CDC Health Communication Fellowship

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

CDC Office and Location: A research opportunity is available in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Office of the Director; Division of Human Development and Disability; National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, located 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.

The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), seeks to promote the health of babies, children, and adults with disabilities. The work of NCBDDD includes identifying the causes of birth defects, developmental disabilities, helping children to develop and reach their full potential, and promoting health and well-being among people of all ages with disabilities. NCBDDD has three Divisions that carry out this mission: Division of Birth Defects and Infant Disorders (DBDID), Human Development and Disability (DHDD), and Division of Blood Disorders and Public Health Genomics (DBDPHG). 

Research Project: This training opportunity is currently available within DHDD's Office of the Director (OD). DHDD's vision is for people with disabilities and developmental concerns to achieve their optimal health and well-being. The division leads public health efforts for people with disabilities and developmental concerns across the lifespan through data, evidence-informed strategies, and partnerships. Moreover, major goals of the Division include a) Provide high-quality, timely, and actionable data; b) Support the awareness and implementation of impactful interventions inclusive of PSE changes; c) Strengthen systems and support across the lifespan and at critical transition periods; and d) Enhance coalitions, strategic partnerships, and technical assistance. To support such efforts, the opportunity would:

Programmatic Support: Assist with various elements of the DHDD OD activities, including tracking federal disability inclusion programmatic activities and technical support, training with disability subject matter experts to assess and identify program outcomes and develop program impact statements, and developing products to showcase disability inclusion best practices and NCBDDD/CDC diversity achievements. The participant will have the opportunity to learn how to use public health science to analyze relevant information, prepare literature reviews, and help evaluate outcomes from disability inclusion activities.

Partnership Development: Gain experience with partnership building activities that maintain and expand the research of DHDD OD regarding increasing awareness and promoting disability inclusion at the national, state, and local levels. This may include having opportunities to engage with national partner organizations and disability advocates that champion disability inclusion and public health topics that address health disparities faced by people with disabilities as well as collaborate on program design and communication activities to improve the health of people with disabilities. Additionally, this participant will collaborate with public health and disability experts to respond to requests for information on disability inclusion activities to a variety of stakeholders across CDC and with external partners, including traditional and non-traditional partners that can help raise awareness about disability inclusion and inform the national discourse.

Materials Development: Draw upon public health training and experience to recommend, develop, and help promote health education resources, disability inclusion tools, and communications materials (e.g., briefing materials, presentations, case studies) that can be shared and used across multiple formats - including via innovative print, video, and web-ready communication and products. This participant will help with framing and building out disability inclusion communication materials to promote DHDD's mission and share best practices.

Learning Objectives: This opportunity will offer a unique opportunity to train with the Policy, Communications, and Partnerships Unit in the following areas:

• Translate scientific research into consumer-focused, accessible, plain language
• Develop and evaluate social media and website content
• Coordinate and participate in meetings
• Establish and maintain relationships with internal and external partners to achieve division goals
• Express scientific and/or programmatic information clearly in posters, presentations, and responses to policy and partnership requests

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Helen Kingery (WZQ8@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: July 22, 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.

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.IOD@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 (public health, health communication, behavioral or social sciences, or a related field). Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Preferred skills:

• A background in health education/communication and promotion, behavioral science, disability inclusion, and/or maternal and child health is strongly preferred.
• Experience in project management, program coordination, partnership building, health communication, program implementation and evaluation, collaborating with stakeholders and across stakeholder groups, and providing support to multi-disciplinary project teams is desired.
• Experience in communication product development is a plus.
• Thrive in a collaborative environment;
• Be an enthusiastic self-starter;
• Enjoy training with internal and external stakeholders and building partnerships at all levels;
• Be able to demonstrate strong organizational skills;
• Be able to demonstrate strong interpersonal skills;
• Be able to demonstrate strong oral and written communication skills; and
• Have a strong desire to learn new skills and apply them in a real-world setting.

Eligibility Requirements

• Degree: Master's Degree received within the last 60 month(s).
• Academic Level(s): Post-Master's.