NIH Disability Health Research Program Fellowship

Description

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), Disability Health Research Program (DHRP), invites recent Post-Master's and Postdoctoral candidates to apply to an immersive STEM learning experience. The mission of the NIH Disability Health Research Program (DHRP) is to advance innovative and responsible research that promotes the health and well‑being of people with disabilities. DHRP provides strategic coordination of disability health research activities at NIH and leads implementation of the NIH Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research FY26‑FY30.

This project seeks to advance the science of disability health, strengthen the inclusion of people with disabilities in clinical research, enhance disability data management and sharing, support disability health research training and career development, and promote robust engagement with disability communities. The participant will be mentored by a team of health scientist administrators, health science policy analysts, and data scientists with expertise in disability health research and research program planning and evaluation.

The participant will learn how to apply their scientific and technical knowledge in the field of public health to federal science administration and policy making. During the fellowship they will learn how to stimulate, plan, direct, and evaluate a portfolio of activities for a research program, inform or influence policy and processes, and engage the public as partners in biomedical and behavioral research.

Participating in this STEM research learning experience offers a unique opportunity to deepen your understanding of NIH mechanisms and collaborative research initiatives. You will explore various NIH databases and tools for data analysis, learn how to identify metrics and key indicators for evaluating programs, and analyze the outcomes of different types of collaborative research initiatives. Through guided mentorship, you will gain insights into data‑driven approaches to assessing program effectiveness and explore ways to conceptualize future research opportunities based on evidence and trends.

Fellows are expected to be fully engaged, either in‑person or hybrid. The location is Bethesda, MD.

The selected candidates will receive a monthly stipend to help offset living and other expenses during this appointment. Stipend rates are determined by NIH officials and are based on the candidate’s academic and professional background. NIH may provide a health insurance supplement to cover the monthly premium costs if you elect the ORAU/ORISE health insurance plan, as necessary.

Stipend: $75,000.00 – $88,000.00 yearly.

The appointment will initially be for one year, renewable annually up to four additional years upon recommendation of NIH and is contingent on the availability of funds.

An initial review of applications will occur on July 1, 2026. Thereafter, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the 2026 calendar year, and selections made as projects for participation become available.

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 NIH. Participants do not become employees of NIH, DOE, ORISE, nor ORAU, and there are no employment‑related benefits.

• Must be 18 years or older at the time of application.
• Must have received a master’s or doctoral degree in a relevant field within the last five years of the appointment start date. Current graduate students who are nearing…