CDC Public Health Program Fellowship

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education; Chamblee (GA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) offers a CDC research opportunity in Chamblee, Georgia. This full-time program provides hands-on experience analyzing deployment-related safety practices within a federal public health setting under mentor guidance.

Qualified candidates will have a Master’s Degree in a relevant field. The appointment lasts one year and is funded by ORISE, with a monthly stipend. Start date and deadlines apply as noted.

Qualifications

• The qualified candidate should have received a master's degree in one of the relevant fields.

Education

Master's Degree in relevant field

Job description

Reference Code

CDC-2026-0119

Application Deadline

12/4/2026 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone

Description

• 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), located in Chamblee, 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 protects 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. CDC increases the health security of our nation. As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats. To accomplish its mission, CDC conducts important science and provides health information that protects our nation against expensive and dangerous health threats, and responds when these arise.

Research Project

You will participate in an educational research experience focused on analyzing deployment-related safety practices, lessons learned, and incident-investigation findings within a federal public health environment. Under mentor guidance, you will gain experience reviewing historical deployment-safety information, examining patterns in incident and near‑miss reports, and exploring approaches for developing evidence‑informed safety resources. Through this research engagement, you will learn how safety data, field feedback, and trend analysis inform the creation of tools such as playbooks, checklists, assessment templates, and other educational materials that strengthen deployment‑safety preparedness. Your learning experience will also include training in organizing information within collaborative platforms to support accessibility of research‑derived safety guidance.

Learning Objectives

• Learn how deployment‑safety programs are informed by lessons learned, incident investigations, and feedback from deployed safety personnel.
• Gain experience reviewing incident and near‑miss records to identify risks associated with travel, vehicle use, slips, trips, falls, ergonomics, biological exposures, security, and personal protective equipment.
• Develop skills in organizing and categorizing multi‑year safety data to identify recurring incident patterns and trends.
• Learn to create research‑informed deployment‑safety resources, including playbooks, checklists, travel‑risk assessment templates, standardized tools, and response‑safety guidance materials.
• Gain experience contributing to a centralized SharePoint resource center designed to improve accessibility of safety guidance and lessons‑learned materials.
• Build familiarity with safety‑management information systems and explore Cority functionality as part of a mentored learning experience.
• Develop analytical and reporting skills by preparing research‑based safety‑trend summaries and communicating findings to stakeholders under mentor guidance.
• Learn to create risk‑visualization tools, such as heat maps, to evaluate the likelihood and potential impact of deployment‑related hazards.
• Gain experience translating safety‑data insights into prevention‑focused recommendations intended to reduce future incidents.

Mentor(s):

The mentor for this opportunity is Meranda Bradley ([e-mail]). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date:

October 21, 2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length:

The appointment will initially be for one year 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.

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.

Questions:

Please visit our Program Website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process please email [e-mail] 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.

Stipend

$5,439.24 – $5,439.25 Monthly

Point of Contact

Rachel

Eligibility Requirements

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Master's Degree.
• Discipline(s):
  • Communications and Graphics Design (
  • Communications
  • Health Communications
• Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (3 )
• Engineering (4 )
• Life Health and Medical Sciences (2 )

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.)