# Presentation: 497906

## Life After Graduate School: WORKING IN GOVERNMENT

- Professional Skills Workshop on Careers in Nutritional Sciences: March 31, 2001
- Experimental Biology 2001
- Sharon Ross PhD, MPH
- Program Director,
- Nutritional Science Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention,
- National Cancer Institute

## http://www.hhs.gov/about/orgchart.html

## Slide 3

## http://dcp.nci.nih.gov/matrix.html

## NIH Introductory course "Orientation to NIH Extramural Activities“ June 20, 2000, Dr. Ron Geller OEP/OER/OD

## Slide 6

## Program Director Roles and Responsibilities

- Provide guidance and assistance to applicants in constructing grant applications
- Review applications and assure grant applications are responsive to NCI’s mission
- Attend review meetings
- Discuss review outcome (i.e., summary statements) with applicants
- Work with Scientific Review Administrator in the resolution of appeals
- Resolve issues impeding the award process
- Monitor research progress and scientific advances, phase-out or termination of supported projects/programs

## Program Director Roles and Responsibilities

- Establish scientific goals and opportunities that are responsive to the health needs of the general public
- Identify biomedical problems and areas of research that are underserved or areas where ongoing research efforts should be further intensified
- Review and evaluate the state of the art of research in a specific program area and stimulate scientific investigations in that field through the issuance of Request for Applications (RFAs) and Program Announcements (PA)

## http://odoerdb2.od.nih.gov/oer/training/esa/cores_02272001/life_cycle/sld001.htm

## Typical Day

- There is no typical day!
- Common elements to day include:
- Communications: email, phone, discussions with colleagues
- Meetings: NSRG, project team, scientific seminars, training seminars, other groups, i.e., USDA
- Reading: scientific articles, grant applications, proposals, concepts, other
- Writing: concepts, proposals, review articles, summaries of research program areas, statement of work for contract activities, other
- Grant management activities: the paper pushing portion ...Databases to accept applications and assignment to program director; databases/software for funding decision on grants...
- Problem solving and analytical skills
- One current activity: Diet, DNA Methylation Processes and Health Workshop

## Career PathOpportunities for Advancement

- Opportunities for challenge, growth, and learning
- Opportunities for advancement/promotion
- Develop plan for career development with supervisor
- Annual evaluation plan
- Rate of Pay: permanent government employees who work in professional, administrative, technical and support positions are covered by the General Schedule Pay System_ _

## Benefits...Full Spectrum 

**Leave**: annual, paid holidays, sick...
**Health Insurance**: Federal Employees Health Benefits Program
**Life Insurance**: Federal Employees Group Life Insurance
**Retirement**: Federal Employees Retirement System; tax deferred retirement group and investment plan
**Training**: career development, computer, scientific...

## Academic Experience Necessary for the Job 

- Program Directors typically have education, training, knowledge, and research experience in the discipline of that program, e.g., nutrition, cancer prevention for the NSRG:
- PhD in Nutritional Sciences; other nutrition education
- Training in cancer prevention: Cancer Prevention Fellow
- Research experience in nutritional sciences and cancer biology, prevention
- Intramural research experience at NCI
- Other government experience: FDA
- Publications in nutrition

## How to Find a Position in the Field

- Basic personal contact, meeting and talking to people at meetings, getting to know others in the field- networking, in short is a way to find a job and is still a strategy in the job hunting jungle
- Grants experience
- Other academic/research experience
- Other government experience
- Geography/proximity to Washington, DC
- NIH post doctoral position

## How to Find a Position in the Field

- The U.S. Government's official site for jobs and employment information (U.S. Office of Personnel Management): _[http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/](http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/)_
- NIH Jobs Website: _[http://www.jobs.nih.gov/](http://www.jobs.nih.gov/)_
- NIH Research Training Opportunities:_ __[http://grants.nih.gov/training/index.htm](http://grants.nih.gov/training/index.htm)_
- Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program: _http://dcp.nci.nih.gov/pob_
- Internships in the NSRG:_ http://dcp.nci.nih.gov/nsrg/internships/index.html_

## Three Recommendations

- Connect with as many professional scientists as you can and determine the best way your education can balance a career with your personality and skills
- Using web sites- hotjobs.com, monster.com, BioMedNet (sciencejobs.com), Bio online (bio.com), biospace.com- and emailing a resume with a cover letter are secondary avenues
- Develop marketing skills- talk about yourself in positive terms, emphasize and describe skills in addition to details about education, training and publications

## Grants Process

- Everything you wanted to know about...the NCI grants process.. but...where afraid to ask: _[http://www.nci.nih.gov/admin/gab/98GPB/98GPBtoc.htm](http://www.nci.nih.gov/admin/gab/98GPB/98GPBtoc.htm)_
- What happens to your research project grant application after it is received for peer review: _http://www.drg.nih.gov/REVIEW/peerrev.htm_