Website National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
The Vaccine Research Center (VRC) at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary intramural center for product development-oriented research efforts to rapidly develop and translate biomedical research into new vaccines and therapeutic products. VRC is seeking a chief for its Vaccine Production Program (VPP). The VPP is a unique component of the intramural research program at NIH, serving as the only federally managed cGMP facility in the United States capable of providing clinical material for both early and advanced phases of clinical investigation. The VPP translates materials from the bench into products for proof-of-concept clinical trials and enables rapid development for human trials and commercial licensure by partners. The chief, VPP, position is a senior member of the VRC’s leadership team and is directly responsible for the oversight and management of these translational research and product development processes, advancing benchtop discoveries to investigational biomedical products, which includes design, development, manufacturing, and evaluation of novel vaccines, adjuvants, monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and multispecific antibodies. As part of these responsibilities, the chief, VPP, directs, leads, and controls all activities and output of a government funded and led, contractor leased and operated cGMP production facility, including allocation and monitoring of operational funds and contract management and oversight.
The chief, VPP, is specifically responsible for the following:
- Demonstrating a high level of understanding of all facets of the NIAID/VRC research portfolio (basic, applied, and clinical research) as well as animal model research and preclinical toxicology necessary to develop and advance novel vaccines and monoclonal antibodies
- Providing the VRC director and NIAID leadership with highly complex recommendations regarding timelines for producing clinical products, inclusive of strengths and weaknesses for proposed product platforms and recommending selection and prioritization of proposed clinical products
- Leading and managing the full range of vaccine and product development activities, to include upstream and downstream processes necessary for the development and validation of manufacturing processes, formulation sciences to ensure stability of clinical products, analytical development to evaluate the biological/clinical materials, and scientific operations and data management, site operations, and services
- Ensuring that all aspects of research and development processes meet with the highest regulatory science standards
- Managing and prioritizing the VPP scientific portfolio to maximize NIH/NIAID return on intramural research investment to meet critical public health and national biodefense needs and serving as a national expert on vaccine platform and manufacturing technology research
- Fostering high-profile and high-value collaborations with external partners to advance VRC products into human clinical trials. Collaborators include investigators from public and private sector entities, e.g., pharmaceutical sector; academic centers; the United States Department of Defense, including Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and United States Military HIV Research Program (MHRP); the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASRP); and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). These collaborations are essential to achieving the NIH’s fundamental mission of turning discovery into health.
If you are ready for an exciting leadership opportunity, please see the detailed job announcement at Scientific Careers at NIH for more information about the position and how to apply.
Visit NIAID Careers for more information about working in NIAID’s dynamic atmosphere!
HHS, NIH, and NIAID are equal opportunity employers dedicated to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.