To submit your application, scroll to the bottom of this opportunity and click APPLY.

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.

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*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

CDC Office and Location: One fellowship opportunity is available in the Office of the Associate Director for Science, Office of the Director, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO) within the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the major operation components of the Department of Health and Human Services. CDC protects 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. CDC increases the health security of our nation. As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats. To accomplish its mission, CDC conducts important science and provides health information that protects our nation against expensive and dangerous health threats, and responds when these arise.

Research Project: A healthy diet and physical activity are key behaviors that contribute to reducing the risk for obesity and other chronic diseases.  An important component of a public health response to address these behaviors is surveillance.  Surveillance is used to track the behaviors as well as their environmental and policy support.

This project will provide training to address surveillance and research issues related to nutrition, physical activity, and obesity in a public health setting.  You will train with others to synthesize the science, identify research and surveillance gaps, and translate the science into public health actions for different aspects of nutrition, physical activity, and obesity across the lifespan.

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, this training opportunity may include:

• Gain focused training in federal nutrition, physical activity, and obesity surveillance; related research methods; surveillance-data analysis; and scientific manuscript development for peer-reviewed publication.
• Gain experience with updates to DNPAO’s interactive, web-based data portal that displays Division surveillance data.
• Collaborate with Division science experts to analyze surveillance and research data and develop manuscripts describing key findings.
• Build project-management and strategic-planning skills by learning about nutrition, physical activity, obesity, research, and surveillance initiatives.
• Learn to develop communication items that translate DNPAO surveillance and research findings for relevant public health audiences.
• Train to identify and address surveillance-data needs among DNPAO-funded programs.
• Strengthen scientific communication skills by presenting findings from at least one project through a seminar or similar professional venue.
• Conduct systematic reviews of scientific literature to inform surveillance and research activities.
• Gain interdisciplinary collaboration experience by collaborating with public health nutritionists, health education specialists, evaluation specialists, health care providers, epidemiologists, and other subject-matter experts.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Deborah Galuska (dbg6@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: January 11, 2027. 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.

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 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.

Questions: Please visit our Program Website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process please email CDCrpp@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Candidates should have received or be currently pursuing either a doctoral or a master’s degree in a public health discipline in the last five years in a field of study such as epidemiology or biostatistics. Degree must have ben recieved within the past five years, or be pursuing to receive within 60 days of the official start date.

Preferred skills:

• It is helpful to have had coursework covering topics such as nutrition, physical activity, obesity, surveillance, data analysis, and scientific writing. 
• Possess public health training with data analysis, scientific writing, and surveillance and research in at least one of the following topics: nutrition, physical activity, or obesity. 
• Knowledge of policy, systems, or environmental supports for healthy eating and active living is desired.
• Ideally, participants should also have practical experience in data analysis, scientific writing, oral presentations, project planning, and working on multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience conducting statistical analyses with statistical software systems such as SAS, R, or python is highly desired.

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.
• Discipline(s):
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (5 )
  • 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.)