A Sailor

Trace the most elemental sources of infectious disease. In Navy Microbiology, you'll conduct classified surveillance on a microscopic front.


Microbiology

Job Overview:

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Classification:
Χ Enlisted
√ Officer
Available in:
√ Active Duty
√ Navy Reserve

In Navy Microbiology, you’ll find cutting-edge research in practice. Elite scientists at the top of their fields. And a position of honor and respect waiting should you choose to join such ranks.

Pay:

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U.S. Navy Personnel are specially trained in the defense of our country. But when it comes to threats of the microscopic kind, the first line of defense starts with Navy Microbiologists, who combat unique and exotic microorganisms.

What Will you do?

You’ll primarily focus on the prevention, detection, diagnosis and/or treatment of infectious disease threats to our armed forces. Serve in any of 20 locations, performing a wide range of interesting duties, including:

  • Research and development (both medical and nonmedical) overseas in Cairo, Egypt; Lima, Peru; Jakarta, Indonesia; and within the continental U.S. (Washington, D.C., metro area; Norfolk, VA; and San Diego, CA)
  • Environmental preventive medicine, overseas in Sigonella, Sicily, and Pearl Harbor, HI, and within the continental U.S. (VA, CA)
  • Clinical microbiology at our three large teaching medical centers in Bethesda, MD; Portsmouth, VA; and San Diego, CA.

You may:

  • Consult and conduct infectious disease research and 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 serve as senior scientists or in Navy Executive Medicine as Liaisons, Officers in Charge, Executive Officers and Commanding Officers.

Requirements

Basic Requirements

  1. Master’s degree (M.S./M.A./M.Ph.) or doctoral degree (Ph.D., Dr.PH, D.Sc.) preferred in microbiology or a closely related field, i.e., bacteriology, biology, botany, epidemiology, immunology, molecular biology, mycology, parasitology, public health or virology
  2. GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale in graduate studies
  3. If biology/botany/epidemiology/public health major, several upper-level (300-plus) microbiology courses (eight hours or more), including laboratory, must be part of the candidate’s curriculum

Preferred Requirements

  1. Candidates with a doctoral degree have an advantage over M.S./M.A. candidates since many of the research job openings require doctorate-level training
  2. Author or coauthor of peer-reviewed research in scientific journals
  3. Clinical microbiology, infectious disease surveillance or biowarfare defense experience

Want to drill deeper? Learn more about other Health Care Opportunities in the Medical Service Corps.

For more information, to talk to a Navy representative or to request a free informative video about the Navy Medical Service Corps, please fill out an information request form. We look forward to hearing from you!

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