CDC Strategic Foresight for Public Health Readiness and Response

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

CDC Office and Location: A fellowship opportunity is available in 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: Strategic Foresight (SF) is a specialty dedicated to preparing an organization to act effectively under deep uncertainty – not by predicting a single future, but by understanding the range of plausible futures and forces shaping them. Public health is defined by its exposure to compounding, fast-moving drivers of change: the accelerating convergence of AI and biotechnology, shifts in disease ecology, global migration, and other factors affecting supply chains and health security, demographic and workforce transitions, and an information ecosystem that outpaces official communications. As the current landscape evolves, iteration of foresight activities (e.g., horizon scanning, trend identification and analysis, implication determinations) is important. These insights enable us to identify early signals, stress-test assumptions, and inform strategic partnerships, investments, and strategies to mitigate uncertainties and achieve institutional objectives

ORR has leveraged SF for the past 5 years to better understand the rapidly changing dynamics of the public health landscape and technological advancements with implications to public health readiness and response.

Under the guidance of a mentor, you will train on activities to research, test, and help advance novel SF approaches and techniques as an applied learning experience relevant to ORR/OD’s foresight portfolio. This training is a research opportunity: you will develop and apply SF methodology under mentorship, producing analysis and materials that build both the your professional knowledge and the evidence base for how SF methods can support public health practice. Specific activities to support this project are expected to include:

• Research and advance the utility of AI models (including deep research tools) as an emerging technique to support the development of SF insights, tabletop exercises, and training materials and documenting methodology and findings as an applied research contribution.
• Conduct an independent reevaluation of the feasibility and current status of the 2025-2030 strategic plan (developed in 2024) to assess how well the plan holds up against the current landscape.
• Gain skills in applied stakeholder engagement with ORR and CDC programs to research opportunities for leveraging foresight techniques to build resilience and enhance readiness and response capabilities.
• Develop or collaborate on at least one manuscript for peer-reviewed publication; detailing methods, results, implications, and next steps for the use of SF in public health- and supporting your professional development and broader field’s evidence base.

Learning Objectives: 

• Applied training in foresight methodologies — practical, real-world, experience with structured analytic techniques, scenario planning, and horizon scanning that are transferable across public and private sector career paths
• Direct engagement with senior decision-makers — opportunity to brief and interact with ORR leadership, building experience translating technical complexity into decision-relevant language
• Cross-sector network building — access to relationships across government, academia, and industry that can shape future career opportunities
• Insight into how strategic foresight can inform action within the public sector — a rare look inside the process connecting early-stage technical signals to real resourcing and policy decisions, valuable for anyone considering a career in strategy or foresight

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Matt Mauldin (yik5@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.

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 CDCrpp@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Salary : $4,447 - $6,581