September 18, 2023

Wanted: BBCB Program Directors

UPDATE: The positions are now closed.

We’re recruiting accomplished scientists for program officer positions in the Division of Biophysics, Biomedical Technology, and Computational Biosciences (BBCB). The selected candidates will be responsible for scientific and administrative management of a portfolio of research grants, and will stimulate, plan, advise, direct, and evaluate program activities related to their field of expertise.

One program officer position is in the Biophysics Branch, which supports grant portfolios that apply techniques and principles from the physical sciences to investigate structures and structure-function relationships in biology. Successful applicants should have broad knowledge of molecular biophysics theory and techniques. For this specific position, experience in studies of membranes and membrane protein structure, function, and folding is a plus. Potential candidates should send a letter of interest to Paula Flicker.

The second position is in the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Branch, which supports research in biomedical informatics and computational approaches that join biology with the computer sciences, engineering, mathematics, biostatistics, and physics. Applicants should have broad knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas: computational biology, bioinformatics, data science, applied mathematics, and biostatistics. Experience in genomics or -omics data analysis is a plus.

Applicants should have a bachelor’s or graduate/higher-level advanced degree in a biomedical science field related to the work of the positions. Familiarity with NIH extramural funding as an applicant, reviewer, or NIH scientific administrator is a plus, and outstanding written and oral communication skills are essential.

The positions are included in the NIH global recruitment for health scientist administrators. There are two GS-12/13/14 HSA (program officer) vacancy announcements for each position: one for federal employees (candidates with current or former federal employment status) and one for the public (candidates without such status). Be certain to select the appropriate announcement, which opened today (September 18) and will close on September 27.

In preparing an application, the webpage on applying for scientific administration jobs at NIGMS may offer other useful information. You also may find the NIGMS tip sheet for global recruitments helpful. For additional information about these positions, visit our job vacancies webpage to view the announcements. We strongly encourage interested candidates to contact Paula Flicker or Jean Yuan prior to submitting an application through USA Jobs. If you have questions about the recruitment process, contact the NIGMS Workforce Team.

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


About the Authors

A headshot of Jean Yuan

Jean Yuan

Before leaving NIGMS for the NIA, Jean was the chief of the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Branch. She oversaw research and training programs that join computer science, engineering, mathematics, biostatistics, data science, and biophysics with biomedical science.
Generic silhouette of a person.

Paula Flicker

As chief of the Biophysics Branch, Paula oversees research and training programs that apply techniques and principles derived from the physical sciences to examine structures and structure-function relationships in biology. Her training was in structural biology and she was an early adopter of cryo-electron microscopy.