FDA Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Neurotoxicology

A postdoctoral fellowship opportunity is currently available in the Division of Neurotoxicology at the National
Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Jefferson Laboratories
Campus located in Jefferson, Arkansas.

The successful candidate will participate in a multi-disciplinary preclinical project to investigate acute and long term neurocognitive, neurochemical, and histopathological effects of perinatal exposure to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder in pregnant women. While MAT is the recommended clinical approach it is not without risk and data gaps exist regarding long-term effects on offspring. The candidate will engage in neurobehavior and neuromotor testing, protein-based assays, fluorescent and confocal microscopy, and rodent colony management. The appointment is multi-disciplinary and advanced training will be available based on candidate background. The successful candidate will collaborate with FDA investigators at NCTR and with investigators in other FDA centers. During the project, they will be actively encouraged to present the research at internal and external meetings and publish the findings in peer-reviewed journals.

Qualifications
- The qualified candidate should have received a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields (e.g. Neuroscience, Pharmacology/Toxicology, Biomedical Sciences), or be currently pursuing the degree with completion prior to the appointment starting date. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.

Preferred Skills:
- Preferred excellent skills in cellular and molecular biology techniques, e.g., western blot, PCR, ELISA,
HPLC
- Preferred but not required to be familiar or proficient with fluorescent and confocal microscopy techniques.
- Preferred but not required to be familiar or proficient with histological and immunofluorescent staining techniques.
- Basic proficiency with cognitive and motor function tests in rodents and animal colony management
- Basic proficiency with statistical analyses for biological data.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to work within a multi- disciplinary team
- General understanding of opioid neuropharmacology and interest in long-term effects of perinatal opioid exposure and developmental neurotoxicity.

Eligibility Requirements
- Lived in the United States for at least 36 out of the past 60 months. (36 months does not have to be consecutive.)