Senior Service Fellowship in the Division of Vital Statistics

Position and organization

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Division of Vital Statistics (DVS), located in Hyattsville, Maryland, is seeking a Senior Service Fellow. As the nation’s principal health statistics agency, NCHS’s mission is to provide statistical information to guide actions and policies to improve the health of the American people.

DVS coordinates the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS), which provides the nation’s official vital statistics, the National Death Index (NDI), and the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG).

Fellowship overview

The Senior Service Fellow, under the supervision of the DVS Director, will lead the Division in the conceptualization, planning, and implementation for the next generation of vital statistics. As the Division’s leading expert on state vital registration and vital statistics systems, the Service Fellow will lead teams of federal, state, or other partners to facilitate a national dialogue on the complex issues and barriers impeding the overall effectiveness of the National Vital Statistics System and the National Death Index. Through this dialogue, the Service Fellow will identify and propose a long-term vision and strategy to improve the overall timeliness, quality, and usability of vital statistics data and potentially enhance the underlying funding infrastructure of state and federal vital statistics systems. Some of the complex issues that the Service Fellow will focus on include working with the federal/state partnership committees and the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics to develop a national vision for vital statistics, designing and building a national consensus for an electronic national geographic coding capability, fostering the interoperability of electronic health records with electronic vital systems, developing and implementing a long-term vision for NDI that improves usability while solidifying the funding structure, and building and implementing sound metrics for quality assurance in vital statistics. The Service Fellow may develop and submit collaborative funding proposals to evaluate or test one or more of the proposed concepts or strategies in the Division or in pilot states, and will guide those pilots to their logical conclusion. The Service Fellow will be the Division’s lead in guiding NCHS and its International Statistics Program to foster the development or enhancement of vital registration and vital statistics capabilities in other countries.

Qualifications

This fellowship is open to all citizens of the United States or legal permanent residents with a work authorization. (Applicants are responsible for obtaining the necessary work authorization.) Strongest applicants will have successfully completed a Ph.D. and at least 7 years of postdoctoral work in demography, public health, epidemiology, health sciences, statistics, vital registration, or a related field (e.g., social science or public policy). At least 10 years of experience in leadership roles in state or federal vital registration or vital statistics programs is essential. The work requires strong analytical skills, the ability to work effectively with others within and outside of the Division, visionary thinking, strong orientation to detail, excellent organizational skills, the ability to juggle multiple priorities simultaneously, and strong speaking, writing, and interpersonal skills. Project management experience and experience working with other countries are desirable

Terms of appointment

The successful candidate will be offered a 48-month appointment. A starting date will be determined by mutual agreement. An initial salary of $108,887–$141,555 will be offered, based on education and experience. Salary increases will be commensurate with performance. Federal benefits such as annual and sick leave, Thrift Savings 40l (k)-equivalent, and health and life insurance apply. A flexible work schedule or telework may be offered at the discretion of the Division. Free onsite parking or a public transportation subsidy is available. The local subway station is within walking distance, and a free shuttle is available to and from the station.

Application process

Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2016. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, their curriculum vitae, official transcripts of all graduate and undergraduate credits (in sealed and signed envelopes), and two reference letters (on official letterhead with original signatures) to Delton Atkinson at the mailing address below. Inquiries or questions regarding this fellowship can be directed to dxa9@cdc.gov or 919–541–2863.

Mailing address

Delton Atkinson, MPH, MPH, PMP
Director, Division of Vital Statistics
National Center for Health Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
3311 Toledo Road
Hyattsville, MD 20782

**CDC/NCHS is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, creed, color, age, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation.**