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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.

If you have questions, send an email to ORISE.CDC.NCEZID@orau.org. Please include the reference code for this opportunity in your email.

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

CDC Office and Location: Two research opportunities are currently available in the Dengue Branch within the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD), of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Research Project: Chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever, Zika and other viruses transmitted by mosquitoes are serious health threats in the U.S. and globally. The public health response to the spread of these arboviruses throughout the tropics, where their mosquito vectors thrive, has been hampered by a lack of sustainable and effective interventions to prevent arboviral infections at the community level. Several vector control strategies that have failed to curb disease incidence, continue to be employed despite the absence of robust evidence for their effectiveness or optimal implementation. Novel approaches to arbovirus control are now available, but evidence of their impact on reducing infection incidence is limited.

The Dengue Branch Epidemiology Unit has a history of innovative research with broad implications for prevention and control of these diseases locally within Puerto Rico, in the continental United States, and internationally. The Unit played a central role in the Zika response, for example, implementing cohort studies to determine the duration of Zika virus RNA detection in different body fluids, conducting cohort studies to determine incidence at the community levels, analyzing the risk of severe disease, and identifying effective surveillance strategies. The Dengue Branch provides a unique opportunity for learning the skills needed to conduct interdisciplinary applied public health research in an endemic setting including studies of vectors, interventions, clinical management, and surveillance. Areas of active research include:

• The Sentinel Enhanced Dengue Surveillance System (SEDSS) is a facility-based surveillance system for acute febrile illness designed to better understand the immune response to dengue, develop and evaluate diagnostic assays, and monitor trends in the leading causes of fever in Puerto Rico.
• The Communities Organized for the Prevention of Arboviruses (COPA) project is an established community-based research platform in southern Puerto Rico. The aims of this project include to annually assess arboviral infection incidence and prevalence and evaluate the impact of a novel vector control strategy to reduce infections with arboviruses.
• Models to elucidate the relationship between surveillance data, incidence of infection, incidence of severe disease, and epidemic risk.

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant will be involved in the following training activities:

• Perform analyses of complex data
• Participate in the design, plan, and implementation of original research
• Assist in the conduct of research projects, by providing support to field staff or conducting field activities when necessary
• Present research and surveillance findings and methods at internal and external meetings
• Assist in the write up and publishing of scientific manuscripts communicating findings
• Specific research projects will consider the interests of the participant, the needs of the Division of Vector-Borne Disease, and the potential public health impact

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Janice Perez-Padilla (jpq9@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: August 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.

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.

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a master's or doctoral degree (preferred) in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.

Preferred skills:

• Experience with the statistical software R or SAS
• Demonstrated skill in analyzing data from studies and projects
• Experience in writing and communicating research or surveillance findings
• Experience in epidemiology and infectious diseases

• Degree: Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.
• Discipline(s):
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (1 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (3 )
  • Mathematics and Statistics (2 )

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.)