A research fellowship (8-months) for a motivated and independent individual is currently available at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA), Winchester Engineering and Analytical Center (WEAC) located in Winchester, Massachusetts. The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA), Winchester Engineering and Analytical Center (WEAC) in collaboration with the Center for Disease Control (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is evaluating personal protective equipment (PPE) fabric for penetration by simulated respiratory emission to enhance the robustness of PPE design and testing and potentially improve the safety for healthcare workers and the public during outbreaks of respiratory illnesses. We are seeking a highly motivated recent graduate with a strong background in material science, engineering, infectious diseases, or closely related disciplines to be part of this highly interdisciplinary research project.
The project aims to evaluate PPE Fabrics for barrier performance against penetration by respiratory droplets bearing noninfectious Covid-19-Virus-like-particles in a simulated laboratory environment. This project will lay the essential groundwork for mitigating future risks by preparing the public health agencies to better evaluate PPE effectively and adequately.
The successful candidate will be responsible for evaluating various PPE fabrics for their resistance to penetration of simulated respiratory droplets bearing noninfectious COVID-19-virus-like particles generated via a cough-and-sneeze simulator, then compare the barrier performance of PPE fabrics exposed to the cough-and-sneeze simulator with other standard test methods.
Specific tasks include, but are not limited to:
-Prepare, optimize, and characterize COVID-19-virus-like particles containing respiratory droplets in terms of size distribution/zeta potential/surface charge measurements using scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering.
-Projectile testing of respiratory fluids using a cough-and-sneeze simulator.
-Test the resistance of PPE fabrics against respiratory droplets containing COVID-19-virus-like-particles and determine the detection efficiency.
-Evaluate barrier performance of PPE fabrics exposed to respiratory droplets with other standard test methods.
This appointment provides the selected research fellow with an excellent opportunity to:
-Collaborate with FDA scientists in diverse research laboratories throughout the project.
-Learn about FDA regulatory processes and gain an understanding of the current regulatory requirements for evaluating PPE.
-Present research finding at various national and/or international scientific meetings.
-Author peer-reviewed journal articles and contribute to grant proposals.
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: August 1st, 2024, start date is flexible.
Qualifications
The qualified candidate should have received a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields (Material Science, Engineering, Microbiology, Infectious Diseases). Degree must have been received within the past five years.
Preferred skills:
-A strong background in nanoparticle characterization techniques, scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, programming in MATLAB or R
-Capable of designing and optimizing protocols and executing experiments as well as troubleshoot problems independently.
-Ability to organize well and adhere to deadlines when delivering results.
-Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to convey ideas and concepts to non-scientific audiences.
Please submit your resume and a cover letter to jayaleka.amarasinghe@fda.hhs.gov.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $60,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person