Colleagues: Nora Volkow, MD, Director of NIDA, is chairing the search committee for the new OBSSR Director and is eager to contact potential candidates. Please share this note with your colleagues, or think about applying for the job yourself. We need your help to identify good candidates for this important job!
Thank you,
Pat Kobor
Sr. Science Policy Analyst
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 336-5933
(202) 336-6063-f
pkobor@apa.org
________________________________
BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES RESEARCH GUIDE TO NIH GRANTS http://obssr.od.nih.gov/Content/Research/BSSR_Guide_To_Grants_at_NIH/ Recent publications in the "NIH Guide to Grants and Contracts" (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/) Relevant to Behavioral and Social Science Research Compiled and Distributed by the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Office of the Director National Institutes of Health (U.S.A.) http://obssr.od.nih.gov/ Questions or Comments to abeles@nih.gov <>
The OBSSR Director position vacancy has just been posted on the NIH Jobs website: http://www.jobs.nih.gov/vacancies/executive.htm
The text of the announcement is pasted below and can also be found at http://www.jobs.nih.gov/vacancies/DirectorOBSSR.pdf
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
Vacancy Announcement
Director, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research
POSITION: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking exceptional candidates for the challenging position of Director, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR). The Director, who also functions as the NIH Associate Director for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, serves as the NIH focal point for establishing agency-wide policies and goals in behavioral and social sciences research, coordinates the activities undertaken in the performance of this research, and provides advice and staff support to the NIH Director, Deputy Director, and Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives within the Office of the Director.
The position functions as a liaison between the NIH and the extramural behavioral and biomedical research communities; and with other Federal agencies, academic and scientific societies, national voluntary health agencies, the media, and the general public on matters pertaining to behavioral and social sciences research. Specifically, the Director is responsible for: (1) advising the NIH Director and other key officials on matters relating to research on the role of behavioral and social factors in the promotion of health and prevention of disease; (2) fostering research projects in the behavioral and social sciences conducted or supported by the NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs); and (3) working collaboratively with the ICs to develop new research and training programs in the behavioral and social sciences. The Director, OBSSR, manages a staff, demonstrating commitment to work force diversity enhancement. The OBSSR employs approximately 14 full time positions: 9 scientific s!
taff, 2 program analysts, 1 communications specialist, and 2 support staff, and has a FY 2009 estimated budget of more than $26M.
CHALLENGE: As the world's largest medical research facility, NIH consists of 27 ICs including the Clinical Center (an on-site research hospital), the Fogarty International Center, and the National Library of Medicine. NIH's national program of health research and research training is currently funded at $29 billion for FY 2008. NIH has over 18,000 employees. The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research opened July 1, 1995, with a mandate from Congress to serve as the focal point for the advancement of behavioral and social sciences research across all of the NIH ICs. The vision of OBSSR is to bring together the biomedical, behavioral, social, and public health science research communities to work more collaboratively to solve the most pressing population health challenges faced by our society. Four core elements of OBSSR's vision are: 1) supporting and facilitating the next generation of basic behavioral and social science research; 2) facilitating interdisciplinary!
, collaborative research; 3) stimulating systems thinking and modeling approaches to research that integrates multiple levels of analysis - from cells to society; and 4) identifying key problems in health where scientists, practitioners and decision makers can work together to accelerate translation, implementation, dissemination, and adoption of behavioral and social science research findings. More information can be found in OBSSR's strategic prospectus at http://www.thehillgroup.com/OBSSR_Prospectus.pdf.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: Applicants must possess a Ph.D., M.D., or comparable doctorate degree in the health sciences field plus senior-level scientific experience and knowledge of research programs in one or more scientific areas related to behavioral and social sciences research. They should be known and respected within their profession as individuals of scientific prominence, with a distinguished record of research accomplishments and expertise in policy development regarding behavioral and social sciences research. Candidates should have demonstrated leadership and broad vision in the behavioral and social sciences research arena involving dealings with outside groups; serving as spokesperson; planning, program assessment, and analysis of program objectives; resolution of operational problems and issues; and the ability to manage financial and human resources including building, motivating, and maintaining a culturally diverse staff.
SALARY/BENEFITS: The Director, OBSSR, will be appointed at a salary commensurate with his/her qualifications. Full Federal benefits will be provided including leave, health and life insurance, long-term care insurance, retirement, and savings plan (401k equivalent).
HOW TO APPLY: Applicants must submit a current CV and bibliography electronically to Ms. Regina Reiter at SeniorRe@od.nih.gov (301- 402-1130). In addition, applicants are strongly encouraged to prepare a supplemental narrative statement that addresses the qualifications requirements, and to provide the names, titles, and telephone numbers of 4-5 references.
Information on the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research is located at its website.
APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS AUGUST 15, 2008.
The NIH encourages the application and nomination of qualified women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities.
Standards of Conduct/Financial Disclosure: The National Institutes of Health inspires public confidence in our science by maintaining high ethical principles. NIH employees are subject to Federal government-wide regulations and statutes as well as agency-specific regulations described at the NIH Ethics website. We encourage you to review this information. The position requires the incumbent to complete a public financial disclosure report prior to the effective date of the appointment.
Selection for this position will be based solely on merit, with no discrimination for non-merit reasons such as race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability, age, or membership or non-membership in an employee organization.
Reasonable Accommodation: NIH provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation during any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
NIH IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
============================================================= TO JOIN THE MAILING LIST: Send an e-mail message to: * listserv@list.nih.gov * The subject line should be blank * The message should read SUBscribe BSSR-Guide-L [your full name]. The message is case sensitive; so capitalize as indicated! Don't include the brackets. For example, for Robin Smith to subscribe, the message would read SUBscribe BSSR-Guide-L Robin Smith TO LEAVE THE MAILING LIST: You may leave the list at any time by sending an e-mail message (from the address at which you receive the mailings) to: * listserv@list.nih.gov * The message body should read SIGNOFF BSSR-GUIDE-L ARCHIVE OF PREVIOUS MAILINGS: http://list.nih.gov/archives/bssr-guide-l.html SEND QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO: Ronald P. Abeles, Ph.D. OBSSR/OD/NIH E-mail: abeles@nih.gov
