Research Biologist Without Compensation
About the company
The VA Providence Healthcare System is seeking a highly qualified Research Biologist for a Without Compensation (WOC) appointment within the Research and Development Service. The Research Biologist will conduct independent and collaborative biomedical research investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying vascular dysfunction, thrombosis, cancer progression, and other diseases relevant to the health of Veterans. Note: Please note, there is no pay associated with this position.
Your tasks
The Research Biologist serves as an independent biomedical researcher responsible for planning, developing, conducting, and evaluating complex laboratory-based and translational research studies relevant to Veterans. Independently design, develop, conduct, and analyze research projects investigating biological mechanisms involved in vascular injury, endothelial cell dysfunction, thrombosis, cancer progression, and related pathophysiological processes. Investigate cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating platelet activation, platelet-cancer cell interactions, cellular signaling, and vascular responses under normal and pathological conditions through molecular biology instrumentation, microscopy, biochemical assays, and quantitative laboratory data analysis. Apply expertise in nanomedicine, biomaterials, and bioengineered therapeutic platforms to investigate potential strategies for disease detection, prevention, and treatment, specifically in Veteran-centric disease. Investigate mechanisms contributing to cancer-associated thrombosis, circulating tumor cell interactions, tumor cell clustering, and metastatic dissemination through the use of light transmission aggregometry, platelet function instrumentation, microfluidic flow systems, flow cytometry, and nanomaterial characterization equipment.
Requirements
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/05/2026. Education: You must possess a degree from an accredited college or university in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is predominantly sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there will be some walking, standing, bending and carrying of items of moderate weight such as large binders, banker style file boxes, meeting materials, papers, books or small parts. Hand and eye coordination for delicate testing procedures may be the only special physical demand required to perform the work.
PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.
U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).