HIV/Infectious Disease Health Communications Research Fellowship
*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.
A research opportunity is currently available with HIV.gov in the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP), within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) located in Washington, DC.
HIV.gov works to 1) expand the visibility of timely and relevant Federal HIV policies, programs, and resources to the American public; 2) assess starting or increasing the use of new media tools by government, minority-serving organizations, and other community partners to extend the reach of HIV programs to communities at greatest risk; and 3) increase knowledge about HIV and access to HIV services for people most at risk for or living with HIV. HIV.gov is the primary source of information about the Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America initiative that aims to reduce the number of new HIV infections by 90% by 2030.
Under the guidance of a mentor, the selected participant will be involved in the following research activities:
- Contributing to the development of effective messaging strategies and messages that reach hard-to-reach audiences that are living with, or are at risk for, HIV
- Participating in the development of HIV-related public health messages and strategies to reduce health disparities
- Analyzing audiences to determine the most effective HIV messages, message formats, and communications channels, based on a broad range of demographic factors, such as race, gender, age, or geography
- Identifying, reporting on, and assessing "best practices" for using current social media and digital communications methodologies and technologies to broaden the reach of public health communications, especially for efforts to target and reach communities of color and those who are living with, or at risk for, HIV and viral hepatitis, and other infectious diseases
- Identifying the ways in which communities of color, and others living with, or at risk for HIV and viral hepatitis, are using emerging digital communications technologies (consumer consumption behaviors and patterns) and the platforms/channels they are using
- Ascertaining how Google, Facebook, and other large digital platforms are effecting access to online information about HIV and other public health issues and determine whether there are existing successful federal partnerships with these platforms that can serve as models
Anticipated Learning Outcomes:
HIV.gov is committed to creating a quality research experience and welcomes the opportunity to discuss a participant's desired learning objectives. Past learning outcomes have included:
- Gaining a broader understanding of the HIV health-related communications needs, behaviors, and patterns of communities of color, youth, men who have sex with men, transwomen, and other vulnerable populations
- Gaining additional experience in developing communications strategies and messages targeted to communities of color, and others living with, or at risk for HIV and viral hepatitis
- Acquiring a deeper understanding of public health communications
- Collaborating alongside highly experienced public health communications experts
Qualifications
The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a bachelor's or master's degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.
Preferred skills:
- Experience with researching, planning, and developing both social media and traditional media campaigns
- Experience with conducting research on health communications related to HIV and/or other infectious diseases
- Moderate to high level of experience with digital and social media communications and related trends as they relate to reaching audiences impacted by HIV and/or infectious diseases
- Experience interacting with and/or understanding of communities impacted by HIV or other health disparities (e.g., people of color, men who have sex with men)
- Strong research and writing skills, and ability to conduct oneself with a high level of professional demeanor
If you have questions, send an email to HHSrpp@orau.org. Please include the reference code for this opportunity (HHS-OASH-2019-0188) in your email.