What are the responsibilities and job description for the CDC Preparedness and Response Evaluation Opportunity position at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)?
*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.
CDC Office and Location: A Fellowship opportunity is available in the Plans, Exercise, and Evaluation Branch (PXE), Division of Emergency Operations within the Office of Readiness and Response, 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 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: The Evaluation Team strengthens the CDC’s response capacity by capturing Agency lessons during public health responses and preparedness exercises for its After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP). In an ongoing effort to improve public health preparedness and response, the Evaluation Team collects and analyzes qualitative and quantitative data obtained from a variety of sources. You may have the opportunity to be train in the analysis of qualitative and/or quantitative data sets related to public health responses, interpreting the data, and preparation of presentations and briefs which will occur under the guidance of the assigned mentor.
Learning Objectives: This fellowship will offer the opportunity to learn about and obtain hands-on experience in the following activities:
- Gain a deeper understanding of CDC emergency response activities, preparedness principles, and evaluation practices.
- Apply the CDC Evaluation Framework to response evaluations and preparedness exercises.
- Develop experience collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data to support CDC After-Action Reports and Improvement Plans (AAR/IPs).
- Build skills in synthesizing qualitative findings and conducting thematic analysis.
- Gain experience with the development of evidence-informed presentations, briefs, evaluation materials, and scientific publications in collaboration with the Evaluation Team.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Silvia Trigoso (kje0@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: 2026. 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 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 CDCrpp@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.