CDC Laboratory Molecular Biologist Fellowship in Next-generation Sequencing for Viral Surveillance

Organization
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Reference Code
CDC-NCEZID-DHCPP-2022-0264
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
9/8/2022 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

CDC Office and Location: An interesting and challenging research training opportunity is currently available in the Chronic Viral Diseases Branch (CVDB) within the Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology (DHCPP) of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID) at the 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. 

Research Project:  CVDB's activities include laboratory-based method development and studies of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, HPV vaccine effectiveness, and HPV-associated diseases to enable effective control and prevention. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the U.S. The virus can cause cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers; warts; and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis. The branch's HPV surveillance projects include the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/index.htm), Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Impact Monitoring Project (HPV-IMPACT; https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/surveillance/hpvimpact/index.html), and supporting international partners in other countries.

Under mentor guidance, the fellow will be trained in the application of next-generation sequencing and other molecular methods for reliable longitudinal surveillance of HPV to inform policy on effectiveness of vaccination and other public health practices. The training will include the life cycle of a sample from receipt through nucleic acid extraction, genotyping, and data management to archiving or destruction. The fellow will be involved in improving the efficiency and reliability of methods through automation and quality control checks in both wet-lab and bioinformatics processes. 

Learning Objectives: The fellow will develop several supporting skills applicable to a wide range of laboratory disciplines: teamwork, project management, written and oral communication, supply inventory management, laboratory safety, and quality management systems (https://www.cdc.gov/labquality/qms-tools-and-resources.html). This training will be supported further through a strong cohesive team of public health laboratory and data scientists.

Mentor(s)The mentor(s) for this opportunity is Troy D. Querec (hep0@cdc.gov). Please contact them if you have questions about the nature of this research.
 
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: September 6, 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, 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 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.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, or be currently pursuing the degree with completion by September 30, 2022. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.

Prior hands-on experience in a molecular biology laboratory outside of a classroom setting is preferred.

Eligibility Requirements
  • Degree: Master's Degree received within the last 60 months or anticipated to be received by 9/30/2022 11:59:00 PM.
  • 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.)

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