DPCPSI Careers

The Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI) is within the Office of the Director (OD) at the NIH and is composed of 14 Offices. DPCPSI is committed to the core values of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility that allow all staff to reach their potential and fully contribute to the Division’s mission which includes identifying emerging scientific opportunities, rising public health challenges, and scientific knowledge gaps that merit further research. Join DPCPSI and make a difference!

Current Career Opportunities

Director, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research / Associate Director for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research

The NIH is seeking exceptional candidates for the challenging position of Director, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) within the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI) in the Office of the NIH Director. The Director also functions as the NIH Associate Director for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research. The Director provides advice and staff support to the NIH Director and the Director, DPCPSI, serves as the NIH focal point for establishing agency-wide policies and goals in behavioral and social sciences research, and coordinates the activities undertaken in the performance of this research. This is a dual reporting position. As the Associate Director for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, the position reports to the Director, NIH, and as the Director, OBSSR, the position reports to the Director, DPCPSI, and has NIH-wide responsibilities. Information about the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research is located at its website: https://obssr.od.nih.gov/.

To apply: Applicants must submit a current Curriculum Vitae (CV) and bibliography (if not included in your CV) and a photocopy of your doctoral degree. In addition, applications are asked to prepare two statements: a vision statement and a statement that addresses the specific qualification requirements (please limit both statements to two pages each) and to provide the name, title, email, and telephone number of three references. Complete applications packages must be submitted to OBSSRdirectorsearch@nih.gov. Applications will be reviewed starting May 14, 2022 and will be accepted until the position is filled.
Director, Office of Dietary Supplements

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking exceptional candidates for the position of Director, Office of Dietary Supplements. This is an exciting opportunity to provide leadership for and coordinate scientific research within the NIH relating to dietary supplements; serve as the principal advisor to the Secretary and to the Assistant Secretary for Health and provide advice to the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Commissioner of Food and Drugs on issues relating to dietary supplements; collect and compile the results of scientific research relating to dietary supplements, and maintain a database of scientific research on dietary supplements and individual nutrients and a public database of NIH research support that examines the relationship between dietary supplements and disease prevention; and coordinate funding relating to dietary supplements for the NIH.

In this role, you will lead the NIH effort to assess research gaps, encourage, and facilitate scientific studies necessary for a full understanding of evidence-based benefits and risks of dietary supplements and will collaborate with other Federal agencies and the private sector to develop and initiate a national research agenda and programs focused on dietary supplements. Successful candidates will have outstanding communication, strong program management, executive leadership, and relationship building skills which are essential to the formulation of initiatives, resources, and policies that promote research on dietary supplements. Extensive research experience in dietary supplements, medicine, dietetics, pharmacology, chemistry, or biochemistry is required (including botanicals, probiotics, purity, metabolism and safety of dietary supplements, nutrient dietary supplements, and/or the use of dietary supplements in interventional research for disease prevention or health promotion). Clinical and/or translational research experience is desirable, but not required. Candidates must have an M.D, Ph.D. or equivalent. Candidates with a range of experience are welcome, including from the private and public sectors.

The Office of Dietary Supplements, located within the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI) in the Office of the NIH Director strengthens knowledge and understanding of dietary supplements by evaluating scientific information, stimulating and supporting research, disseminating research results, and educating the public to foster an enhanced quality of life and health for the U.S. population.

This Title 42 position offers a unique and exciting opportunity for a leader to execute and manage the daily operations in support of the ODS strategic vision and mission. He/she leads efforts to plan, coordinate, integrate and evaluate dietary supplement research and other dietary supplement research activities conducted and supported by the NIH; develops a strategic plan for the conduct/support of dietary supplement research and related activities; and provides consultation, leadership, guidance, and direction with respect to the scope and direction of dietary supplement research to Institute and Center Directors, policy makers, the dietary supplement stakeholder community, and others interested in and affected by dietary supplement research activities.

Information about ODS is located at its website: https://ods.od.nih.gov. Information about the National Institutes of Health in located at its website.
Director, Office of Nutrition Research

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking exceptional candidates for the critically important position of Director, Office of Nutrition Research (ONR). This is an exciting opportunity to provide leadership for and coordinate scientific research within the NIH relating to nutrition; serve as the principal advisor to the Secretary and to the Assistant Secretary for Health; and provide advice to the NIH Director and Director, Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI).

The ONR is a new office located within DPCPSI in the NIH Office of the Director (OD). As the NIH Acting Director stated in his testimony to Congress for the FY 2023 President’s budget, “The FY 2023 President’s Budget requests $97.2 million for the NIH Office of the Director to support ONR.” The ONR will play a central role in planning initiatives that address the most pressing scientific opportunities in nutrition research. In addition, the ONR (1) advises the NIH Director, DPCPSI Director, and other key officials on matters relating to research on nutrition; (2) coordinates implementation of the Strategic Plan for NIH Nutrition Research; (3) coordinates research projects in nutrition science conducted or supported by the NIH Institutes and Centers (IC) and/or the OD; (4) identifies research projects that deserve expanded effort and support by the ICs or the OD; (5) develops nutrition research projects in cooperation with the ICs and OD; (6) represents the NIH on intra- and or inter-agency/departmental committees on nutrition research and related policy issues; and (7) builds relationships with advocacy organizations and private sector organizations invested in nutrition research and serves as a national leader and respected and evidence-based communicator of nutrition science to the Congress, the Administration, and the public.

In this role, you will lead the NIH effort to assess research priorities and gaps, encourage and facilitate scientific studies, conduct, and implement nutrition science while acknowledging the cultural diversity of dietary patterns in the U.S. population. The ONR Director will also collaborate with other Federal agencies and the private sector to develop and initiate a national research agenda and programs focused on nutrition. Successful candidates will have outstanding communication, strong program management, executive leadership, and relationship building skills which are essential to the formulation of initiatives, resources, and policies that promote research on nutrition. Candidates will be highly respected experts in the national nutrition research community and recognized as an authority in nutrition science. Clinical, translational, and implementation science research are critical for this position. Candidates must have an M.D, Ph.D. or equivalent. Candidates with a range of experience are welcome, including from the private and public sectors.

This Title 42 position offers a unique and exciting opportunity for a scientific leader to execute and manage the daily operations in support of the ONR strategic vision and mission. The incumbent leads efforts to plan, coordinate, integrate and evaluate nutrition research and other nutrition research-related activities conducted and supported by the NIH; develops a strategic plan for the conduct/support of nutrition research and related activities; and provides consultation, leadership, guidance, and direction with respect to the scope and direction of nutrition research to Institute and Center Directors, policy makers, the nutrition science stakeholder community, and others interested in and affected by nutrition research activities.

The Director, ONR provides leadership, direction, and coordination for the implementation of the 2020-2030 Strategic Plan for NIH Nutrition Research. This plan emphasizes cross-cutting, innovative opportunities to advance nutrition research across a wide range of areas, from basic science to experimental design to research training. Estimated NIH nutrition research funding in FY 2019 totaled approximately $1.9 billion and included 4,600 projects. The Director, ONR leads NIH-wide nutrition research efforts, including facilitating collaborations between and among the ICs. The Director, ONR chairs the NIH Nutrition Research Coordinating Committee which has broad representation from the NIH ICs and several OD offices and includes liaisons from other federal offices and agencies. The ONR Director serves as the co-Executive Secretary of the Interagency Committee on Human Nutrition Research (ICHNR) which is charged with improving the planning, coordination, and communication among federal agencies engaged in nutrition research. The ICHNR is co-chaired by the USDA Chief Scientist/Undersecretary for Research, Education, and Economics and the HHS Assistant Secretary for Health.

Learn more and apply: https://hr.nih.gov/jobs/search/executive/job-63981

Note: If you applied for a position that includes opportunities across the NIH, you may be contacted by someone from an NIH Institute, Center, or Office outside of DPCPSI for a job similar to the one for which you applied. It is common for applications received to be shared across the agency. You are also encouraged to apply for other appropriate jobs that are being advertised across the NIH.

This page last reviewed on January 20, 2023

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