CDC Evaluation Fellowship

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.

If you have questions, send an email to ORISE.CDC.CSELS@orau.org. Please include the reference code for this opportunity in your email.

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

A research opportunity is currently available with the Office of the Director (OD), within the Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) located in Atlanta, Georgia.

During this project, the selected participant will be involved in the evaluation of electronic case reporting (eCR) activities in jurisdictions nationwide. eCR is the automated generation and transmission of case reports from electronic health records to public health agencies for action. eCR can result in earlier detection of conditions or events, more timely intervention, and lowered disease transmission. CDC works closely with electronic health record vendors, state and local public health authorities, and local healthcare providers to implement and evaluate eCR activities. Under the guidance of the Associate Director for Evaluation in CSELS, the participant will be involved in evaluation activities that will help inform this crucial project to modernize surveillance activities nationwide. The evaluation activities will build upon an initial multisite evaluation just completed. The evaluation plan used in the initial study is available here: https://aea365.org/blog/evaluation-accountability-why-share-early-artifacts-of-an-evaluation-by-goldie-macdonald-and-jeff-engel/

Under the guidance of the mentor, the participant will be involved in the following activities:

• Participate in planning a participatory, multisite evaluation to support eCR implementation and scale-up nationwide
• Collaborate with team members and stakeholders to collect data related to eCR, qualitative and quantitative
• Contribute to data analysis and participatory data interpretation to develop robust recommendations for eCR activities in the short-term and over time
• Conduct literature reviews to support evaluation activities
• Contribute to identification of core indicators for eCR activities that can be packaged for use nationwide in the years ahead
• Contribute to manuscripts and other public-facing products from the evaluation
• Collaborate with stakeholders to use data from the evaluation, internal and external
• Contribute to development of a detailed evaluation report that documents all components of the evaluation (e.g., methods, findings, recommendations)
• Participate in the development of related documents, publications, and presentations for internal and external partners and stakeholders (e.g., conference presentations)

At the conclusion of this opportunity, the participant will be able to:

• Provide a concrete example of how monitoring and evaluation data can inform a public health initiative and explain their substantial role in this evaluation activity from start to finish
• Identify how to prepare reports and other products to meet the different needs and expectations of public and private partners, the general public, and policymakers
• Explain the trade-offs of different approaches to program evaluation tasks in terms of accuracy, feasibility, propriety, and utility
• Explain key aspects of eCR and the importance of data standards, scalable informatics infrastructure, and interoperable systems for public health and healthcare
• Learn how new data sources (e.g., electronic health records) and methods (e.g., machine learning) can enhance surveillance for notifiable and non-notifiable diseases

This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and CDC. The initial appointment can be up to one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of CDC contingent on the availability of funds. The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. The appointment is full-time at CDC in the Atlanta, Georgia, area. Participants do not become employees of CDC, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits.

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a master's or doctoral degree (preferred) in one of the relevant fields, with emphasis on evaluation, analytic methods, and public health or social science. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.

Preferred skills:

• Training and experience in program monitoring and evaluation
• Practical experience in program evaluation planning, implementation, and use of findings
• Quantitative and qualitative data collection methods and analytics experience and competencies
• Experience with logic models, indicators, or evaluation reports
• Experience with analytic software
• Interest in learning about informatics and public health data modernization
• Experience reviewing and summarizing scientific information
• Exceptional oral and written communications skills (especially technical writing and presentation skills) for a variety of audiences
• Fluency in Microsoft Office applications

• Degree: Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.
• Discipline(s):
  • Communications and Graphics Design (1 )
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (3 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (2 )
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (1 )