Scientific Diversity Officer (Associate Director for Scientific Research Strategy)

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

National Institutes of Health

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) seeks a highly qualified candidate to serve as Scientific Research Equity Officer and Associate Director for Scientific Research Strategy reporting to the Director, NIAID.

NIAID is one of the largest institutes in the National Institutes of Health (NIH), part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with a budget of over $6.5 billion in fiscal year 2023. NIAID conducts and supports a large, diverse, and complex national and international portfolio of basic, translational, and clinical research to better understand, treat, and prevent infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases.

Unique among the institutes and centers that comprise NIH, NIAID has a dual mandate to respond to emerging public health threats. Significantly, many of the infectious and immune-mediated diseases that are the focus of NIAID-funded research disproportionately affect underserved and underrepresented populations.

NIAID leadership has established the role of Associate Director for Scientific Research Strategy to develop and implement a robust and centralized strategy to better address health disparities and healthy equity in allergy, immunology, and infectious disease research while simultaneously establishing a broadly representative scientific career development pipeline of trainees and investigators. Collectively, these efforts will ensure NIAID is taking a wide-ranging approach to addressing fundamental issues of health disparities and health equity through its comprehensive research portfolio, from basic science studies to complex international clinical trials.

Responsibilities of the position include the following:

• Serve as the primary scientific and technical advisor to NIAID leadership on issues relating to health disparities and health equity research across the institute
• Work closely with the NIAID Director and senior staff to establish trans-NIAID programs and policies to address health disparities in research
• Establish ongoing communication with senior personnel within intramural research divisions to facilitate evaluation and recommendations for addressing diversity and health disparities in proposed research studies
• Work with NIAID extramural division directors and senior division leadership to evaluate research portfolios, identify and remedy gaps where health disparities and health equity can be more substantially addressed, and identify opportunities for funding announcements targeting the career development of investigators from underrepresented groups or disadvantaged backgrounds
• Work closely with NIAID advisory committees and staff from across NIH to establish and implement best practices regarding grant review processes and prioritization of research that addresses health disparities in funding decisions

Qualifications

US Citizenship is required.

Required Education:  you must have a bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree with a major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of this position.

Required experience:  managing health disparities and health equity programs for a biomedical research organization; leading scientific workforce development efforts to improve diversity, health disparities, and health equity; developing policies, strategies, and initiatives to promote scientific diversity, health equity, and disparities research; and collaborating and coordinating with other officials, staff, and organizations on scientific diversity programs and efforts.

Visit vacancy announcement #NIH-NIAID-DE-24-12335537, (https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/799480000) on USA Jobs (https://www.usajobs.gov/), for further information about the position, including: position, title, series and grade levels, as well as the position’s qualification requirements and salary information.  A full civil service package of benefits (including retirement, health, life and long-term care insurance, Thrift Savings Plan, etc.) is available.

This position is subject to a background investigation.

Applications from women, persons from underrepresented groups, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

To Apply

Visit the Scientific Diversity Officer vacancy announcement #NIH-NIAID-DE-24-12335537 (https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/799480000) to submit your application.

The application period is open from August 11, 2024, until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 20, 2024. For questions about the application process, email Cathy Richardson (richarca@od.nih.gov).

In your curriculum vitae, please include a description of your leadership, mentoring, and outreach activities, especially those involving women and people from other groups underrepresented in biomedical research.

Visit NIAID Careers (https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/careers) for information about working in NIAID’s dynamic atmosphere!

HHS, NIH, and NIAID are equal opportunity employers dedicated to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. NIH is dedicated to building a diverse community through its training and employment programs.