Post Doctoral Fellow, Stem Cell Lab (IPSC)

BioSpace; Frederick (MD); On-site; USD 53,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc. in Frederick, MD is seeking a highly qualified scientist to lead intrinsic stem cell and organoid research within the LASP of the NIH SOM Initiative.

The role focuses on iPSC-derived models, metabolic regulation, and integration of multi-omics data to advance regenerative medicine and disease modeling. The successful candidate will design and optimize iPSC reprogramming, organoid culture, and metabolic profiling assays, collaborate across NIH teams, publish

Qualifications

• PhD from an accredited college or university; foreign degrees evaluated for U.S. equivalency.
• No work experience required with a doctorate.
• Experience in mammalian cell culture and aseptic technique.
• Demonstrated experience designing and independently executing scientific research projects.
• Experience with molecular and cellular biology techniques.
• Evidence of scientific productivity through peer‑reviewed publications.
• Must possess basic Microsoft Office skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Design and independently conduct innovative research investigating metabolic regulation of human stem cell fate using iPSC-derived models.
• Develop, optimize, and characterize human iPSC reprogramming, maintenance, genome editing, directed differentiation, and organoid culture systems.
• Design and implement metabolic profiling approaches, including mitochondrial functional assays, extracellular flux analysis, metabolomics, stable isotope tracing, and complementary molecular and cellular approaches.
• Integrate transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, imaging, and functional datasets to identify pathways governing stem cell fate and tissue maturation.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary investigators across the NIH SOM Initiative to develop reproducible, scalable, and physiologically relevant stem cell and organoid platforms.
• Publish research findings in peer‑reviewed journals and present results at national and international scientific meetings.
• Contribute to grant applications, technical reports, manuscripts, and collaborative research initiatives.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of new experimental approaches and technologies.

Skills

Mammalian cell culture

Aseptic technique

Research design

Molecular biology

Cell biology techniques

Peer‑reviewed publications

Microsoft Office

Security clearance

Education

PhD/Doctorate

Tools

CRISPR/Cas9

Seahorse XF

Metabolomics platforms

Organoid culture systems

Flow cytometry

High-content imaging

Job description

Job ID: req4665

Employee Type: nonexempt full-time

Division: Laboratory Animal Science Program

Facility: Frederick: Ft Detrick

Location: PO Box B, Frederick, MD 21702 USA

The Frederick National Laboratory is operated by Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc. The lab addresses some of the most urgent and intractable problems in the biomedical sciences in cancer and AIDS, drug development and first-in-human clinical trials, applications of nanotechnology in medicine, and rapid response to emerging threats of infectious diseases.

Accountability, Compassion, Collaboration, Dedication, Integrity and Versatility; it's the FNL way.

Program Description

The Laboratory & Animal Sciences Program (LASP) provides exceptional quality animal care and technical support services for laboratory and animal research performed at the National Cancer Institute at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research. LASP executes this mission by providing a broad spectrum of husbandry, veterinary, state-of-the‑art technology, and pre‑clinical scientific services. LASP also provides primary support to the NIH Standardized Organoid Modeling (SOM) Initiative to address the need for validated, scalable, and reproducible organoid-based Novel Alternative Methods (NAMs) in biomedical research. Our team provides technical infrastructure, operational integration, and specialized expertise to drive the development and optimization of organoid models of normal (non‑cancerous) human tissues derived from a wide range of tissue types and donor sources.

Key Roles/Responsibilities

• Design and independently conduct innovative research investigating the metabolic regulation of human stem cell fate, lineage specification, differentiation, and tissue maturation using human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived models.
• Develop, optimize, and characterize human iPSC reprogramming, maintenance, genome editing, directed differentiation, and organoid culture systems for applications in regenerative medicine and disease modeling.
• Design and implement metabolic profiling approaches, including mitochondrial functional assays, extracellular flux analysis, metabolomics, stable isotope tracing, and complementary molecular and cellular approaches to define mechanisms regulating stem cell biology.
• Integrate transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, imaging, and functional datasets to identify pathways governing stem cell fate and tissue maturation.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary investigators across the NIH Standardized Organoid Modeling (SOM) Initiative to develop reproducible, scalable, and physiologically relevant stem cell and organoid platforms.
• Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present results at national and international scientific meetings.
• Contribute to grant applications, technical reports, manuscripts, and collaborative research initiatives.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of new experimental approaches and technologies that advance the mission of the Stem Cell Laboratory and the SOM Initiative.

Basic Qualifications

To be considered for this position, you must minimally meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below:

• Possession of a doctorate degree from an accredited college or university according to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Foreign degrees must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency.
• No Work Experience Required With a Doctorate Degree.
• Experience in mammalian cell culture and aseptic technique.
• Demonstrated experience designing and independently executing scientific research projects.
• Experience with molecular and cellular biology techniques.
• Evidence of scientific productivity through peer-reviewed publications.
• Must possess basic Microsoft Office skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with human iPSC reprogramming, culture, characterization, genome editing, and directed differentiation.
• Experience with organoid culture and advanced 3D cell culture systems.
• Research experience in stem cell metabolism, mitochondrial biology, bioenergetics, or metabolic regulation of cell fate.
• Experience with Seahorse extracellular flux analysis, metabolomics, stable isotope tracing, mitochondrial functional assays, or other metabolic phenotyping approaches.
• Experience with CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering.
• Experience with single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, epigenomics, or other multi-omics approaches.
• Experience with computational analysis of transcriptomic or metabolomic datasets (R, Python, or similar).
• Experience with advanced microscopy, flow cytometry, or high‑content imaging.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary collaborative research teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Job Hazards

• This position is subject to working with or has the potential for exposure to animals(s) and/or animal material(s).
• This position is subject to working with or has the potential for exposure to infectious material, requiring medical clearance and immunizations.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, color, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available here

52,900.00 - 75,863.00 USD

The posted pay range for this job is a general guideline and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include, but are not limited to, responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as internal equity, and alignment with market data.

The salary range posted is a full-time equivalent salary and will vary depending on scheduled hours for part time positions