FDA Postdoctoral Fellowship – Investigating Glycoconjugate Based Vaccines

About the role

The FDA Office and Location: A research opportunity is currently available with the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Research Project

The Food and Drug Administration Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research is seeking a motivated post-doctoral fellow to join The Division of Bacterial, Parasitic & Allergenic Products Laboratory of Bacterial Polysaccharides, Vaccine Structure Group. The successful candidate will learn from an experienced research team and investigate the structural aspects of glycoconjugate based vaccines.

The fellowship will focus on mass spectrometry-based approaches for analysis of glycoproteins, other glycoconjugate vaccine antigens, and related compounds. Key mass spectrometry driven processes investigate:

• Glycosylation on the peptide backbone to reveal location, composition, heterogeneity, glycan subclass, site occupancies, and relationship to antigen structure as well as potential targets of human lectin based innate immune factors,
• Structural elements of polysaccharide glycoconjugates such as linkage sites to carrier protein and saccharide heterogeneity at linkage sites, modifications to the polysaccharide backbone, as well as intermediates of the production process.

These studies facilitate a better understanding of how key structural elements of glycoconjugates impact vaccine performance and interactions at the host-pathogen interface.

Learning Objectives

• Learn the structural and immunological principles underlying glycoconjugate vaccine design and function.
• Learn mass spectrometry–based workflows for detailed characterization of glycoproteins and glycoconjugate vaccine antigens.
• Learn to analyze glycosylation features, including site location, composition, heterogeneity, glycan subclasses, and site occupancy.
• Learn to characterize structural elements of polysaccharide–protein conjugates, including linkage sites, backbone modifications, and production intermediates.
• Learn to interpret how structural attributes of glycoconjugates influence antigen structure, innate immune interactions, and vaccine performance.
• Learn to apply rigorous analytical and data interpretation skills to support regulatory evaluation of complex vaccine products.

Mentor

The mentor for this opportunity is John Cipollo, Ph.D. (John.Cipollo@FDA.hhs.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date

September 1, 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. Additionally, you will receive a monthly health insurance stipend supplement to offset the cost of required health insurance coverage.

Citizenship Requirements

This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR) only.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years.

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.