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.
• A copy of an abstract or reprint of an article

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.

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*Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis and applications may close before the deadline.

CDC Office and Location: A research opportunity is available in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) located 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.

The National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) is a center within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that works to prevent and control vaccine-preventable diseases and other respiratory illnesses through immunization programs, surveillance, research, and public health initiatives. Within NCIRD, the Program Strategy and Performance Unit (PSPU) in the Office of the Director provides enterprise-level support for strategic planning, evaluation, performance improvement, and continuous learning to strengthen the effectiveness of NCIRD programs and investments. PSPU works across NCIRD divisions, leadership, subject matter experts, and partners to evaluate priorities, measure impact, monitor progress, and apply lessons learned to inform decision-making and drive continuous improvement.

Research Project: A research opportunity is available within PSPU, NCIRD Office of the Director, to train on the evaluation of a high-priority Measles/Vaccine-Preventable Disease (MVPD) Initiative. You will collaborate as part of a cross-functional team to train on the implementation of an evaluation approach that supports monitoring progress, assessing implementation, measuring outcomes, and identifying opportunities for improvement across multiple programs and partners.

You will have opportunities to apply evaluation and performance measurement concepts in a complex public health setting and will gain strong organizational skills, initiative, creativity, critical thinking, and the ability to turn broad objectives into concrete outcomes. You will also have opportunities to explore responsible use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, as an aid to critical thinking, analysis, and productivity—not as a substitute for professional judgment.

Learning Objectives: You will:

• Gain experience supporting development of the MVPD evaluation framework, including evaluation questions, measures, and methods for assessing implementation, outcomes, and impact.
• Learn to map existing evaluation activities, data sources, and measures while identifying opportunities for alignment and integration across programs.
• Build skills in synthesizing information from multiple programs, partners, and data sources to identify findings, gaps, and improvement opportunities.
• Gain experience developing practical items that translate evaluation findings into actionable information for program teams and leadership decision-making.
• Gain experience engaging stakeholders and collaboratively developing evaluation approaches across organizational and program boundaries.
• Collaborate on a defined PSPU project focused on strengthening evaluation capacity or advancing evaluation practice across NCIRD.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Tiffany Brunson (iqa7@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: October 19, 2026. 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: 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, 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.

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.

The qualified candidate should have received a doctoral degree. Degree must have been received within 5 years of the appointment start date.

Preferred skills:

• Experience with program evaluation, implementation science, or related evaluation methods.
• Experience developing evaluation questions, frameworks, logic models, measures, or learning agendas.
• Ability to translate complex or ambiguous problems into practical evaluation approaches.
• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, synthesis, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to synthesize information from multiple sources and communicate findings clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, with the ability to collaborate across organizational boundaries and with multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated initiative, creativity, and ability to move forward with limited direction.
• Interest in applying emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, as an aid to critical thinking, analysis, and productivity.

• Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 month(s).
• Discipline(s):
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (1 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (3 )
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (1 )

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.)