Postdoctoral Fellowship for “Healthy Kids, Healthy Nation”

Deadline

Organization: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Reference Code: NIH-ODS-2024


Description

Located within the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives in the Office of the Director at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) serves as the lead program office focused on advancing and disseminating research on dietary supplements to foster knowledge and optimize health across the lifespan.

This project, titled “Healthy Kids, Healthy Force, Healthy Nation,” centers on the role of exercise, dietary supplements, behavioral health, and underlying dietary habits on obesity, musculoskeletal health, and resilience in youth populations, particularly those who are underserved and experiencing health disparities.


What Will I Be Doing?

In this program, the fellow will participate in trans-NIH and trans-agency (NIH, DoD, CDC HHS/OASH, and others) collaborative discussions to improve nutrition, physical activity, as well as physical and mental health of U.S. children from a multi-agency perspective. They will also have an opportunity to engage in NIH and trans-agency groups in childhood obesity research, nutrition, physical activity, and other areas based on the fellow’s scientific expertise and interests.

Under the direction of a mentor, the fellow will learn how to design, contribute to, and perform timely literature reviews of effective well-designed interventions and programs, commentaries or position papers, and novel epidemiological analyses. The goal of these collective research efforts is to prioritize preventive health behaviors (physical activity, nutrition, dietary supplement use, and healthy weight), focusing on whole-person health throughout the life course to promote workforce readiness.


Why Should I Apply?

The fellow will grow professionally by learning how NIH stimulates research while also making connections with leading experts in this field. The experiences gained by participating in this program will enhance career opportunities in government and research.


Location

This program is on-site in Bethesda, MD, with the potential opportunity to telework.


What Are the Benefits?

Participants will receive a competitive stipend. They may also be eligible for a health insurance allowance and/or reimbursement for professional travel expenses.


Appointment Dates

Estimated appointment start is October 2024; additional selections may be made at a later time. Appointments are for one year with the possibility of extension.


Nature of the Appointment

This program, administered by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is established through an interagency agreement between DOE and NIH. Participants do not become employees of NIH, ODS, ORAU, ORISE, DOE, or any other agency, and there are no employment-related benefits. Instead, participants will be affiliated with ORISE for the administration of the appointment through the ORISE appointment letter and Terms of Appointment.

While participants will not enter into an employment relationship, this opportunity will require a suitability/background investigation by NIH. Any offer made is considered tentative, pending a favorable outcome of the investigation.


Qualifications

  • Candidates should have recently earned a doctoral degree in nutritional sciences, exercise physiology, epidemiology, public health, psychology, or a closely related field.
  • Demonstrated proficiency with written and oral communication is required.

A Complete Application Consists of:

  1. Complete Zintellect Profile
  2. Complete Application Questions
  3. Current Resume/CV: Including academic history, employment history, and relevant experiences.
  4. Transcripts/Academic Records: Recent unofficial transcripts or copies of student academic records printed by the applicant or by academic advisors. Transcripts must include the name of the academic institution, name of the student, completed/in-progress coursework, and grades. If selected, a copy of the official transcript will be required before the appointment can start.
  5. One (1) Academic or Professional Recommendation: Applicants are required to provide contact information for at least one recommendation to submit the application. Recommenders must complete a recommendation through the Zintellect system, addressing the candidate's academic record, scientific capabilities, personal characteristics, and potential for success. Recommendations submitted via email will not be accepted.

Note: All documents must be submitted via Zintellect, in English or with an official English translation. All application components must be received in the system to be considered. Supporting materials must be uploaded as PDF files to ensure searchability by Zintellect’s search engine. Incomplete applications will not be considered.


Contact Information

If you have questions, send an email to NIHprograms@orau.org. Please include the reference code (NIH-ODS-2024) for this opportunity in the subject or body of your email.


Eligibility Requirements

  • Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
  • Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 12 months
  • Overall GPA: 3.60
  • Discipline(s):
    • Life Health and Medical Sciences
    • Social and Behavioral Sciences
Sponsor Organization
National Institutes of Health (NIH)