CDC’s NCIRD Public Health Internship Program (PHIP) – NORS Transition Fellowship

Overview

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

CDC Office and Location:  A fellowship opportunity is available with the Viral Gastroenteritis Branch (VGB), within the Division of Viral Diseases (DVD), in the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. This opportunity may be eligible to be up to 100% virtual within 50 miles of the appointment location.

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.

The mission of the Division of Viral Diseases (DVD) is to prevent disease, disability, and death from viral diseases through immunization and other prevention measures. Within DVD is the Viral Gastroenteritis Branch (VGB) which prevents and controls viral gastroenteritis by conducting surveillance, outbreak investigation and research that inform prevention measures and vaccine development and prevention.

Research Project: The National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) is used by state and local health departments to report data on foodborne, waterborne, enteric disease and some fungal disease outbreaks in the U.S. to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2025, NORS is transitioning to a new software platform to support data collection, management, and visualization. The NORS team is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented candidate to help with multiple aspects of this transition, including develop guidance and other communication materials for state and local partners, perform user acceptance testing on the new platform, help with idea generation and development of data visualizations. These activities will be based on the fellow’s area(s) of interest, training, and NORS team priorities.

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant will learn to:

Gain knowledge related to public health surveillance of outbreaks
Improve existing communication skills by developing written guidance materials
Gain experience testing and evaluating a new surveillance system platform
Gain experience with large datasets
If desired, develop an outbreak data analysis and help in report preparation
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Mary Wikswo (ezq1@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: March 10, 2025. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for six 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 or part 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.NCIRD@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
Qualifications
The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree in the one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years, or be currently pursuing.

Preferred skills:

Interest in infectious disease and outbreaks
Detail-oriented
Good written and oral communication skills
Knowledge of SAS, R, or another analytical program is helpful