Welcome to the employment information section at Office of The Chief of the Liver Diseases Branch. Below you will find descriptions of different positions that may be available within the Liver Diseases Branch.
Post-Bacc IRTA
Post-Doc IRTA
Pre-Doc IRTA
Student IRTA
Visiting Fellow
Special Volunteer
Guest Researcher
Research Fellow
Clinical Fellow
Post-Bacc IRTA [top]
Purpose: To provide recent college graduates an introduction to careers in the research field; encourage their pursuit of professional careers in biomedical research; and allow additional time to pursue successful application to either graduate or medical school programs.
This program may also be extended to students who have been accepted into graduate, other doctoral, or medical degree programs and who have written permission from their school to delay entrance for up to 1 year.
Eligibility: Individuals who have (1) graduated from a fully accredited U.S. college or university no more than 2 years prior to the activation date of Fellowship, and intend to apply to graduate school in biomedical research or medical school within the next year, or (2) students who have been accepted into graduate, other doctoral or medical degree programs and who have written permission from their school to delay entrance for up to 1 year.
Length of Award: Post-baccalaureate IRTAs are eligible for initial one-year awards (appointments) with one renewal for an additional year under the most justifiable circumstances
Post-Doc IRTA [top]
Purpose: To provide advanced practical research experience to physicians and other doctoral researchers who are at the beginning stages of their professional research careers.
Eligibility: Applicants must be US citizens or permanent resident aliens in possession of a M.D., Ph.D., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.V.M., or equivalent degree in a biomedical, behavioral, or related science; or certification by a university as meeting all the requirements leading to such a doctorate. Applicants must also have 5 or fewer years of relevant post-doctoral research experience and up to 2 additional years of experience not oriented towards research (i.e., clinical training for physicians).
Length of Award: Post-doctoral IRTA initial appointments may be for 1 or 2 years, with extensions in 1-year increments not to exceed 5 years total. An IRTA trainee may not be part-time for more than an 8-year calendar period. Intermittent schedules are not permitted.
Pre-Doc IRTA [top]
Purpose: To provide practical research training and experience to students, by supplementing academic course work and/or encouraging pursuit of professional careers in biomedical research to: 1) students enrolled in doctoral degree programs in biomedical sciences; 2) students who are enrolled in graduate, other doctoral or medical degree programs and who have written permission from their school to interrupt their current schooling and to return within one year to their degree granting program.
Eligibility: Applicant students enrolled in Ph.D., M.D., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.V.M., or equivalent degree programs at fully accredited U.S. universities (which frequently involves dissertation research). The research experience is undertaken as an integral part of the student's ongoing academic preparation and is credited towards completion of degree requirements or students who are enrolled in graduate, other doctoral or medical degree programs and who have written permission from their school to interrupt their current schooling and to return within one year to their degree granting program.
Length of Award: Initial 1 month to 2 year awards with extensions in 1-year increments; appointment normally may not exceed three years, or until the student receives a doctoral degree.
Student IRTA [top]
Purpose: To provide a developmental training experience to promising high school, undergraduate, and graduate students who have expressed a strong interest in or are studying disciplines related to biomedical sciences.
Eligibility: Applicant students who are at least 16 years of age and are enrolled at least half-time in high school or have been accepted for or are enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate in an accredited U.S. college/university, in good academic standing. Each IC is responsible for establishing its own policy on the granting of Fellowships to students who are relatives of IC employees. However, in no case, may trainees receive a training assignment in a Lab/Branch where a relative has authority for resource allocation decisions. For minors under 18 years of age, if required by State or local government law, work permits must be obtained. A written agreement of a parent or guardian is also required. In addition, restrictions published by the Dept. of Labor must be followed regarding assignments that may be hazardous or detrimental to the health and well-being of students.
Length of Award: Initial 1 month to 1 year appointments will be made and may be renewed in 1 month to 1 year increments as well. Fellowship period is unlimited as long as student meets eligibility criteria.
Visiting Fellow [top]
Purpose: To invite foreign postdoctoral scientists to NIH for an interchange of scientific information and training. The time here accelerates the Fellow’s career and professional development by affording opportunities to use the facilities at NIH and to work in close association with leading authorities in all branches of the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Visiting Fellows are not considered employees of the Federal Government.
Eligibility: Applicants must be non-citizens of the U.S. and have a doctoral or equivalent degree in the biomedical sciences. The Visiting Fellow award period is meant to provide a training period for the junior scientist who has five years or less of relevant postdoctoral research experience. If degree was earned more than 5 years ago and the candidate has more than 5 years experience, OIR approval is needed prior to submission to DIS.
Pre-doctoral – Applicants must be enrolled in a doctoral degree program at a fully accredited U.S. or foreign university.
Length of Award: Postdoctoral -Visiting Fellow initial appointments can be made for two years with a maximum of five years total.
Predoctoral – One month to two years. NIDDK usually approves a 2-year initial appointment, unless there is a visa issue limiting the length. Appointment normally may not exceed three years, or until the student receives a doctoral degree. Pre-doctoral Visiting Fellows must be registered with the NIH Graduate Partnerships Program (GPP).
Special Volunteer [top]
Purpose: To provide a mechanism whereby an individual volunteers his or her services to the NIH, but receives no direct compensation from NIH. Special Volunteers may, however, receive support from outside sources with approval.
Eligibility: Anyone over 16 years old but less than 18 years old must have parental approval. Department employees cannot provide volunteer services during normal work hours. Generally, NIDDK/DIR does not allow NIH Special Volunteers to work in the same laboratory/branch as a parent or spouse. Not required to be a citizen although foreign Special Volunteers must have a valid visa before they can work in the NIH laboratories. (Visa holder must be eligible to obtain employment authorization in order to be a volunteer; e.g., an H-4 cannot obtain employment authorization, therefore cannot be a volunteer at NIH.)
Length of Award: Initial appointments may be made for one year with renewals as approved. Appointments may be extended for up to 2 years if outside funding covers that length of time.
Guest Researcher [top]
Purpose: Is to provide investigators access to NIH facilities to further their own research and training by using specialized equipment and resources that are not otherwise available to them.
Eligibility: Individual must be a qualified, technically trained academic scientist, engineer, student, or other scientifically trained specialist. The Researcher usually has an advanced degree in the natural or medical sciences. Those who are self-supporting scientists must have the appropriate Lab/Branch Chief certify research credentials and adequate financial resources including that the research will be of direct benefit to the Guest Researcher and not for the specific purpose of performing services for NIH. American citizenship is not required, but foreign Guest Researchers must have a valid visa before they can work in NIH laboratories.
Length of Award: Appointments are generally for 1 year but may be extended upon approval.
Research Fellow [top]
Purpose: The Research Fellow position is designed to provide a flexible mechanism for the temporary employment and professional development of promising research scientists who are non-U.S. Citizens or permanent residents. The time here accelerates the Fellow’s career and professional development by affording opportunities to use the facilities at NIH; and to work in close association with leading authorities in all branches of the biomedical and behavioral sciences. This program also provides the opportunity to observe an investigator’s performance for an extended period of time.
Eligibility: Applicants are non-U.S. Citizens, but appropriate visa and work authorization must be in place. Candidates must have been awarded a doctoral degree in a biomedical, behavioral or related science and may have 0-7 years of postdoctoral research experience. Individuals having more than 7 years of postdoctoral research experience may only be appointed by an exception, approved by the Scientific Director, NIDDK.
Length of Award: Initial appointments are for 13 months or 2 years, with one-year extensions reviewed annually, not to exceed 5 years. Extensions beyond five years require exceptional approval of the IC Scientific Director.
Clinical Fellow [top]
Purpose: Clinical Fellows, both domestic and foreign (VP) are brought to NIH to participate in clinical and laboratory research. Assignments are designed to provide for training in biomedical research in an environment which involves both clinical care and interaction with collaborating scientists from many biological disciplines. The primary appointment mechanism to appoint Clinical Fellows is as a Title 42 appointee. Other mechanisms are by exception only and must be approved by the IC Scientific Director.
Eligibility: Graduates of accredited medical or osteopathic schools. Must have completed their internship, and generally have completed 2 or 3 years of graduate medical training. U.S. citizenship is not required but appropriate visa and work authorization must be in place.
Length of Award: 2-3 year initial appointment with one-year extensions reviewed annually, not to exceed 5 years.
For more information or opportunities please explore the links above, or contact us at: rogersam@niddk.nih.gov
