CDC Kidney Disease Initiative 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) located in Atlanta, Georgia, on the Chamblee campus.

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: The research fellow will gain experience with analysis of large databases in DDT’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, Economics and Statistics Branch (SEESB), as part of the Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Initiative. This project is part of CDC’s CKD Initiative to examine changes in prevalence of comorbidities, survival, and causes of death in the general population with CKD and among patients with kidney failure or end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in the United States. This is a very significant activity for DDT as CKD is a costly and disabling condition, often leading to premature death.

Learning Objectives: The fellow will have the opportunity to advance her/his skills and train to:

• Develop impactful scientific publications that advance health science
• Perform analyses on national US surveillance (NHANES, NHIS, National Hospitalizations Data) and healthcare databases (Medicare and Medicaid) to identify clinical and environmental factors associated with disease incidence and changes in incidence trends. 
• Perform cluster analysis to characterize the population with diabetes and identify and prioritize distinctive contributors to the onset of diabetes related CKD and to CKD progression.
• Analysis of the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) data on patients initiating ESKD therapy to examine trends in prevalence of comorbidities and causes of death.
• Systematic reviews of the literature (published and unpublished) and meta-analyses to explore factors associated with low CKD awareness.
• Trend analyses of long-term survival, mortality rates, and causes of death.
• Expand the evidence base for effective approaches that decrease health disparities
• Communication of research findings at internal CDC meetings and national conferences.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Meda Pavkov (gta3@cdc.gov ). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: July 1, 2025. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for four years, 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.NCCDPHP@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.