NBAF, the federal animal disease lab in Manhattan, is being exempted from the federal hiring freeze and is looking to fill 150 positions, officials said Wednesday.
Alfonso Clavijo, director of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, said lab, which is the only biosafety level-4 lab in the country that can house large livestock, told local leaders at the Regional Growth Summit on Friday he has received the green flag to begin hiring.
“We have a unique opportunity at NBAF,” Clavijo said. “We are unique for the federal government and for USDA; we are being exempted from the hiring freeze, and we are fully operating at this facility to get all the staff.”
