CDC Health Communication Fellowship

Organization
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Reference Code
CDC-NCEZID-DFWED-2023-0064
How to Apply

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A complete application consists of:
  • An application
  • 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.

Application Deadline
6/9/2023 11:59:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

CDC Office and Location: A research opportunity is currently available in the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases (DFWED) within the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. 

CDC's Outbreak Response and Prevention Branch (ORPB) collaborates with epidemiologists, laboratorians, and other public health officials who investigate clusters of foodborne, waterborne, zoonotic, and other enteric (gastrointestinal) illnesses in the United States. ORPB works to ensure rapid and coordinated surveillance, detection, and response to multistate outbreaks caused by Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Listeria. The health communicators in ORPB communicate risk to the public and other partners during ongoing outbreaks and create educational materials to prevent enteric illnesses. For more information about ORPB, visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dfwed/orpb/index.html.

Research Project: This project offers an opportunity to participate as a core member of a multi-disciplinary team focusing on outbreak response and prevention activities, a primary component of CDC’s mission. 

Learning Objectives This research opportunity will allow the participant advanced experiential learning in the creation of various health and risk communication materials for a variety of audiences regarding enteric disease outbreaks. There will be opportunities to learn from experienced communicators how to quickly translate science into public-facing materials (e.g., web pages, social media) that accurately communicate risk. There will also be opportunities to learn how to develop educational graphics, data visualizations, and other key communication materials. There will be opportunities to attend branch and division meetings, educational seminars, participate in CDC-wide emergency responses, and other activities as schedules allow. The participant will have opportunities to enhance quantitative and qualitative reasoning, critical thinking and problem solving, communication, and teamwork skills during this fellowship.

Mentor(s): The mentor(s) for this opportunity is Laura Whitlock (wmg5@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s). 

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: May 1, 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. Participants may be eligible to telework part-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, 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, 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.NCEZID@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received a master's degree in one of the relevant fields, or be currently pursuing the degree with completion before May 31, 2023. Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Preferred Skills:

  • Background in health communications
  • Excellent skills for preparing written documents and giving oral presentations for a variety of audiences
  • Proficiency in Microsoft applications including Teams, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
  • Experience as a translator or experience developing communication products or other documents in Spanish
Eligibility Requirements
  • Degree: Master's Degree received within the last 60 months or anticipated to be received by 5/31/2023 11:59:00 PM.
  • Discipline(s):
    • Communications and Graphics Design (6 )
    • Life Health and Medical Sciences (7 )
    • Social and Behavioral Sciences (29 )
Affirmation

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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