Specialist - Outreach-Fixed Term

Outreach-Fixed Term•East Lansing, MI

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (MSU VDL) seeks a highly motivated Academic Specialist to serve as the NAHLN–NBAF Regional Scientist for Region 3 [Midwest – Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska, Kansas]. This fixed-term post-doctoral position (ends November 2027) is part of a national initiative led by USDA APHIS that embeds scientific leadership across the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) in partnership with the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF). This nationally networked fellowship is designed to develop the next generation of leaders in high consequence animal disease diagnostics, laboratory system coordination and outbreak response. The position integrates applied training in diagnostic assay development and validation, regulatory science and multi-institutional collaboration. The successful candidate will commit 50% effort to the NAHLN-NBAF partnership by leading regional efforts to advance diagnostic innovation, strengthen early detection of emerging animal and zoonotic diseases, and enhance coordination across federal, state, and university laboratories. The remaining 50% will support diagnostic service and translational research activities tailored to the fellow’s expertise and career development goals. This position provides a strong pathway to future leadership roles in diagnostic laboratories, regulatory agencies and national laboratory networks.

Requirements

PhD in microbiology, virology, epidemiology, or related field.
Expertise in infectious diseases or diagnostic laboratory science.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across institutions.

Nice To Haves

Experience with NAHLN, APHIS, or federal/state laboratory systems.
Experience with molecular diagnostics or next-generation sequencing.

Responsibilities

Design, optimize and validate diagnostic assays, aligned with NAHLN and regulatory standards, for emerging and high-consequence animal diseases.
Apply sequencing and bioinformatic approaches to support pathogen detection, characterization and surveillance.
Coordinate scientific activities and communication across NAHLN laboratories, State Animal Health Officials (SAHOs), and Area Veterinarians in Charge (AVICs) in the Midwest region.
Facilitate communication and coordination among NAHLN leadership, partner laboratories and stakeholders, including organizing and hosting quarterly regional meetings.
Assess local, regional, national, and international disease threats to inform preparedness strategies and develop regional risk assessments and response procedures.
Identify gaps in diagnostic capacity and collaborate with other Regional Scientists to implement solutions across the network.
Pursue competitive and cooperative funding opportunities to support initiatives that advance partnership goals.
Collaborate with APHIS, NBAF, and other regional scientists to align national priorities.
Support implementation of new technologies including molecular diagnostics and sequencing approaches.
As needed, conduct laboratory site visits and coordinate in-person partnership meetings.
This position plays a key role in protecting U.S. animal health, food security, and public health by strengthening diagnostic readiness and laboratory coordination.
The Regional Scientist will contribute to a national strategy aimed at early detection and response to emerging and transboundary diseases.