Job Vacancy Announcement – Health Scientist Administrator (Program Officer), Division of Translational Research

Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Mental Health
Division of Translational Research
Adult Pathophysiology and Biological Interventions Branch

Health Scientist Administrator (Program Officer)

The Division of Translational Research (DTR) at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) directs, plans, and supports programs of research that translate knowledge from basic science to discover the etiology, pathophysiology, and trajectory of mental disorders and develop effective interventions for children and adults. The Adult Pathophysiology and Biological Interventions Branch supports programs of research aimed at understanding the brain basis of mental disorders, specifically multidisciplinary studies with human and model systems on the genetic, molecular, cellular, circuit, and systems levels of brain function designed to elucidate the pathophysiology of mental disease and to translate these findings to clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies.

The Division is looking for an individual to serve as a Program Officer at its Rockville, Maryland site to direct and lead its Translational Therapeutics Program (TTP). This program supports research that seeks to identify and validate targets for intervention development; assess mechanisms of action of putative interventions; identify and validate biomarkers of disease progression and treatment response; demonstrate and evaluate target engagement of proposed interventions; and evaluate their clinical efficacy. The overall goal of the program is to facilitate the development of novel treatments (e.g., novel chemical entities, repurposed drug compounds, small molecules, gene therapies) for major mental disorders in adults and clinical dimensions of psychopathology associated with these disorders. The Program Officer will be expected to plan and direct programs in TTP on national and international levels in support of the advancement of DTR’s research mission. Responsibilities will include administering and managing an extramural portfolio of research grants and cooperative agreements and developing new funding opportunities. The Program Officer will also be expected to interact and collaborate with researchers in the scientific community and with program officers at NIMH, NIH, and other federal agencies.

This position requires working both independently and collaboratively. Strong organizational, oral, written, and communication skills are also required. Salary will be commensurate with the experience of the candidate. A full package of federal Civil Service benefits is available, including retirement, health and life insurance, long-term care insurance, leave, and a Thrift Savings Plan (401K equivalent). The successful candidate is subject to a background investigation and public financial disclosure requirements.

For qualification requirements, evaluation criteria, and application instructions, please view the vacancy announcement at https://jobs.nih.gov/globalrecruitment/. Interested candidates should send a letter of interest, including a curriculum vitae, to NIMHsearch@mail.nih.gov.

The NIH encourages the application and nomination of qualified women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities. HHS and NIH are Equal Opportunity Employers.

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