WASHINGTON, April 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it is starting a major hiring initiative designed to fill more than 1,300 public health positions

Biologists, chemists, medical officers, mathematical statisticians and investigators are among the experts with science or medical backgrounds the FDA is seeking.

"It takes a large pool of talented people for the FDA to protect and promote the public health," said John Dyer, the FDA's deputy commissioner for operations and its chief operating officer. "Each month there is a delay in bringing critical staff on board impairs the agency's ability to fulfill this mission."

During fiscal year 2008, the FDA wants to fill more than 600 new positions and to backfill more than 700 others. That alone is nearly triple the number of people hired from 2005-2007.

The agency said qualified candidates could be on the job in as little as three weeks either in the Washington metropolitan area, or across the country in the FDA's five regions, 20 districts, more than 179 resident posts, and the newly created FDA offices overseas.

For general information and to apply for one of the positions people can submit their curriculum vitae with a cover letter via email to.joinourteam@fda.gov.