CDC Microplastics and Health Systematic Review Fellowship

Organization
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Reference Code
CDC-NCEH-2019-0199
How to 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.

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

Application Deadline
10/4/2019 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

A research opportunity is currently available within the Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch (WFEHSB), in the Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice (DEHSP) of the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia.

WFEHSB’s mission is to strengthen state, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) environmental health programs and their professionals to better anticipate, identify, and respond to adverse environmental exposures and their effects on human health. The participant will be assigned to the WFEHSB Safe Water Section, which provides tools, guidance, training, practice support and research for STLT programs addressing recreational water, drinking water from private wells, and Legionella prevention.

Under the guidance of a collaborative, multidisciplinary team of professionals within DEHSP, WFEHSB, NCEH/Division of Laboratory Services (DLS) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), the selected participant will be involved in the following:

  • Conducting a systematic review of the literature to describe the potential human health effects of microplastics, which includes identification of relevant studies utilizing defined inclusion criteria, assessing the quality of evidence, reconciling the summarized body of evidence for consistency, and identifying data and research gaps
  • Contributing to the development of microplastics-related technical guidance documents, protocols, and communication materials with an emphasis on comprehensive assessment of human exposure pathways, toxicological endpoints, and public health interventions
  • Participating in interdisciplinary groups and interacting with experts on technical assistance requests involving microplastics
  • Conducting other activities as assigned through research, scientific reasoning, and effective communication

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.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a master's or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.

Preferred skills:

  • Experience in designing and conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses using approved guidelines (e.g.,  Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE), Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions)
  • Extensive knowledge in micro/nanoplastics, human health risk assessment, and/or occupational and environmental health
  • Proficiency in evaluating scientific study design, quality of evidence, and risk of bias
  • Strong technical writing and verbal communication skills
  • Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
Eligibility Requirements
  • Degree: Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.
  • Discipline(s):
    • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (1 )
    • Life Health and Medical Sciences (2 )