylation features, including site location, composition, heterogeneity, glycan subclasses, and site occupancy.
• Learn to characterize structural elements of polysaccharide–protein conjugates, including linkage sites, backbone modifications, and production intermediates.
• Learn to interpret how structural attributes of glycoconjugates influence antigen structure, innate immune interactions, and vaccine performance.
• Learn to apply rigorous analytical and data interpretation skills to support regulatory evaluation of complex vaccine products.
  
  

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is John Cipollo, Ph.D. (John.Cipollo@FDA.hhs.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: September 1, 2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of FDA and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation: The appointment is full time.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Additionally, you will receive a monthly health insurance stipend supplement to offset the cost of required health insurance coverage.

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non-U.S. citizen applicants should refer to the Guidelines for Non-U.S. Citizens Details page of the program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that are acceptable for program participation.

This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and FDA. The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Participants do not become employees of FDA, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits.

Completion of a successful background investigation by the Office of Personnel Management is required for an applicant to be on-boarded at FDA. OPM can complete a background investigation only for individuals, including non-US Citizens, who have resided in the US for a total of three of the past five years.

FDA Ethics Requirements

If an ORISE Fellow, to include their spouse and minor children, reports what is identified as a Significantly Regulated Organization (SRO) or prohibited investment fund financial interest in any amount, or a relationship with an SRO, except for spousal employment with an SRO, and the individual will not voluntarily divest the financial interest or terminate the relationship, then the individual is not placed at FDA. For additional requirements, see FDA Ethics for Nonemployee Scientists.

Education

FDA requires ORISE participants to read and sign their FDA Education and Training Agreement within 30 days of his/her start date, setting forth the conditions and expectations for his/her educational appointment at the agency. This agreement covers such topics as the following:

• 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 their fellowship;
• The fact that research materials and laboratory notebooks are the property of the FDA;
• ORISE fellow’s obligation to protect and not to further disclose or use non-public information.
  
  

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Point of Contact

Ashley

Eligibility Requirements">1 )

• Citizenship: LPR or U.S. Citizen
• Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.
• Discipline(s):
• Chemistry and Materials Sciences ( Show more