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Health Scientist

Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Global Health Center-Office of the Director

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, GLOBAL HEALTH CENTER-OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Overseas Office Director in India, Lesotho, or Malawi.

This announcement has an applicant limit of 50 and will close on the day that 50 applications have been received, at 11:59 PM.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/15/2026 to 05/20/2026
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$154,972 - $197,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Locations
FEW vacancies in the following locations:
New Delhi, India
Maseru, Lesotho
Lilongwe, Malawi
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel 25% internationally for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Temporary promotion - Not to exceed 2 years
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
HHS-CDC-IMP-26-12954701
Control number
869510800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to current CDC employees on a career or career-conditional appointment, Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and active-duty Public Health Service (PHS) officers and candidates. Citizens or permanent residents of the host country are not eligible.

Duties

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WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING DAY TO DAY

As a Health Scientist, you will use your knowledge and experience to optimize business results and customer experience by:

  • Leading and directing all public health activities in an assigned country, to include overseeing epidemiologic research, surveillance systems, and evaluations.
  • Leading study design, implementation, data analysis, and dissemination.
  • Advising global health organizations and subject-matter experts, to include coordinating with CDC centers, federal agencies, and external partners.
  • Presenting findings to senior officials and international stakeholders, to include representing CDC in global forums and interagency settings.
  • Supervising staff, to include assigning work, and evaluating performance.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required
  • Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service - http://www.sss.gov
  • Suitable for federal employment
  • Meet time in grade restrictions by the closing date of the announcement
  • Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. All information concerning qualifications is subject to investigation.
  • All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date.
  • A financial disclosure statement may be required.
  • Appointment to the position will be contingent upon a negative applicant drug test result and be subject to random, reasonable suspicion, and post-accident drug testing upon hiring.
  • Immunizations are required and will be administered by the CDC before relocating overseas.
  • You will be required to sign a Statement of Understanding.

Qualifications

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Basic Qualifications: Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree: major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education(external link) at the time the degree was obtained.

Minimum Qualifications: You must have one year specialized experience to perform successfully the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service performing ALL of the following:

  • Leading or managing significant global public health programs or projects including planning, implementing, and evaluating epidemiological studies or surveillance systems.
  • Designing and conducting scientific studies or analyses to interpret data and develop evidence-based recommendations for global program improvement.
  • Providing technical guidance and consultation to internal teams and external partners on study design, data analysis, and global public health program evaluation.
  • Collaborating with federal agencies, international organizations, and other stakeholders to coordinate global public health initiatives, share data, and support program implementation in diverse settings.
  • Supporting global program oversight or team leadership functions, such as assigning work, monitoring progress and contributing to staff development to achieve global public health objectives.

Documenting experience: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational application questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

In accordance with Office of Personnel Management policy, federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description. Experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable, however, when documented by satisfactory evidence, such as a signed memorandum from the employee's supervisor or an SF-50 or SF-52 documenting an official detail or other official assignment. The documentation must indicate whether the duties were performed full time or, if part time, the "percentage of times" the other duties were performed. It is expected that this documentation is included in the employee's official personnel record. In order to receive credit for experience in your resume that is not within the official series and grade level of your official position, you must provide a copy of the appropriate documentation of such experience as indicated above.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through national Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to gain employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. If such experience is on a part-time basis, you must provide the average number of hours worked per week as well as the beginning and ending dates of the experience so it can be fully credited.

OPM Qualification General Policies Website

Education

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov.

Note: Applications can be accepted from students who expect to complete qualifying education within 9 months from the date of application. Education was completed successfully before the applicant can be appointed.

Additional information

  • Selectee will need to obtain security and medical clearances before being cleared to report to the overseas duty station. Continued employment will be subject to submission of all documentation necessary to obtain the medical and security clearances (including documentation for any accompanying dependents), within thirty (30) business days and obtaining the security clearance within six (6) months of the initial appointment. Please note the inability to secure the clearances necessary for overseas duty will result in termination of the appointment to the position.
  • Entitled to comparability pay once deployed to overseas location.
  • Eligible for special pay allowances per location (e.g., post differential, housing, relocation, etc.).
  • Additional information on living and traveling abroad may be found at Travel (state.gov)
  • Once cleared, the selectee will relocate to the overseas location for up to but Not to Exceed (NTE) two to three years/HHS tours for a max of 6 consecutive years in one designated location as determined by the selecting official.
  • Initial assignment may be to a designated domestic location until all overseas credentials and requirements have been completed.
  • Selectees will temporarily remain in a different location, whether domestic or international, from the specific advertised position location while completing the required training, security and medical clearances.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Incentives may be authorized; however, this is contingent upon multiple factors, including funds availability. If authorized, certain incentives may require you to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a period of up to 3 years. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Incentives may include the following: moving expenses, recruitment or relocation incentive; student loan repayment, superior qualifications appointment, creditable service for annual leave for prior non-federal work experience or prior uniformed military service, etc.

Bargaining Unit Position: No

Research position: No

Drug Screening Required: Yes

Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans - https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans/

Special Hiring Authorities for Military Spouses - https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/military-spouses/

People With Disabilities (Schedule A) - https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Individuals_with_Disabilities

Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP/ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an CTAP/ICTAP eligible see http://opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ictap. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85.0 or above on the rating criteria for this position.

Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this announcement. Evaluation will be based on your application materials (such as your resume and supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and the results of all required assessments.

Resume Requirement
Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages in length.

Basic Qualification Question
As part of the application process, you must answer a question addressing whether you meet the Basic Requirement for this position, as described in this announcement.

Minimum Qualification Question
As part of the application process, you must answer a minimum qualification question addressing whether you meet the Specialized Experience required for this position, as described in this announcement.

Your response must be supported by the experience documented in your resume. If your resume does not demonstrate the required Specialized Experience, you may be found not qualified.

Assessment Process

SME Resume Review
Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine whether you meet the required Specialized Experience.

SME Structured Interview
You may be invited to participate in a structured interview with one or more Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to assess the required competencies for the position.

Applicants who successfully pass the assessment(s) may be referred to the Hiring Manager for consideration.

You must complete all required steps in the process, including submitting an application and resume and participating in the structured interview, to be considered for this position.

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.

In accordance with Executive Order 12564 of September 14, 1986, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is A Drug-Free Federal Workplace. The use of illegal drugs, on or off duty, by Federal employees is inconsistent not only with the law-abiding behavior expected of all citizens, but also with the special trust placed in such employees as servants of the public.

For PHS Commissioned Corps (CC) Officers: PHS Commissioned Corps (CC) Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the commissioned Corps may apply online to this announcement. Candidates will be referred as CC personnel and not as candidates for conversion to a permanent career or career-conditional appointment.

For Competitive Merit Promotion and Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) Applicants: The highest rated candidates will be referred to the hiring agency.

For Noncompetitive Applicants: All qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring agency.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
    • Data Analysis
    • Leadership
    • Program Support & Strategic Planning
    • Public Health
    • Supervision
To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12954701

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Become a part of the Department that touches the lives of every American! At the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) you can give back to your community, state, and country by making a difference in the lives of Americans everywhere. It is the principal agency for protecting the health of citizens. Join HHS and help to make our world healthier, safer, and better for all Americans.

The Global Health Center invites you to apply for assignments for critical overseas positions. This announcement includes positions that may be available immediately. These openings span leadership, technical, and management roles across multiple locations. As the nation's lead agency for infectious disease outbreak response and global health security, CDC's global presence serves as a frontline defense-tracking disease trends, detecting outbreaks early, and enabling rapid action to contain threats and keep Americans safe at home and abroad.

Agency contact information

CDC HELPDESK
Phone
(770) 488-1725
Email
HRCS@CDC.GOV
Address
GLOBAL HEALTH CENTER-OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
1600 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30333
US

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