CDC Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Policy and Partnerships Fellowship

* Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, as they are submitted. A candidate may be selected prior to the published closing date for applications.

CDC Office and Location: A training opportunity is currently available with the Policy and Partnerships Team in the Office of Policy, Partnerships, and Communication (OPPC), in the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) within the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the major operation components of the Department of Health and Human Services. CDC works to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.

Research Project: This project will provide experience in DNPAO's approach to public health nutrition, physical activity, and obesity prevention and will give the fellow an understanding of important partnerships between CDC and national, state, and local public health groups. The fellow will have the opportunity to learn about partnership work to advance priorities and strategies that the division utilizes to communicate about efforts to improve nutrition and increase physical activity. The project involves training with a diverse group of public health professionals, including dietitians, epidemiologists, policy and law experts, and communication experts. 

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant will have the opportunity to train and be involved in the following activities:

• Researching and participating in new or existing partnership activities on an inter-disciplinary team.
• Attending external meeting(s) (e.g., national partner meeting, meetings with federal partners, etc.) to learn about policies and practices aimed at improving nutrition, increasing physical activity, and preventing obesity.
• Tracking and analyzing internal and external requests using SharePoint and other systems.
• Compiling, researching, and analyzing multiple data sources to facilitate communicating about the successes of the DNPAO's program recipients.
• Researching, synthesizing, and translating evidence on social, environmental, and policy strategies related to topics such as: supporting continuity of breastfeeding, promoting healthy eating and improving nutrition, increasing physical activity, preventing and reducing obesity, and achieving health equity by reducing disparities.
• Translating research into policy documents (e.g., white papers, policy briefs, journal articles).
• Participating in various Division workgroups to support the development of a variety of translation and/or communication products.
• Presenting findings to a range of audiences.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Veronica Kennedy (bvo3@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: December 1, 2024. 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: Stipend rates may vary based on numerous factors, including opportunity, location, education, and experience. If you are interviewed, you can inquire about the exact stipend rate at that time and if selected, your appointment offer will include the monthly stipend rate. There will be a 75% health insurance allowance for the participant to either obtain new or offset their direct costs for existing health insurance. There will be no relocation allowances.  

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.NCCDPHP@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, with a demonstrated understanding of public health, nutrition policy, health promotion, and health equity. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date. Degree: Master's Degree received within the last 60 months.

Preferred skills:

• Experience with public health partnerships and communication activities.
• Understanding of nutrition and physical activity.
• Familiarity with policy and/or environmental change strategies that address nutrition and physical activity.

Eligibility Requirements

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Master's Degree received within the last 60 month(s).