CDC Applied Research and Eval Branch Summer Fellow

Overview

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

CDC Office and Location: This opportunity is available with the Applied Research and Evaluation Branch (AREB) within the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention (DHDSP) at the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), located in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the major operation components of the Department of Health and Human Services. CDC works to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.

DHDSP has a mission to provide national leadership, public health and scientific expertise, and program support to optimize cardiovascular health for all. Priorities for the Division include reducing the risk as well as improving the management and control of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia and reducing the burden of stroke and heart disease.

AREB is a center of excellence with a diverse workforce that values all voices and perspectives. We lead and implement program evaluation, applied research, research translation, and public health economics research to support the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease (CVD) while assuring the advancement of health equity. AREB’s portfolio includes translating science to practice, developing tools and products for multiple audiences, systematic reviews, program evaluation and evaluation research, and various projects related to pharmacists/team-based care, systems of care, and policy analysis and surveillance.

Research Project: This research opportunity will focus on supporting AREB’s planning, development and implementation of activities that support health equity, as well as diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and belonging (DEIAB) principles. This opportunity will also support public health policy research and translation of science to practice for various priority topics, such as systems of care for time-sensitive CVD emergencies and health professionals’ scopes of practice, for example. This opportunity will provide the fellow exposure to a variety of initiatives while building skills through both formal and informal training and mentoring.  Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant will gain experience and receive training in the following:

Promoting DEIAB and health equity principles in branch initiatives and projects;
Translating science into practice to improve hypertension and blood cholesterol control, and reduce heart disease and stroke;
Supporting evidence-based policy surveillance, analysis, and reporting;
Developing visually engaging and user-friendly products and resources, and digitizing and automating workflows using, but not limited to, Microsoft 365 and SharePoint;
Assisting with planning and coordinating branch strategic planning and team-building workshop.
Learning Objectives: During this training experience, the participant will:

Gain professional experience in a federal public health agency
Apply knowledge and skills gained during time in academia
Identify critical gaps and determine possible strategies to promote DEIAB and health equity principles
Gain applied research and translation experience in CVD prevention and management
Determine best methods and modes of communicating rigorous evidence-based findings to public health audiences
Create a professional network of peers, mentors, and colleagues with several years of experience in public health
At the conclusion of the training experience, the participant will be able to:

Plan meetings, workshops, and events that promote DEIAB and team connections
Design tools and resources that improve efficiencies and utility
Determine best methods and modes of promoting DEIAB and health equity principles
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Joanna Elmi (zft6@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: May 20, 2024. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for 3 months but may be renewed upon recommendation of CDC and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation: The appointment is full-time.

Participant Stipend: Stipend rates may vary based on numerous factors, including opportunity, location, education, and experience. If you are interviewed, you can inquire about the exact stipend rate at that time and if selected, your appointment offer will include the monthly stipend rate.

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), and foreign nationals.

ORISE Information: This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and CDC. Participants do not become employees of CDC, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.

The successful applicant(s) will be required to comply with Environmental, Safety and Health (ES&H) requirements of the hosting facility, including but not limited to, COVID-19 requirements (e.g. facial covering, physical distancing, testing, vaccination).

Questions: Please visit our Program Website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process, please email ORISE.CDC.NCCDPHP@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
Qualifications
The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree in the one of the relevant fields.

Preferred skills:

Strong organizational skills
Strong communication skills
Collaborates well with others
Has attention to detail
Familiar with SharePoint, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365