ABOUT
As a Navy Microbiologist, you’ll combat unique and exotic microorganisms that are found wherever Sailors are called to serve. Together with your team, you’ll conduct medical research and development and create a culture of innovation and sustainability on the clinical level at high-end research facilities. You could even be stationed aboard an aircraft carrier or one of our hospital ships during a humanitarian mission, where you could help provide medical care to those in need. Wherever your duties take you, it’s a Microbiologist’s responsibility to employ cutting-edge technologies to alleviate real-world biological threats.
RESPONSIBILITIES
As a Navy Microbiologist, your primary focus will be to prevent, detect and respond to infectious diseases. You may also be called upon to:
- Consult and conduct infectious disease research and surveillance
- Participate in operational deployments
- Conduct defensive research, including vaccine development
- Supervise clinical/public health microbiology laboratories, with the opportunity to serve as department head, program manager or research director
- Senior members may even serve as senior scientists or in Navy Executive Medicine as liaisons, Officers in Charge, Executive Officers or Commanding Officers
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Navy Microbiologists may serve in any of 20 global locations, performing a wide range of duties across multiple fields. You’ll work everywhere from world-renowned research laboratories and clinical settings to in the field with Sailors and Marines.
- Research and development centers (both medical and nonmedical) overseas in Lima, Peru; Singapore; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Hanoi, Vietnam; Sigonella, Italy; Cairo, Egypt; Accra, Ghana, and within the continental U.S. (Washington, D.C., metro area and San Diego, CA)
- Environmental preventive medicine in Hawaii, Virginia or California
- Clinical microbiology at any of two large teaching medical centers in Bethesda, MD or San Diego, CA
PAY AND BENEFITS
From the day you start, you’ll receive:
- Competitive salary
- Free health insurance
- Free housing
- A retirement plan
- 30 days paid vacation per year
QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS
To qualify for employment consideration as a Microbiologist in the Navy Medical Service Corps, you must meet these basic requirements:
- Be a U.S. citizen currently practicing in the U.S.
- Master’s degree (M.S./M.A./M.P.H.) or doctoral degree (Ph.D., DrPH, D.Sc.) in microbiology or a closely related field (e.g., bacteriology, biology, botany, epidemiology, immunology, molecular biology, mycology, parasitology, public health or virology)
- GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale in graduate studies
- For biology/botany/epidemiology/public health majors, several upper-level (300-plus) microbiology courses (eight hours or more), including laboratory, must be part of the candidate’s curriculum
- Be willing to serve a minimum of three years of Active Duty
- Be between the ages of 18 and 41
- Be in good physical condition and pass a full medical examination
You may also be expected to meet certain preferred requirements:
- Author or coauthor of peer-reviewed research in scientific journals
- Clinical microbiology, infectious disease surveillance or biowarfare defense experience
Candidates with a doctoral degree have an advantage over M.S./M.A. candidates, since many research job openings require doctorate-level training.
PART-TIME OPPORTUNITIES
Serving part-time as a Reserve Sailor, your duties will be carried out during your scheduled drilling and training periods. During monthly drilling, Microbiologists in the Navy Reserve typically work at a location close to their homes. This gives you the flexibility to expand your medical experience in the Navy without compromising your civilian practice at home.
For annual training, Microbiologists may serve anywhere in the world, whether at sea, in hospitals stateside, or in bases and camps in countries around the world.
