FDA Research Opportunity - Quality Knowledge Management Throughout The Drug Product Lifecycle

Organization

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Reference Code

FDA-CDER-2026-0098

How To Apply

To submit your application, scroll to the bottom of this opportunity and click APPLY.

A Complete Application Consists Of

• An application
• Transcripts – Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts
• A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
• One educational or professional recommendation
  
  

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.

If you have questions, send an email to ORISE.FDA.CDER@orau.org. Please include the reference code for this opportunity in your email.

Application Deadline

6/19/2026 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone

Description

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.
  
  

FDA Office and Location: A research opportunity is available within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), located at Silver Spring, Maryland.

The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) performs an essential public health task by making sure that safe and effective drugs are available to improve the health of people in the United States. As part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CDER regulates over-the-counter and prescription drugs, including biological therapeutics and generic drugs. This effort covers more than just medicines.

Research Project: This project is in the Office of Product Quality I (OPQA I), Office of Pharmaceutical Quality (OPQ). This project will assure drug product quality during the lifecycle of both brand name and generic drug products. OPQ/OPQA I recognizes that currently a great amount of regulatory knowledge has been accumulated during the review of New Drug Applications (NDA) and Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDA). However, it is still a paramount challenge to easily share such knowledge to guide the assessment of other NDAs since such a knowledge base is dispersed and “hidden” in different parts of the Agency.

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of the mentor, you will receive training in pharmaceutical science, laws and regulations related to pharmaceutical quality, lifecycle management of drug products, and data analytics and modeling to support regulatory decision making. You will acquire the above mentioned through direct interactions with subject matter experts and hand-on training in assessing and evaluating product quality related information using scientific computing tools.

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Fang Yuan (Fang.Yuan@fda.hhs.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: May 2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of FDA and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation: The appointment is full time.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience.

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non-U.S. citizen applicants should refer to the Guidelines for Non-U.S. Citizens Details page of the program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that are acceptable for program participation.

This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and FDA. The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Participants do not become employees of FDA, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits.

Completion of a successful background investigation by the Office of Personnel Management is required for an applicant to be on-boarded at FDA. OPM can complete a background investigation only for individuals, including non-US Citizens, who have resided in the US for a total of three of the past five years.

FDA Ethics Requirements

If an ORISE Fellow, to include their spouse and minor children, reports what is identified as a Significantly Regulated Organization (SRO) or prohibited investment fund financial interest in any amount, or a relationship with an SRO, except for spousal employment with an SRO, and the individual will not voluntarily divest the financial interest or terminate the relationship, then the individual is not placed at FDA. For additional requirements, see FDA Ethics for Nonemployee Scientists.

Education

FDA requires ORISE participants to read and sign their FDA Education and Training Agreement within 30 days of his/her start date, setting forth the conditions and expectations for his/her educational appointment at the agency. This agreement covers such topics as the following:

• Non-employee nature of the ORISE appointment;
• Prohibition on ORISE Fellows performing inherently governmental functions;
• Obligation of ORISE Fellows to convey all necessary rights to the FDA regarding intellectual property conceived or first reduced to practice during their fellowship;
• The fact that research materials and laboratory notebooks are the property of the FDA;
• ORISE fellow’s obligation to protect and not to further disclose or use non-public information.
  
  

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received a bachelors, masters, doctorate in one of the relevant fields (pharmacy, chemistry, pharmaceutical science, data analytics and informatics, data science, software engineering, and computer science). Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Point of Contact

Ashley

Eligibility Requirements">12 )

• Degree: Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, or Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 month(s).
• Discipline(s):
• Chemistry and Materials Sciences (<a href="#" data-bs-toggle="popover" tabindex="0" role="button" data-bs-title="Chemistry and Materials Sciences" data-bs-content="
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Bio-inorganic Chemistry
  • Bio-organic Chemistry
  • Biophysical Chemistry
  • Chemistry (General)
  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry
  • Materials Sciences
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Physical Chemistry
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Theoretical Chemistry
• Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (4 )
  
  
  • Engineering (3 )
    
    
    • Life Health and Medical Sciences (51 )
      
      Affirmation
      
      I am a U.S. citizen; or I have lived in the United States for at least 36 out of the past 60 months. (36 months do not have to be consecutive.)
      
      AND
      
      I have read the FDA Ethics Requirements.
      

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