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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.

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

CDC Office and Location: A postdoctoral fellowship opportunity is available with the Microbiology and Pathogenesis team in the Bacterial Diseases Branch (BDB) 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 Fort Collins, Colorado. 

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: The Microbiology and Pathogenesis Team is responsible for public health and research activities aimed at diagnosis and characterization of vector-borne bacterial diseases, including Lyme disease, relapsing fever, plague, and tularemia. The selected fellowship participant will participate in a variety of activities related to improving diagnosis and developing intervention strategies for these diseases. They will assist in validation and implementation of newly developed assays for human diagnostic use. Research opportunities will focus on enhancing the diagnosis, detection, and characterization of bacterial vector-borne pathogens. 

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor (senior Microbiology and Pathogenesis Team personnel), the selected participant will gain experience in the following: i)  the molecular characterization of virulence factors for Lyme disease and relapsing fever spirochetes; ii) understanding interactions between the bacterial pathogens, tick vectors and mammalian host.

The participant will have opportunities to attend CDC seminars and training courses to enhance existing knowledge in microbiology/biological sciences, epidemiology and public health.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Meghan Lybecker (oru7@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: June 1, 2024.  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.

The qualified candidate must have received a doctoral degree in one the relevant fields. The degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date. 

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with molecular biology techniques, such as PCR, cloning, and sequencing. 
• Experience with handling biosafety level-2 microorganisms, e.g. culture, sterile technique, genetic manipulations
• Experience with animal husbandry and tick colony maintenance
• Strong written communication skills. 

• Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 month(s).
• Discipline(s):
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (9 )

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.)