APHL Fellowship in Chemical Drug Testing

Job Duty Description – APHL Fellowship (Chemical Drug Testing & Harm Reduction)
Duration: 1 - 2 Years
Location: California Department of Public Health Laboratory

Candidates need to apply as a fellow at the link below:

https://www.aphl.org/Career-Pathways/fellowships/Pages/Application.aspx

The APHL Fellow will support the California Department of Public Health Laboratory in advancing harm reduction initiatives through comprehensive chemical drug testing. The fellow will be embedded within the laboratory’s analytical chemistry team and will contribute to the identification and monitoring of emerging drugs, adulterants, and contaminants in illicit substances.  Looking for a graduate scientist BSc, MSc or PhD all acceptable, with a solid background on chemistry.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Perform qualitative and quantitative analysis of drug samples using advanced analytical instrumentation (e.g., GC-MS, LC-MS/MS).
• Assist in the development and validation of new methods for detecting novel psychoactive substances (NPS), fentanyl analogs, and other high-risk compounds.
• Support real-time surveillance efforts by analyzing drug trends and contributing data to public health alerts and reports.
• Collaborate with epidemiologists, harm reduction teams, and local health departments to translate laboratory findings into actionable public health insights.
• Maintain detailed records of all laboratory procedures and ensure compliance with quality assurance and safety protocols.
• Participate in outreach efforts to share data with harm reduction partners and inform evidence-based interventions.
• Contribute to scientific publications, presentations, and stakeholder communications related to drug surveillance and public health impact.
• Preferred: interest in learning laboratory information management systems for reporting results

This fellowship provides hands-on experience in public health laboratory science, with a focus on mitigating the overdose crisis and informing harm reduction policies through data-driven chemical analysis.