Duties

This position serves as a Senior Scientist directing the Preclinical Chemical Biology Program that is located within the Chemical Genomics Branch (CGB), Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation. The Director of the Preclinical Chemical Biology Program will operationalize the use of biologically inspired, engineered assay platforms for therapeutics discovery and development and will advance the development of platform technologies, including material and device design, along with technologies for detection of biological events.This position leads the creation of a broad and comprehensive program to integrate fundamental biological insights with advances in assay platforms and screening technologies to discover and optimize novel investigational agents and therapeutic modalities. The incumbent will operationalize the use of biologically inspired, engineered assay platforms for therapeutics discovery and development, and further advance platform technologies, including material and device design, along with technologies for detection of the biological events being studied.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
• Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment.
• Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
• Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• Position requires Education.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for a Supervisory Biochemist, GS-401-15 position you must meet the following Education Requirements:

A. have completed the requirements for a bachelor's (or graduate) degree in a biological science, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to this position, from an accredited college or university;

OR

B. have a combination of experience and education which includes courses comparable to a major in a biological science, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry or related disciplines appropriate to this position, AND have appropriate experience or additional education which demonstrates similarly appropriate skills or abilities needed to perform the duties of this position.

In addition to meeting the education requirements, you must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: advancing platform technologies that include material and device design along with technologies to detect the biological events being studied, including utilization of model organisms in high throughput screening settings; creating and using genome-edited cellular models tightly coupled with innovative screening platforms, including engineering of new cell lines; applying a broad range of drug discovery approaches, including high-throughput screening, nucleic acid display, constrained peptide libraries, and protein degraders; conceptualizing and creating bioassays to enable the analysis of chemical agents, polypeptides, or nucleic acids to reveal potential drug candidates and investigational tools; interrogating phenotypic assays that can implicate disease-mediating genes and pathways by means of chemical genetics to define drug targets; protein purification and cell line development; creating infrastructures to analyze large data sets derived from a range of experimental platforms, including cheminformatic, proteomic, metabolomic, and genomic data sets.

Ideal Candidate
Although not required, the ideal candidate will possess a strong background in life sciences with experience in preclinical drug development. In addition, the ideal candidate will have demonstrated strategic and tactical capability to operationalize the use of biologically inspired, engineered assay platforms for therapeutics discovery and development, and to further advance platform technologies. The individual will be able to leverage their knowledge of the underlying molecular basis of disease to effectively integrate advances in science and technology and be able to conceptualize and create bioassays to enable the analysis of chemical agents, polypeptides, or nucleic acids to reveal potential drug candidates and investigational tools.

Applicants will possess the communication and people skills to convey progress on the advances in assay platforms and screening technology to discover and optimize novel investigational agents and therapeutic modalities as well as the ability to devise and implement a strategic framework for integrating a range of assay platforms to make the therapeutic development process faster and more efficient. A successful applicant would have experience integrating fundamental biological insights with advances in assay platforms and screening technologies to discover and optimize novel investigational agents and therapeutic modalities.

You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11423752

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades). Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Click here for information on Foreign Education .

Additional information

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

• Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine. Employees providing healthcare or services in support of healthcare (Healthcare Workforce) may be required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine because they are expected to perform duties that put them in contact or potential contact with patients. We may request COVID-19 vaccination, and other vaccination documentation from Healthcare Workforce personnel at any point during the onboarding process or at any time during your employment with NIH.
• This position is designated as a " non-emergency/teleworker " position and the selected candidate will be considered a " non-emergency/teleworker " employee. In the event of a closure, you must be available to telework or request leave.
• A one-year supervisory trial/probationary period may be required upon selection/ placement.
• A one-year probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.
• If selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE Form 450 to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest and your prospective position with the agency. This information is required annually. For information, visit the NIH Ethics website: https://ethics.od.nih.gov/topics/fd.html .
• PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps should also apply online to this announcement in order to receive consideration.
• The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program ( E-Verify ). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
• The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus.
• Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Visit our Applicant FAQs page for helpful information on the application process.
• Visit our Total Compensation page for a detailed look into the benefits, awards, leave, retirement and other incentives employees may receive as part of a rewarding work environment.