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. 

Join a powerhouse of scientific innovation! The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), nestled within the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives, drives cutting-edge research on dietary supplements. ODS leads high-impact programs that influence dietary supplement research worldwide.to advance health across every stage of life.

Be mentored by international experts and pioneers in the field of nutrition, pharmacology, biology, and epidemiology whose ODS-trained fellows have gone on to secure prestigious roles at leading universities and research institutions.

What will I be doing?

As a fellow, you’ll engage in a groundbreaking collaboration between NIH-ODS and the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), tackling vital research gaps in iron screening and supplementation. You’ll focus on iron-replete pregnant women and young children, responding to recent Presidential initiatives on advancing women’s health research and addressing specific needs for women in military service.

This fellowship offers an unparalleled opportunity to learn about the influence of policies and guidelines shaping maternal and child health.

As a fellow, you’ll learn from the development of comprehensive scoping reviews that assess scientific progress since the foundational 2016 NIH-ODS workshop on iron screening and supplementation. You’ll help answer essential questions, including:

1. How does iron homeostasis adapt during pregnancy and infancy, and what does that mean for clinical guidelines on iron supplementation?
2. What are the most effective methodologies for assessing iron status in pregnant women and young children?
3. How does iron status impact maternal and infant health beyond traditional measures like hematology?
4. What guidelines can support safe supplementation for iron-replete individuals, minimizing the risk of iron overload?

You will also participate in detailed scoping reviews of both published and unpublished research on iron status and supplementation, participate in collaborative efforts with NIH-ODS and USARIEM teams to gather data from NIH grants and other resources, and will learn how to synthesize findings, identify progress and gaps, and prepare reports based on advancements since the 2016 NIH-ODS workshop.

Why should I apply?

You would grow professionally by learning how NIH stimulates research while also making connections with the leading experts in this field, gain hands-on experience in federal health research, and the research you conduct will contribute to NIH shaping policy and guidelines related to iron status screening and supplementation.  You will also have the opportunity to collaborate with leading experts in maternal and child health. The experiences gained by participating in this program will enhance career opportunities in government and research.

Location

This program is on-site in Bethesda, Maryland. Fellows may be granted permission for hybrid and 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.

Appointment dates

The Office of Dietary Supplements is ready to make appointments immediately. Exact start dates will be determined at the time of selection and in coordination with the selected applicant. Applications are reviewed on an on-going basis and appointments will be offered as qualified candidates are identified. Appointments are one year with a possibility for extension.

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, ODS, 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.

Candidate should have:

• Recently earned or will have earned by the appointment start, a doctoral degree in nutrition, public health, epidemiology, physiology, global health, maternal child health, or related field.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to participate independently and in collaborative team environments.

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-ODS-2024-0003) for this opportunity in the subject or body of your email. 

Connect with ORISE...on the GO! Download the new ORISE GO mobile app in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to help you stay engaged, connected, and informed during your ORISE experience and beyond!

• Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.
• Discipline(s):
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (11 )
• Age: Must be 18 years of age