Click on Apply below to begin your application. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis, and mentors will select candidates as projects become available. 

The Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education (ORISE) is seeking applicants for research and training opportunities at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). With the support of an assigned mentor, participants will have a hands-on learning/training opportunity that compliments their educational background. This experience will provide an avenue to connect fellows to unique resources and tools available at NIH NIGMS, while learning along-side of top scientists. 

As part of its active stewardship of public funds, NIGMS regularly conducts detailed analyses of its grants programs. These analyses regularly include questions related to the impact of the investments that NIGMS makes in institutions across the United States, including longer-term economic impacts, outcomes for students and fellows participating in training and career enhancement programs, and downstream use of research supported by NIGMS in both clinical and commercial settings.

What will I be doing?

Participants will collaborate with an interdisciplinary team and will strengthen their existing areas of expertise, whether it be in the social sciences, natural sciences, or data science, while expanding into additional disciplines to develop a more well-rounded interdisciplinary expertise profile. An ORISE fellow participating in this opportunity would be involved in one of the following projects (dependent on skills, interests, and areas of development interest) that would engage an interdisciplinary skillset to understand the impact of federal investments in the biomedical research enterprise.

• Impacts of Capacity Building Efforts in Resource Limited Institutions and States – NIGMS invests in states and institutions historically underfunded at NIH to build research capacity and is interesting in understanding the impacts and returns of such investments beyond traditional research grant outcomes. Results of this project will be used to inform improvements to capacity building programs at NIGMS by identifying promising practices with high impact.
• Career and Workforce Outcomes for Biomedical Workforce Trainees – NIGMS also invests in training programs to support a strong and diverse biomedical workforce. Results of this project are anticipated to contribute to the body of evidence-informed approaches to biomedical training, mentoring, and support the implementation of such practices in NIGMS training programs.
• Long-Term Impacts of Investments in Basic Biomedical Research – NIGMS supports basic biomedical research and is interested in understanding the often-long trail from a foundational scientific discovery to major medical breakthroughs. Results of this project are anticipated to develop additional techniques to identify emerging areas of research and opportunities for breakthroughs within the NIGMS research portfolio.

Example skills and techniques valuable for all projects would include data quality management, data alignment and disambiguation, network analysis, regression analysis, and economic analysis, and would be areas for fellows to sharpen or expand their existing expertise.

Why should I apply?

Participants will have the opportunity learn and to add their perspective and academic expertise to innovative research in projects related to the projects described above. An additional goal is to prepare the participants for the next step in their careers.

What is the anticipated start date/appointment length?

Exact start dates will be determined at the time of selection and in coordination with the selected candidates. Appointments are one-year, extensions may be available.

What is the location?

Bethesda, MD with possibility of remote participation.

What are the provisions?

Participants will receive a competitive stipend. Participants may also be eligible to receive a health insurance allowance and/or reimbursement for professional travel expenses. 

About the NIGMS

The NIGMS is one of twenty-seven Institutes and Centers comprising the NIH. NIGMS supports research into fundamental biomedical discovery, primarily through research awards made to academic institutions and small business concerns. In addition, NIGMS grant programs support biomedical research training throughout multiple career stages, including early stage investigators, and research infrastructure enhancement efforts across the United States and its territories. As a primarily grants-making organization centered on the proper stewardship of public resources, NIGMS not only supports research throughout the country but also conducts research into its own business practices, policies, and processes. The Division of Data Integration, Modeling, and Analytics (DIMA) serves as the central locus for data-informed decision making and action at NIGMS, advising the Institute Director, conducting in-depth program evaluations, supporting the Institute’s grants policy and data modeling activities, and providing tools for NIGMS staff to make better use of data in its day-to-day operations. For more information, please check the NIGMS DIMA webpage - https://www.nigms.nih.gov/about-nigms/what-we-do/data-integration-modeling-and-analytics

Nature of the Appointment

This program, administered by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (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 the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  Participants do not become employees of NIH, NCI, ORAU, ORISE, DOE, or any other agency, and there are no employment-related benefits. Instead, the participant will be affiliated with ORISE for the administration of the appointment through the ORISE appointment letter and Terms of Appointment.

While participants will not enter into an employment relationship, this opportunity will require a suitability/background investigation by NIH. Any offer made is considered tentative, pending favorable outcome of the investigation.

The preferred candidate will need to have strong quantitative analysis and communications skills, study design experience, and an interest in using data science to quantify the impact(s) of investments as applied to scientific research and policy.

Ideal candidates will be a strong team player who performs equally well independently.

Postdoctoral applicants are preferred but all who are eligible are encouraged to apply.

A complete application consists of:

• Complete Zintellect profile.

• Complete Application questions. 

• Current Resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, and relevant experiences.

• Transcripts/Academic Records - Recent unofficial transcripts or copies of the student academic records printed by the applicant or by academic advisors from internal institutional systems may be submitted to complete the application, if a copy of the official transcript is not available at the time of application. Transcripts/Academic Records must include the name of the academic institution, name of the student, completed/in progress coursework and grades.  If you are selected, you will be required to provide a copy of your official transcript before the appointment can start.

• One (1) Academic or Professional Recommendation - Applicants are required to provide contact information for at least one recommendation in order to submit the application.  Recommenders will be asked to complete a recommendation through the Zintellect system, and must complete it before the application is considered complete.  Applications without a completed recommendation will not be reviewed.  The recommendation should address a candidate's academic record, scientific capabilities, personal characteristics, and potential for success.  The recommendation must be submitted through the Zintellect application system. Recommendations submitted via email will not be accepted.    

All documents must be submitted via Zintellect, and must be in English or include an official English translation. All application components must be received in the system in order to be considered. Documents must have all social security numbers, student identification numbers, and/or dates of birth removed (blanked out, blackened out, made illegible, etc.) prior to uploading into the application system.  Incomplete applications will not be considered. Supporting materials must be uploaded as PDF files to ensure the document can be searched by Zintellect’s search engine. Documents sent by email, postal mail, or fax will not be considered.  

If you have questions, send an email to NIHprograms@orau.org. Please include the reference code (NIH-NIGMS-2025) for this opportunity in the subject or body of your email. 

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• Degree: Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree received within the last 12 months or currently pursuing.
• Discipline(s):
  • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (5 )
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (1 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (16 )
  • Mathematics and Statistics (2 )
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 )
• Age: Must be 18 years of age

I affirm that I will have received my Master's/Doctoral degree by the agreed start date.