CDC Fellowship in Genomic Entomological Surveillance

Overview

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

CDC Office and Location: A research opportunity is currently available with the Entomology Branch in the Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria within the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) located in Atlanta, Georgia to participate in a project investigating population genomics of malaria vectors for data-driven decision making.

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.

Research Project:  The participant will train with a team investigating population genomics of invasive Anopheles stephensi, a malaria vector on the African continent that threatens to halt global malaria eradication efforts. As part of this project, the participant will use modern population genomics and mobility modeling to determine where An. stephensi is coming from and moving to and how long it has been on the continent and how vector population dynamics may influence malaria risk. This information is currently unknown and can be used to inform malaria control approaches to mitigate the species in alignment with the WHO initiative to stop the spread of An. stephensi in Africa and the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) action plan to respond to the threat of An. stephensi.

Learning Objectives: As a result of this training, the participant will improve their skills in laboratory techniques such as nucleic acids extraction and purification, PCR, and next-generation sequencing library preparation for Illumina and Oxford Nanopore platforms. Also, the participant will improve their skills in study design, assay development, genomic data analysis pipeline development, sharing of results through internal meeting presentations, manuscript preparation and publishing.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Sarah Zohdy (ykr2@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: October 1, 2024. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year, 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 (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non-U.S. citizen applicants should refer to the Guidelines for Non-U.S. Citizens Details page of the program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that are acceptable for program participation.

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.NCEZID@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
Qualifications
The qualified candidate should have received a master’s degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Preferred skills:

Bioinformatics experience
NGS library prep experience
French language skills is beneficial
Data and file management skills
Written communication skills