PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and operated by Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc. With more than 2,000 employees, the FNLCR is responsible for pursuing translational and applied biomedical research that is unique from academia, the pharmaceutical industry, or other federal contractors. The selected candidate will join the Molecular Pharmacology Branch’s (MPB) laboratory program, located at the NCI-Frederick campus, which is composed of five laboratories seeking to deliver new treatments for recalcitrant, rare, and neglected cancers through the discovery of novel targets and the evaluation of investigational therapeutics and new drug combinations using state-of-the-art approaches.

The Developmental Therapeutics Program (DTP) Cell-based Cancer Screens characterize anticancer activities for a range of novel entities, including synthetics, biologics, and natural products that are submitted by investigators throughout the world. The agents are tested with established cell lines and patient-derived organoids from a wide range of cancer types. The successful candidate will lead the DTP Cell-based Cancer Screens Team by managing daily operations to maintain a high-quality screening service and ensure that timelines and deliverables are met. Success in this role will require the ability to effectively manage a team as well as experience with high-throughput screening, data analysis, and cell culture best practices.

KEY ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead a team of technicians to maintain a high-quality high-throughput screening resource that supports therapeutic development by the National Cancer Institute and extramural community.
• Ensure the integrity, quality, and continued operation of the DTP Cell-based Cancer Screens, including the testing of approved and investigational agents, data quality control and analysis, as well as culturing of cell lines and patient-derived models, including their regular authentication by STR profiling and inventory of seed stocks.
• Fill in for staff, as needed, to maintain the ongoing operations.  
• Work with members of the Target Validation and Screening Laboratory, Organoid Models Laboratory, Translational Support Laboratory, and Clinical Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers Group to interrogate the activities of drugs and drug combinations that might move into preclinical development and DCTD-sponsored clinical trials.
• Contribute to scientific articles and reviews.
• Present data at national and international meetings and conferences.

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BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

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

• Possession of a (CHEA) 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. Foreign degrees will be evaluated for U.S. equivalency.
• In addition to the educational requirements, a minimum of two (2) years of independent and innovative research in the field of cell biology, genetics, biochemistry, chemistry, enzymology, pharmacology, drug discovery or a similar discipline.
• Must be an excellent team player and forward-thinking with exceptional organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Must have the highest integrity and standards for research rigor and reproducibility.
• Must have practical laboratory experience with high-throughput screening.
• Experience with data processing and data analysis along with expertise in interrogating, interpreting, and summarizing large volumes of data by appropriate statistical analytical procedures and reporting practices to provide scientific insight.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, troubleshooting, and organizational skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
  
  

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates with these desired skills will be given preferential consideration:

• Prior industry or biotech experience.
• Expertise in imaging and applying high-resolution imaging and microscopy methodologies to interrogate patient-derived organoids, spheroids, and other 3D culture models. 
• Practical laboratory experience with organoids.
• An individual at this level normally has made contributions by independently producing research work, authoring and/or co-authoring publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and by presenting papers before professional societies