Category: Job Announcements

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Wanted: NIGMS Program Directors, Scientific Review Officer

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NIGMS is looking for three program directors to manage a variety of research and training grants, and we’re also recruiting a scientific review officer to handle the peer review of grant applications.

The Division of Biomedical Technology, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology has vacancies in both of its branches: Biomedical Technology (BT) and Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (BCB). Candidates for the BT position should have experience in developing or using advanced technologies for biomedical research in areas such as spectroscopy, microscopy, molecular or biophysical technologies, computational biology or informatics. For BCB, we’re seeking someone with expertise in computational biology, bioinformatics, biostatistics, health informatics and data science for biomedical research. We prefer candidates with a broad background in the application of computation for solving biological problems or expertise in two or more of the areas listed above.

The Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity has a program director vacancy in its Postdoctoral Training Branch. Candidates should have knowledge of and/or experience in understanding, planning and managing research/student research development program(s) at the postdoctoral or early stage investigator career level, including those targeted to groups that are underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral sciences. Candidates also should have expertise in innovations for teaching in STEM fields as well as research experience in other scientific areas within the NIGMS mission.

Finally, we are seeking a scientific review officer to oversee the peer review of applications for a broad range of research and training programs, including programs aimed at capacity building and at increasing the diversity of the scientific workforce. We particularly seek someone with expertise in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, computational biology, genetics and/or the pharmacological sciences to join our interactive scientific review team, although the position involves setting up and managing review groups across the range of biomedical and behavioral fields that NIGMS supports.

For all positions, candidates should have leadership, managerial, organizational, and strong oral and written communication skills. Familiarity with NIH extramural funding as a grant applicant, reviewer or NIH scientific administrator is a plus.

The vacancy announcements for these positions close on Monday, September 29. Please see the NIH HSA Web site for position requirements and application procedures. The Applying for Scientific Administration Jobs at NIGMS and Scientific Careers in the Federal Government blog posts offer additional background and tips.

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Wanted: NIH and NIGMS Training and Research Workforce Leaders

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Although this blog doesn’t usually announce job openings outside NIGMS, I want to make an exception for an important one at NIH that is very relevant to many of our programs and interests. I’m chairing the search committee for NIH’s chief officer for biomedical research workforce, who will also serve as director of the Division of Biomedical Research Workforce in the NIH Office of Extramural Research. The deadline for applying is September 15.

The NIH biomedical research workforce chief and staff will work with the institutes and centers on research training, career development and other activities to address biomedical workforce needs. We expect there to be particularly close interactions with the director and staff of the NIGMS Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity due to the leading role we play in these areas at NIH on both the policy and implementation fronts. As Cathy Lewis posted previously, we’re actively recruiting for this key position at NIGMS and will accept applications through August 31.

For more on the NIH position’s scope and context, which includes using workforce analyses in policy development, see a new blog post by OER’s Sally Rockey on NIH’s progress in meeting biomedical research workforce goals.

I encourage you to share information about both of these critical positions with anyone you think might be interested in applying.

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Wanted: Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity Division Director

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Search Committee Members:

Howard Garrison, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

Gary Gibbons, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Co-chair

Carlos Gutierrez, California State University, Los Angeles

Catherine Lewis, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Co-chair

Hannah Valantine, Office of the Director, NIH

Dorit Zuk, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences

NIGMS plays a major role in supporting research training, career development, diversity and capacity-building activities that foster a strong and diverse research workforce. The Institute’s Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity (TWD) coordinates these efforts. TWD also serves as a focal point for similar activities across NIH and among other federal and non-federal agencies and organizations.

The search is now open for an outstanding individual to serve as director of the TWD Division. This position offers important and unique opportunities to set new directions and shape new strategies, including optimizing training models to best address scientific and workforce needs.

Candidates must have an M.D., Ph.D. or equivalent degree in a field relevant to the position. The ideal candidate will have a broad spectrum of scientific knowledge in fields related to the NIGMS mission and considerable experience in research, research training and activities aimed at developing a diverse biomedical and behavioral research workforce. Beyond that, we’re looking for someone who has vision, is innovative, and has exceptional leadership, management, strategic and collaborative skills; experience leading change; and an interest in testing ideas and approaches experimentally.

For additional information and application instructions, please see the vacancy announcement (no longer available). Applications will be accepted from June 1, 2014, to July 15, 2014.

As chair of the search committee for the division’s director, I ask for your help in identifying candidates for this crucial position and in sharing this information with others who might be interested.

UPDATE: This vacancy listing has been extended to August 31, 2014.

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Wanted: Program Directors to Manage Grants in Developmental and Cellular Processes, Research/Student Research Development Programs

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NIGMS is still looking for two program directors (also known as “health scientist administrators (HSA)/program officers”) to manage research grants and/or student research development program(s).

One position is in our Developmental and Cellular Processes Branch of the Division of Genetics and Developmental Biology. This branch supports research on the genetic and biochemical pathways that cells utilize in development and in normal physiological processes. Candidates should have expertise in the use of state-of-the-art molecular genetics and/or genomics-based approaches to address questions in these scientific areas.

The other position is in the Postdoctoral Training Branch of the Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity. This branch supports research training, fellowship and career development programs for postdoctoral scientists. Candidates should have knowledge of and/or experience in understanding, planning and managing research/student research development program(s) at the postdoctoral or early stage investigator career level, including those targeted to groups that are underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral sciences. Candidates with expertise in innovations for teaching in STEM fields as well as research experience in other scientific areas within the NIGMS mission are also encouraged to apply.

For both positions, candidates should have leadership and strong oral and written communication skills. Familiarity with NIH extramural funding as a grant applicant, reviewer or NIH scientific administrator is preferred.

Vacancy announcements typically are open for 5 calendar days. We expect this one to open tomorrow and close at midnight on Tuesday, May 13, 2014. Please see the NIH HSA Web site for position requirements and application procedures. The Applying for Scientific Administration Jobs at NIGMS blog post offers additional background and tips.

Editor’s note: The announcement for candidates with current or former federal employment status is posted at https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/369761700 (no longer available) and closes on May 22. The one for candidates without such status is posted at https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/370019300 (no longer available) and closes on May 24.

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Wanted: NIGMS Deputy Director

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We have just launched the search for a critically important position on our leadership team: the NIGMS deputy director.

This person will assist me in managing the Institute, advise on a range of topics and handle special projects. He or she will also work closely with groups within and outside NIH and will represent us on various Federal and non-Federal scientific and professional committees.

We’re looking for someone with a distinguished record of leadership and scientific administration who has expertise in our mission areas, a deep understanding of biomedical research and knowledge of the grant process. The job also calls for strategic vision, innovative thinking, energy and enthusiasm!

It’s an exciting time to be a part of the NIGMS team and play a key role in our efforts to bolster the biomedical research enterprise. For more about the qualification requirements and application steps, see the vacancy announcement. The deadline for applying is May 27. Questions about the position should be directed to Mariela Light at 301-496-9788.

I encourage you to share this information with others who might be interested.

UPDATE: This vacancy listing has been extended to June 30, 2014.

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Wanted: Program Directors to Manage Grants in Developmental and Cellular Processes, Research/Student Research Development Programs

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NIGMS is looking for two program directors (also known as “health scientist administrators/program officers”) to manage research grants and/or student research development program(s).

One position is in our Developmental and Cellular Processes Branch of the Division of Genetics and Developmental Biology. This branch supports research on the genetic and biochemical pathways that cells utilize in development and in normal physiological processes. Candidates should have expertise in the use of state-of-the-art molecular genetics and/or genomics-based approaches to address questions in these scientific areas.

The other position is in the Postdoctoral Training Branch of the Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity. This branch supports research training, fellowship and career development programs for postdoctoral scientists. Candidates should have knowledge of and/or experience in understanding, planning and managing research/student research development program(s) at the postdoctoral or early stage investigator career level, including those targeted to groups that are underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral sciences. Candidates also should have expertise in innovations for teaching in STEM fields as well as research experience in other scientific areas within the NIGMS mission.

For both positions, candidates should have leadership, managerial, and strong oral and written communication skills. Familiarity with NIH extramural funding as a grant applicant, reviewer or NIH scientific administrator is a plus.

Vacancy announcements typically are open for only a very short time, and this one closes soon—Sunday, February 23. Please see the NIH HSA Web site for position requirements and application procedures. The Applying for Scientific Administration Jobs at NIGMS blog post offers additional background and tips.

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Scientific Careers in the Federal Government

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Broadening the definition of a “successful scientific career” is a key theme of the NIGMS training strategic plan as well as the NIH Biomedical Workforce Working Group Report.

To help graduate students, postdocs and even faculty become more familiar with the range of opportunities available to those trained for research, I participated in a 2013 ASCB meeting panel discussion with ASCB Executive Director Dr. Stefano Bertuzzi about science careers outside academia. We had a lively Q&A session about our reasons for leaving bench science, how our previous experiences have helped us in our current positions, and what one needs to do to prepare for careers in science policy and research administration.

Not too long ago, some might have considered me a science “dropout” because I left academia for federal work as a program director. I may no longer have my own lab, but I think about science every day and help researchers obtain funding for their work. I’m happy that I made the transition.

If you’re considering a science administration career in the federal government, here are a few tips to help you find available opportunities.

Job vacancies for individuals at all career stages are posted on USAJOBS.gov. The Overview section of each announcement will tell you how many vacancies the job announcement intends to fill. Without going too far into the minutiae, the site has an advanced search feature that lets you find open positions by salary, location, keyword and more. One search field is Occupational Series. The series that may be of most interest to Feedback Loop readers are 0601 – General Health Science, which includes most scientific administration jobs at NIH, and 0401 – General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences, which includes science administration jobs at NSF. Both the 0601 and 0401 job “families” include bench science positions, as well.

As of today, the 0601 and 0401 series offered more than 80 open positions. While not all of the jobs may be relevant to you, this gives you an idea of the scope of the federal science and health mission.

Last year, Mitzi Kosciulek of NIH’s Office of Human Resources wrote about applying for scientific administration jobs at NIGMS. Some of the general principles she outlined are applicable to any federal job search. For example, as part of an effort to speed the hiring process, many USAJOBS postings are open for only 5 days. For that reason, consider creating a profile, building a resume in the system and uploading your academic transcripts so you’re ready to roll when the right job opportunity presents itself. Once you have a profile, you can save your most pertinent search specifications and then ask the system to send you new “hits” by e-mail.

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Wanted: Biomedical Technology; Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Branch Chiefs

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We’re recruiting for two outstanding individuals to serve as branch chiefs within our Division of Biomedical Technology, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology (BBCB), where they will oversee the scientific and administrative management of either the Biomedical Technology Branch or the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Branch. In addition, they will be responsible for advising, directing and evaluating program activities for a portfolio of research grants in one of the branch areas.

The vacancy announcement, which includes detailed descriptions of the job requirements and application procedures, is scheduled to post this weekend on USAJOBS.gov and remain open for a short period. We’ll update this post early next week with a link to the announcement and the closing date. In preparing an application, Applying for Scientific Administration Jobs at NIGMS may offer other useful information.

Now is a particularly exciting time for the division. In previous posts, I’ve talked about our efforts in big data and open science. But these are just two areas of BBCB interest. The main focus of the Biomedical Technology Branch is supporting the research and development of new or improved instruments, methods and approaches that have broad application to biomedical research. The Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Branch is primarily focused on funding basic biomedical research that leads to an integrative understanding of biomedical systems, as well as funding research to create or maintain databases and to develop methods to manage, visualize and analyze data.

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Judith Greenberg Named Acting Deputy Director of NIGMS

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Photo of Dr. Judith GreenbergI am pleased to tell you that Judith Greenberg has agreed to serve as acting deputy director of NIGMS while a search for a permanent deputy director takes place. A news announcement on her appointment is posted at http://www.nigms.nih.gov/News/Results/pages/
20131024a.aspx.

As most of you know, Judith has served in numerous leadership roles at NIGMS and NIH, including two stints as NIGMS acting director.

In her new role, Judith will provide advice and expertise on all Institute activities. She will also continue to serve as director of the Division of Genetics and Developmental Biology, a position she has held since 1988.

Once the job announcement for a permanent deputy director is posted, I will be sure to alert you via this blog.

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Wanted: Program Director for Cellular Decision Processes Grants

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We’re looking for a program director (also known as a “health scientist administrator/program officer”) to manage research grants and other types of awards focused on cellular decision processes, e.g., growth initiation, proliferation, cell senescence, terminal differentiation, sporulation and chemotaxis regulation. The position is in the Developmental and Cellular Processes Branch of our Division of Genetics and Developmental Biology.

Candidates should have expertise in the use of state-of-the-art molecular genetics and/or genomics-based approaches to elucidate mechanistic aspects of cell growth and differentiation, signaling pathway dynamics or related areas. Familiarity with NIH extramural funding as an applicant, reviewer or NIH scientific administrator is a plus, and outstanding communications skills are essential.

The vacancy announcement closes on April 30. Please see the NIH HSA Web site for position requirements and application procedures. The Applying for Scientific Administration Jobs at NIGMS blog post offers additional background and tips.

Not looking for a position right now? Please help us out by forwarding this information to others who might be interested in this opportunity.