FDA Postdoctoral Fellowship in Mechanistic Studies of Male Reproductive Toxicity
Application Deadline
12/1/2026 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description
*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.
FDA Office and Location: A research opportunity is available immediately with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), The National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) located in Jefferson, Arkansas.
The National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR), is the only FDA Center located outside the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. The one-million square foot research campus in Jefferson, Arkansas plays a critical role in the missions of FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services to promote and protect public health.
Research Project: This fellowship is embedded within a multidisciplinary research program at NCTR's Division of Biochemical Toxicology investigating the mechanistic basis of cannabidiol (CBD)-induced male reproductive toxicity in mice, directly supporting FDA's regulatory evaluation of CBD-containing products. You will primarily collect and analyze RNA sequencing data, applying bioinformatics pipelines for differential gene expression and pathway enrichment analysis, and compare the ex-vivo data with existing in-vitro data to investigate cross-platform concordance. In addition, you will collaborate in the generation and analysis of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based internal dosimetry data and contribute to spatial distribution analyses using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-MSI). Throughout the fellowship, you will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of biologists, analytical chemists, pathologists, biostatisticians, and regulatory scientists from CDER, gaining broad exposure to the design and interpretation of in-vivo toxicity studies and mechanistic endpoint integration.
Learning Objectives: You will receive structured training in toxicity and mechanistic study design and the principles and regulatory context of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), a central priority of FDA's Regulatory Science Roadmap. Through collaboration with CDER reviewers, you will gain knowledge of the FDA drug review process and the role that nonclinical data play in this process.
You will present research findings to federal stakeholders, including FDA and NIEHS (the funding agency for this fellowship) and at national scientific conferences and contribute to peer-reviewed manuscripts and scientific reports. You will also gain experience with public data deposition practices that reinforce FDA's commitment to transparency and open science. This fellowship will position you for careers in regulatory toxicology, academic research, or the pharmaceutical industry, while being a part of FDA's mission to protect public health through rigorous, science-driven evaluation of widely used products.
Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Luisa Camacho (Luisa.Camacho@fda.hhs.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: November 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.
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.
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 the one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years, or is anticipated to be received by the appointment start date.
Point of Contact
Eligibility Requirements
- Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or anticipated to be received by 11/1/2026 11:59:00 PM.