CDC Environmental Health Training Fellowship
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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.
*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.
CDC Office and Location: A research opportunity is available with the Associate Director for Science (ADS) in the Office of Capacity Development and Applied Prevention Science (OCDAPS) at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in Atlanta, Georgia.
ATSDR is a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ATSDR protects communities from harmful health effects related to exposure to natural and man-made hazardous substances. ATSDR does this by responding to environmental health emergencies; investigating emerging environmental health threats; conducting research on the health impacts of hazardous waste sites; and building capabilities of and providing actionable guidance to state and local health partners.
Research Project: ADS conducts the Environmental Health Training Program (EHTP). EHTP supports ATSDR staff, states, and Tribal partners in obtaining and maintaining professional competencies needed to conduct the public health assessment (PHA) process. The PHA is ATSDR’s method used to evaluate communities’ health from exposure to environmental contaminants. EHTP provides a CDC-accredited environmental health curriculum that teaches how to evaluate/communicate the public health impact of exposures to environmental hazardous substances. Currently, OCDAPS/ADS is working on multiple environmental health training activities to support ATSDR staff, states, and Tribal partners (e.g., states under the ATSDR’s Cooperative Agreement Program) to enhance the quality of their site-related work including exposure assessment, health effects evaluation, and health communication.
In 2023, OCDAPS/ADS is planning to expand their environmental heath training efforts to conduct the following activities:
- Ten chemical-specific webinars on the health effects charts (HECs) that ATSDR is developing for common contaminants found at hazardous waste sites. The HECs will help health assessors determine contaminants’ site-specific health effects,
- Additional environmental health webinars on new processes for the PHA’s screening, health effects evaluation, and toxicological analysis, and
- A promotional campaign to market PHAT to United States’ academic institutions with environmental health programs.
Through this ORISE fellowship, the participant will collaborate with OCDAPS in the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of training activities targeting environmental health professionals. The participant may also be asked to participate in special projects within the ADS office, such as the enhancement of the ATSDR’s shower model or the ATSDR’s health effects project.
OCDAPS/ADS' process to develop training include:
- Conducting and analyzing training needs surveys and assessments,
- Planning and designing training courses and materials based on instructional design methods and adult learning principles,
- Using e-learning tools and software to develop web-based training courses and materials,
- Collaborating with subject matter experts and using appropriate methods and tools to translate complex environmental health information into clear language,
- Developing accessible training courses (508-compliant) including using Zoom to review webinars’ transcripts and closed-captions and testing content for readability and color-contrast,
- Conducting pilot testing of training courses and materials,
- Coordinating continuing education of training activities,
- Collaborating with web designers to appropriately design and deliver web-based training,
- Promoting availability of training courses and materials among various audiences,
- Delivering presentations and training classes (e.g., webinars) including conducting courses’ registration and using meeting platforms like Zoom, and
- Qualitatively and quantitively evaluating training activities and materials’ efficacy in increasing knowledge and skills.
OCDAPS/ADS will mentor participant to complete previous process.
Learning Objectives: The ORISE participant will learn best practices in instructional design and training development, including application of CDC’s training quality standards. Participant will use effective training-development resources, tools, and platforms and learn about ATSDR’s environmental health assessment method to evaluate exposure to hazardous substances.
Participant will also participate in professional meetings and training and network with experts in the training-development, e-learning, and environmental health fields.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Sandra Lopez-Carreras (spc0@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: February 20, 2023. 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: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience.
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, 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 ORISE.CDC.ATSDR@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
The qualified candidate should have received a master's degree in one of the relevant fields (e.g. Instructional Design, Health Education, Communications, Environmental Health, or Public Health), or be currently pursuing the degree with completion by August 31, 2023. Degree must have been received within the past five years.
The ideal participant will be skilled in instructional design, health education, communications, and in environmental health.
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
- Degree: Master's Degree received within the last 60 months or anticipated to be received by 8/31/2023 12:00:00 AM.
- Discipline(s):
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.)
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