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• 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.

HHS Office and Location: A research opportunity is available in the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP) within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Office of the Secretary (OS), at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

The mission of HHS is to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans by providing effective health and human services and fostering sound, sustained advances in the sciences underlying medicine, public health, and social services. OIDP's mission is to provide strategic leadership and management while encouraging collaboration, coordination, and innovation among federal agencies and stakeholders to reduce the burden of infectious diseases. 

Research Project: The Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP) within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Office of the Secretary (OS), at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking to recruit an individual with experience in HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), behavioral health, substance use disorder, housing instability, or similar syndemic-related issues. This collaborative effort is pivotal in supporting initiatives aimed at ending the HIV epidemic in the United States, a critical goal set forth by the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative while addressing STIs. Our work takes a syndemic approach as we work across multiple inter-related health conditions (e.g., hepatitis, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, substance use, mental health).

The fellow will join a dynamic team leading HIV, STI, and other infectious disease policy development and collaborate with senior officials from across the U.S. Government. The selected individual will play a multifaceted role to contribute significantly to OIDP's objectives. Their responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Conduct or support in-depth research and analysis to inform evidence-based policy recommendations and programmatic interventions targeting infectious disease
• Facilitate collaboration and coordination among interdisciplinary teams to ensure comprehensive and integrated research approaches to addressing the syndemic of HIV, STIs, and behavioral health
• Provide research support on how to provide effective training and technical assistance to enhance the capacity of healthcare providers, community organizations, and stakeholders to prevent, diagnose, and treat HIV and STIs
• Evaluate existing policies and interventions related to OIDP initiatives, assessing their effectiveness and recommending evidence-based strategies for policy refinement
• Research, document, and evaluate the current understanding and awareness of federal policy and programs. This assessment will encompass the inclusion of HIV, STIs, and behavioral health and align with the overarching goals of the OIDP portfolio with the HIV.gov team
• Research mechanisms utilized by OIDP staff to educate stakeholders on critical policies that amplify the goals of EHE and National HIV/AIDS strategy, specifically those impacting the target communities outlined in both initiatives
• Support research related to the effectiveness of communications among federal colleagues related to the implementation and execution of policy. Provide future recommendations to enhance the public health response to these two vital programs, 

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, learning and experience benefits will include:

• Gain public health coordination and management skills
  • Document programmatic public health outcomes that inform multimillion-dollar fiscal investments and national policy/guidance
• Improve collaborative policy development skills  
  • Attend high-level policy meetings related to the development of public health policy, with a focus on integrated strategies addressing HIV, STIs, viral hepatitis, and substance use disorders.
• Learn to address syndemic intersectionality 
  • Gain exposure to policy-related events and learning opportunities, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the intersectionality of HIV, STIs, and behavioral health within broader public health initiatives in a syndemic context.
• Publishing evaluations and academic discourse
  • Publish or support the publication of evaluation results on HIV.gov and potentially contribute to or write journal articles
• Learn to effectively present findings and share recommendations
  • Give or support presentations on findings at annual conferences, sharing insights and recommendations with a diverse audience of public health professionals and stakeholders.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Neelam Gazarian (Neelam.Gazarian@hhs.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: July 5, 2024. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for two years, 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: Stipend rates may vary based on numerous factors, including opportunity, location, education, and experience. If you are interviewed, you can inquire about the exact stipend rate at that time and if selected, your appointment offer will include the monthly stipend rate.

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens only.

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 HHS. Participants do not become employees of HHS, 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 HHSrpp@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 in the one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years or anticipated to be received by 12/31/2024.

Preferred skills:

• Can research both individually and with a team in a fast-paced environment.
• Display strong writing skills and the ability to write concisely.
• Understand the importance of addressing the syndemic of HIV, STIs, and behavioral health.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the use of data in public health planning and implementation.
• Understanding and experience in HIV and STI-related efforts, or equivalent.

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or anticipated to be received by 12/31/2024 12:00:00 AM.
• Discipline(s):
  • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (12 )
  • Communications and Graphics Design (6 )
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (17 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (51 )
  • Mathematics and Statistics (11 )
  • Other Non-Science & Engineering (13 )
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (30 )

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.)