Title 21 Vacancy Announcement

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER)

Office of Blood Research and Review (OBRR)

Immediate Office (IO)

Application Period: January 24, 2024 – February 6, 2024

Area of Consideration: The Public

United States Citizenship is required. You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. Foreign nationals or 

legal permanent residents are not eligible for consideration.

Position: Deputy Office Director Series: 0602 (Physician)

Location(s): White Oak Campus, Silver Spring, MD.

Work Schedule: Full Time

Telework Eligible: Yes – as determined by agency policy

Salary: Starting at $210,000 and is set to 

commensurate with education and 

experience.

Travel Requirements: 25% or less

Cures Band(s): Band F Full Performance Band Level: Band F

Bargaining Unit: 8888

 

Note: Incentives may be authorized; however, this is contingent upon funds availability. If authorized, certain 

incentives will require you to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a period of up to 3 

years. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Incentives include 

the following: moving expenses, recruitment, or relocation incentive; student loan repayment, superior 

qualifications appointment, creditable service for annual leave for prior non-federal work experience or prior 

uniformed military service, etc. 

This position is being filled under a stream-lined hiring authority, Title 21, Section 3072 of the 21st Century Cures 

Act. The candidate selected for this position will serve under a career or career-conditional appointment and be 

paid under the provisions of this authority. Additional information on 21st Century Cures Act can be found here:

21st Century Cures Act Information

Introduction

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is the regulatory, scientific, public health and consumer 

protection agency responsible for ensuring all human and animal drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, foods, food 

additives, drugs and medicated feeds for food producing animals, tobacco and radiation emitting devices safe, and 

effective.

The Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) is a Center within FDA that regulates biological products for 

human use under applicable federal laws, including the Public Health Service Act and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic 

Act. CBER’s mission is to protect and enhance the public health through the regulation of biological and related products 

including blood, vaccines, allergenics, tissues, and cellular and gene therapies. CBER protects and advances the public 
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health by ensuring that biological products are safe, effective, and available to those who need them. CBER also provides 

the public with information to promote the safe and appropriate use of biological products.

The Office of Blood Review and Research (OBRR) plans and conducts research related to the development, 

manufacture, testing and activities of biological blood products, including those related to AIDS and those 

prepared by genetic engineering and synthetic procedures, in order to develop and maintain a scientific base for 

establishing standards designed to ensure the continued safety, purity, potency and effectiveness of biological 

blood products.

Duties/Responsibilities

The Deputy Office Director reports directly to the OBRR Director. As Deputy Office Director, the incumbent 

collaborates fully with the OBRR Director in planning, developing, executing, administering, coordinating, 

managing and directing operational activities for the Centers’ broad national programs. Provides executive 

leadership and assist the Director in managing and directing approximately 150 full-time equivalent personnel 

engaged in activities related to major national and international biological blood quality and safety programs 

including planning and conducting research related to the development, manufacture, testing, and activities of 

biological blood products related drugs and medical devices, and retroviral diagnostic tests, review, evaluation and 

action on license applications submitted by blood and plasma establishments, product applications submitted by 

manufacturers pre-market approval review and evaluation, investigational new drug applications, and approval or 

disapproval of research plans and protocols, modifications and restrictions.

Advises the OBRR Director and key Center officials and others on operational activities that affect Center-wide 

programs, projects, and initiatives

Specifically, the Deputy Office Director will:

 Maintain knowledge and awareness of the Director's interests and objectives as they relate to and 

support the Center Director in the Commissioner’s agenda and exercises analytical judgment in order to 

anticipate potential problems and sensitive issues that may arise. 

 Collaborate with the Director and other key Center officials in formulating and developing CBER’s plans 

and programs, objectives, goals, priorities, and legislative initiatives/recommendations.

 Act for the Director in: monitoring activities throughout the Office, including reviewing prior issues for 

consistency of approach and providing coordinative leadership to key officials and program managers in 

resolving operational problems that cut across organizational lines or involve jurisdictional issues that may 

arise from existing or proposed programs; analyzing relevant aspects of the Office’s overall/ongoing 

operational program activities; and responding to and coordinating problems of mutual concern related 

to operational program activities and initiating corrective action for their resolution.

 Provide executive and technical guidance for Office program activities. 

 Review and evaluates project proposals and plans submitted by subordinate organizations to carry out 

operational program objectives in terms of soundness of reasoning, sufficiency of project proposals, 

relative priorities, availability of resources and anticipated results. 

 Review and appraise Office operational program activities in terms of achieving program goals and 

objectives and accomplishing legislated responsibilities.

 Ensure operational practices, approaches, methods and techniques are the latest and most effective.

 Participate in coordinating intra-Center support of legal and administrative actions, sanctions, and 

proceedings arising from Center/Agency initiated enforcement actions related to regulated products. 

 Coordinate and/or responds to requests for Inter/intra agency participation and cooperates on matters of 

mutual interest. Within the context of Agency policy, makes recommendations which commit the Office/ 

Agency to a course of action. Applies a thorough and comprehensive program knowledge and keeps 

abreast of developments that are related to or have bearing on operational activities.

Supervisory Responsibilities: 

Provides leadership and direction to a multidisciplinary staff of 150 employees engaged in the execution of critical 
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Center programs. The incumbent plans, assigns, oversees, and directs the work to be accomplished, ensuring 

timely performance of a satisfactory amount and quality of work; sets and adjusts priorities and timeframes for 

completion of the work; provides advice and guidance to staff members; reviews work products and accepts, 

amends or rejects work; develops performance standards and serves as rating official on employee evaluations; 

serves as a hiring manager or approves selection for positions; hears and resolves group and individual grievances 

and serious complaints; effects various disciplinary actions; approves leave and compensatory time, awards, 

reassignments, and other personnel actions; promotes team building; identifies and implements ways to 

streamline operations and increase workload productivity. 

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.

• Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of 

qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related 

requirement before or after appointment.

• Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

• Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.

• One year supervisory probationary period may be required. 

• Financial Disclosure may be required.

• Ethics Clearance may be required. 

• Background Investigation/Security Clearance is required. All employees must pass a security investigation. 

Failing to pass the background check may be grounds for removal or legal action. If hired, you may be subject 

to additional investigations at a later time.

Qualifications

To be placed into a Cures position, candidates must meet the following criteria:

1. Scientific, Technical, and Professional Fields

2. Qualified and Outstanding Candidates

a. Qualified applies to all candidates for Cures appointments. The FDA OTS will use the basic 

requirements defined in the below Education/Graduate Training Requirements as a baseline for 

comparing experience levels and other candidate attributes for relevant positions. 

b. Outstanding candidates can be defined by existing outstanding work experience, outstanding 

performance rating, or both. 

In order to qualify for this Title 21 Cures position, the candidate(s) must meet the following required qualifications. 

Please note: Additional education and experience listed that is not indicated as required is preferable and desired. 

Candidates who do not meet the “desired” criteria will not be excluded from consideration for this position.

Education/Graduate Training Requirements:

Education: A degree from an accredited program or institution in Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Osteopathic 

Medicine, or equivalent.

AND

Graduate Training: In addition to a degree, a candidate must have had at least one year of supervised experience

providing direct service in a clinical setting. For purposes of this standard, graduate training programs include only

those internship, residency, and fellowship programs that are approved by accrediting bodies recognized within

the United States or Canada. 

Desired Professional Experience: 

 Strategically manages human, financial, laboratory, and/or information resources for a program and 
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organization. 

 Provides scientific and technical leadership, direction, and supervision to a multidisciplinary scientific, 

engineering and/or medical science staff. 

 Provides expert technical and scientific guidance/assessment to senior leadership on complex, precedent 

setting, and/or controversial issues involving policies related to blood and blood products.

 Knowledge and understanding of the provisions, limitations, and practical applications of FDA issues, 

policies, laws, and regulations related to blood and blood products.

 Ability to communicate complex scientific concepts to a diverse audience (examples include, policy 

makers, manufacturers, scientists, universities, and the public).

Education Transcripts 

SUBMITTING YOUR TRANSCRIPTS: Positions which are scientific or technical in nature often have very specific 

educational requirements. A transcript is required to verify educational achievement. Pay careful attention to the 

Qualifications and Education sections to identify vacancies where a transcript is required. Even if you hold a similar 

position or are a current FDA employee, you are not exempt from transcript requirements.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the 

qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private 

organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed 

equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a 

U.S. accredited college or university.For more information about this requirement, please visit the U.S. Department 

of Education website for Foreign Education Evaluation. 

Security Clearance Requirements

Background Investigation/Security Clearance Requirements: Background Investigation/Security Clearance is required. All 

employees must pass a security investigation. Failing to pass the background check may be grounds for removal or legal 

action. If hired, you may be subject to additional investigations at a later time. 

Ethics Clearance Requirements

This position may require financial disclosure reporting and will be subject to FDA's prohibited financial interest 

regulation. If you are hired, you may be required to divest of certain financial interests. You are advised to seek 

additional information on this requirement from the hiring official before accepting any job offers. For more 

information please visit the FDA Ethics web page: https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/jobs-and-training-fda/ethics. 

Equal Employment Opportunity 

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex 

(including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, 

disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military 

service, or other non-merit factor.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for federal employees & job applicants

Reasonable Accommodation

Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. 

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the 

instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should 

contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a 

case-by-case basis.A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things 

are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal 

access to job benefits. Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, federal agencies must provide reasonable 

accommodations when: An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to 

apply for a job. An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to 
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gain access to the workplace. An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to 

benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events. You can request a reasonable accommodation at 

any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case 

basis. Learn more about disability employment and reasonable accommodations or how to contact an agency.

How to Apply

Please submit electronic resume or curriculum vitae (please be sure to clearly define the number of years using month 

and year training completed, in addition to describing duties performed during that time period), SF50 (if applicable), latest 

PMAP (if applicable), unofficial transcripts, and letter of interest with “CURES CBER/OBRR Deputy Office Director” in the 

subject line to: CBERHumanCapital@fda.hhs.gov and Tanesha.Washington@fda.hhs.gov. Applications will be accepted

through February 6, 2024.

Announcement Contact

For questions regarding this Cures position, please contact CBERHumanCapital@fda.hhs.gov. 

The Department of Health and Human Services is an equal opportunity employer with a smoke free environment.

FDA is an equal opportunity employer.