CDC ORISE Fellowship

Organization
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Reference Code
CDC-CPR-2022-0292
How to Apply

Connect with ORISE...on the GO!  Download the new ORISE GO mobile app in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to help you stay engaged, connected, and informed during your ORISE experience and beyond!

A complete application consists of:

  • An application
  • Transcripts – Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts
  • A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
  • One educational or professional recommendation. Your application will be considered incomplete, and will not be reviewed until one recommendation is submitted.

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.

Application Deadline
10/31/2022 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

CDC Office and Location: There is a fellowship opportunity available in the Office of the Director (OD), Center for Preparedness and Response (CPR), Policy and Communications Office (PCO) of the Division of State and Local Readiness (DSLR) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 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.

DSLR supports state, local, tribal, and territorial health departments in preparing to respond to disasters. PCO manages and operates policy and communications functions for the division and works with all branches within the division to accomplish all components of the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement, CDC's largest domestic grant program.

Research Project: The Policy and Communications Office (PCO) of the Division of State and Local Readiness (DSLR) in the Center for Preparedness and Response (CPR), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Atlanta, Georgia, seeks a fellow who is passionate about public health, interested in learning about emergency management practice, and curious about how the two are linked to protect the well-being of people and communities.

The PHEP program, managed by DSLR, is a critical source of funding and guidance for state, local, and territorial public health departments. Since 2002, the PHEP cooperative agreement has provided assistance to public health departments across the nation. This helps health departments build and strengthen their abilities to effectively respond to a range of public health threats including infectious diseases, natural disasters, and biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological events. 

Learning Objectives: During this appointment, the ORISE fellow will have the opportunity to:

  • Review PHEP program data, including PHEP funding application data, operational readiness review (ORR) data, and preparedness field staff data.  
  • Learn to develop summary reports and success stories to show impact of the program.
  • Coordinate content on the CDC state and local readiness web pages.
  • Learn to use web metrics and customer survey data to ensure content is up to date, relevant, and of interest to website visitors.

In addition, the fellow will have the opportunity to learn about public health preparedness and response operations through hands on engagement, shadowing, and mentorship by a cadre of highly experienced response professionals. Preparedness and response is a far reaching discipline and the fellow will gain exposure to a variety of content areas such as CDC partner engagement, internal and external communications, and review of emergency response plans.

DSLR is an exciting, fast-paced working environment and the PCO team values and promotes cohesive teamwork, technical diversity, resourcefulness, proactive collaboration, and programmatic and professional excellence. This fellowship will offer an opportunity to further develop and apply technical skills, as well as learn about public health policy and communications through hands-on, practical experience.

Mentor(s)The mentor for this opportunity is Allyson Brown (ajj2@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: September 1, 2022.  Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment LengthThe 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 ParticipationThe appointment is full-time.

Participant StipendThe participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience.

Citizenship RequirementsThis opportunity is available to U.S. citizens only.

ORISE InformationThis 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.CPR@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 (e.g. Public Health). Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.

Preferred Skills:

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills 
  • Strong working knowledge of the MS Office suite of programs, including Sharepoint and Excel 
  • Working knowledge of one or more virtual communications applications such as Zoom, MS Teams, Skype for Business 
  • Interest and experience in public health communications 
  • Experience in crafting effective messaging and communications products
Eligibility Requirements
  • Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
  • Degree: Master's Degree received within the last 60 month(s).
  • Discipline(s):
    • Communications and Graphics Design (1 )
    • Life Health and Medical Sciences (1 )
Affirmation

I certify that I have not previously been employed by CDC or by a contractor working directly for CDC.  I understand that CDC does not permit individuals with a prior employment relationship with CDC or its contractors to participate as trainees in the ORISE program. (Exceptions may be granted for individuals who, since the previous CDC employment, have obtained a new STEM degree which necessitates training in a new field.)