Job Posting: Health Scientist Administrator (Program Officer) Research Gaps Team Lead

Summary

Thank you for your interest in the Health Scientist Administrator (PO) Research Gaps Team Lead position. This announcement highlights this specific position and area of expertise. Applications for this position are being accepted through a separate, broader NIH vacancy announcement on USAJOBS. NIH uses that vacancy announcement to receive and process applications for this position. To be considered for this position, you MUST apply through vacancy announcement NIH-GR-MP-26-13057787.

Duties

This position is located in the NIH Office of Disease Prevention (ODP), the lead office at NIH for assessing, facilitating, and stimulating research in disease prevention and health promotion and for disseminating prevention research findings to improve public health. Learn more about ODP at https://prevention.nih.gov/about-odp. The ODP is seeking an accomplished senior scientist and scientific leader to serve as a Health Scientist Administrator (PO), and lead ODP's Research Gaps Team. This position offers an opportunity to provide scientific leadership for ODP's efforts to identify important gaps in the prevention research portfolio and develop and implement strategies to address those gaps. The Team Lead will direct and coordinate a portfolio of high-profile, NIH-wide activities designed to identify prevention research needs, strengthen the evidence base for disease prevention and health promotion, and stimulate research in areas requiring additional investment or expanded effort. The position requires working across scientific disciplines and organizational boundaries to translate identified evidence gaps into actionable research priorities and collaborative initiatives. A central responsibility of the position will be providing scientific leadership, strategic direction, and oversight for ODP's research gaps activities. The individual will work closely with NIH Institutes and Centers and other federal partners to identify emerging research needs, assess opportunities within the NIH prevention research portfolio, and develop strategies for addressing important evidence gaps. The Team Lead will also provide leadership for ODP's engagement with major federal prevention initiatives and evidence-based programs. This includes activities associated with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF), Healthy People initiative, and ODP's Pathways to Prevention (P2P) Program. These activities have historically been central components of ODP's work to identify research needs and develop coordinated approaches for strengthening the prevention evidence base. Responsibilities will include building and maintaining partnerships across NIH and HHS; leading and facilitating trans-NIH scientific activities; overseeing complex, multidisciplinary projects; and advising ODP leadership on research gaps, emerging scientific opportunities, and areas where NIH engagement or action may be warranted. The individual will represent ODP on NIH and HHS committees, workgroups, and other collaborative efforts and will communicate ODP and NIH prevention research priorities to scientific, federal, and other stakeholder audiences. The position also provides an opportunity to shape the future of NIH prevention research by bringing together scientific expertise, portfolio analysis, evidence gaps, and the perspectives of NIH and federal partners to identify areas where coordinated research efforts can have significant impact. Who We're Looking For The ideal candidate will be an accomplished scientist with broad expertise in disease prevention, health promotion, and/or health services research and substantial experience working within the NIH research environment. A Ph.D. or equivalent degree, with experience in areas such as epidemiology, prevention science, health services research, health policy, preventive medicine, public health, and/or behavioral and social science, is preferred, consistent with the qualifications identified for the position in the prior recruitment notice. We are looking for someone who understands how to move from identifying and prioritizing a scientific or evidence gap to developing a practical strategy for addressing it. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience evaluating research needs, developing scientific priorities, using evidence syntheses, and designing or implementing research initiatives that build the evidence needed to advance prevention. Equally important is a strong understanding of the broader NIH research environment. The successful candidate should have extensive knowledge of NIH research programs, portfolios, policies, and initiatives and experience working across NIH organizational boundaries. Because this is a GS-15 team leadership position, we are seeking someone with demonstrated experience leading complex scientific programs and multidisciplinary teams. The ideal candidate will be able to establish strategic vision and direction, organize people and resources around shared objectives, promote high-functioning teams, mentor scientific staff, manage competing priorities, and move multiple high-visibility projects from concept through implementation and evaluation. Prospective candidates can learn more about ODP's work through the ODP Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2024-2028, Prevention Research: Creating a Healthier Future for All, which outlines the strategic priorities guiding the Office's activities.

Who Can Apply