*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

A research opportunity is currently available at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Office of Nutrition and Food Labeling (ONFL), located in College Park, Maryland or remotely. 

The FDA-CFSAN-ONFL develops policy and regulations for nutrition labeling, food standards, infant formula, and medical foods, as well as conducts scientific evaluation to support regulations and policy development. ONFL also supports compliance and enforcement actions and is responsible for the clinical review, data summaries, and follow-up and research related to the impacts of regulatory decisions, market responses, adverse events associated with infant formula. ONFL features separate units for food labeling and standards, nutrition policy, and infant formula and medical foods. The ONFL Division of Nutrition Programs is implementing a nutrition monitoring program to assess the market responses in the food supply and the intake and nutritional status of the US population due to changes in the Nutrition Facts label (NFL) and serving size, and other policies and regulations, such as folic acid fortification policy. 

The ONFL/DNP is seeking an ORISE fellow to assist in reviewing and developing a comprehensive food labeling database, which will be used to examine the food labeling information for making scientific conclusions regarding regulatory decisions of specific issues pertaining to nutrition, and food labeling.

The ORISE Participant will assist in the following research activities during the specified period, including:

• Quality assurance of the labeling information from packaged foods in food label databases   
• Review existing matched USDA food codes with food products in the food label databases.
• Match the foods reported consumed in NHANES databases (e.g., 2011-2014 to most present) with the food products available in the food label databases (e.g., Label Insight, Mintel, and Gladson) based on the food description. 
• Assist in conducting data analysis to determine the level of nutrients in various food categories in the food supply. 
• Assist in conducting data analysis to determine percent of foods with levels of various nutrients in the food supply.
• Assist in conducting the analysis of nutrient content (and/or health) claims usage based on various nutrient content or serving size/reference amount customarily consumed (RACC) in the food supply. 
• Assist in conducting data analysis of nutrient intake and status of the US population. 

The incumbent may be rotated to projects under other ONFL program areas as needed. These duties may include regulation and policy development, compliance with existing nutrition labeling policies and regulations, review of scientific data and information, standards of identity, and work related to infant formula and medical foods. 

The project assignments provide the participant with an opportunity to receive hands-on experience that complements his/her educational and professional background and helps the participant gain knowledge in areas related to the FDA mission.  The participant does not augment Division of Nutrition Programs staffing.  The project activities assigned to the participant are appropriate for an education and training program and do not include inherently governmental functions such as, project, budget, or personnel management, or clerical responsibilities.  

This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and FDA. The initial appointment is for twelve months but may be renewed upon recommendation of FDA contingent on the availability of funds. The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. The appointment is full-time at FDA in the College Park, Maryland, area. Participants do not become employees of FDA, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits.

Completion of a successful background investigation by the Office of Personnel Management is required for an applicant to be on-boarded at FDA.  OPM can complete a background investigation only for individuals, including non-US Citizens, who have resided in the US for a total of three of the past five years.

FDA requires ORISE participants to read and sign their FDA Education and Training Agreement within 30 days of his/her start date, setting forth the conditions and expectations for his/her educational appointment at the agency.  This agreement covers such topics as the following:

• Non-employee nature of the ORISE appointment
• Prohibition on ORISE Fellows performing inherently governmental functions
• Obligation of ORISE Fellows to convey all necessary rights to the FDA regarding intellectual property conceived or first reduced to practice during their fellowship
• The fact that research materials and laboratory notebooks are the property of the FDA
• ORISE fellow’s obligation to protect and not to further disclose or use non-public information