CDC Foodborne and Diarrheal Bacterial Disease Fellowship

Organization
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Reference Code
CDC-NCEZID-DFWED-2023-0029
How to Apply

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A complete application consists of:
  • An application
  • 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
4/10/2023 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

CDC Office and Location: The Enteric Disease Laboratory Branch (EDLB) at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia has a learning opportunity in its program on foodborne and diarrheal bacterial diseases.

Research Project:  The PulseNet, Reference, Outbreak, and Surveillance Team (PROST) within EDLB is interested in identifying microbiologists with Bachelor of Science degrees who may be interested in joining our multidisciplinary team. Our laboratory team contributes to the prevention of foodborne and diarrheal diseases in the United States and abroad by detecting, identifying, and characterizing enteric bacterial pathogens. We accomplish this goal by providing reference identification and laboratory-based disease surveillance for agents of foodborne and diarrheal diseases, providing training and consultation to national and international public health partners, and developing applied research projects that use emerging technologies to identify and characterize enteric pathogens. The successful candidate will learn to characterize foodborne bacterial organisms using phenotypic and genetic methods, and they will assist with applied research projects to strengthen capacity for identification of enteric pathogens using whole-genome sequence (WGS) data. This project will entail developing knowledge of a variety of enteric bacterial species, assay validation, and database development. EDLB has a strong commitment to producing high-quality science through implementation of a robust Quality Management System (QMS).

Learning ObjectivesThe fellow will receive training in identification and subtyping of enteric pathogens using a variety of techniques, including next generation sequencing technologies. These skills will prepare the fellow for a career in public health, with potential opportunities to support passive surveillance and outbreak response.

Mentor(s): The mentor(s) for this opportunity are Dr. Yang Gao (YGao@cdc.gov) and Dr. Christine Lee (clee13@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s). 

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: March 1, 2023.  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: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience.

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 bachelor's degree in one of the relevant fields (e.g. Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Chemistry, or Medical Technology). Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Preferred Skills:

  • Some laboratory experience in microbiology and molecular biology is preferred.
  • Excellent organizational and communication skills
  • Ability to work independently and as a team member.
Eligibility Requirements
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree received within the last 60 month(s).
  • Discipline(s):
    • Life Health and Medical Sciences (48 )
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.)