| Q: |
What is intramural research? |
| A: |
Intramural research is research carried out in the laboratories of the NIH. In contrast, NIH extramural research is research that is funded by the NIH and is carried out in universities, research institutes, or corporate laboratories.
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| Q: |
What research opportunities are available for foreign national postdocs at the National Institutes of Health? |
| A: |
Visiting Fellowships for international scholars (including placements in the National Cancer Institute), National Research Council NIH Associateships, and NRC NIH/NIST Joint Postdoctoral Associateships.
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| Q: |
Where are these research opportunities located? |
| A: |
These fellowships are available in the research laboratories at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD as well as at off-campus locations in Baltimore (NIDA and NIA) and Frederick (NCI), MD; Hamilton, MT (NIAID); Phoenix, AZ (NIDDK); Detroit, MI (NICHD); and Research Triangle Park, NC (NIEHS). Trainees in the NIH/NIST Joint Postdoctoral Program administered by the National Research Council divide their time between an NIH laboratory and a laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, MD or Boulder, CO.
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| Q: |
How do I apply for a postdoctoral Visiting Fellow position at the NIH? |
| A: |
Applications can be submitted on-line. Click here for links to listings of currently available postdoctoral fellowships, many of which are open to foreign nationals, and to the on-line application. You can also contact individual NIH principal investigators by phone or e-mail and submit whatever materials they request directly to them. The latter approach is more likely to yield results when a relationship already exists between the applicant and the investigator.
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| Q: |
If I do not have access to the Internet, how can I apply? |
| A: |
You can visit your local library to access the Web or you may call (800) 445-8283 for guidance.
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| Q: |
Is there a deadline for submission of applications? |
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There is no deadline. Applications are accepted year round.
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| Q: |
Whom should I ask to write my letters of recommendation? What should I ask them to write? |
| A: |
You should request letters from individuals who can best evaluate your scientific accomplishments and your potential for successfully completing postdoctoral training. It is generally expected that you will request a letter from your dissertation advisor. It would make sense for the letters to be tailored for the position you are seeking. It is likely that the principal investigator will be looking for someone who is motivated, responsible, capable, bright, and creative and who works well with others. Also, some people just have "good hands"—i.e., their experiments always work; such individuals are worth their weight in gold. Your letters of recommendation need to convince the PI that you are just such a highly capable person. A good way for your references to do this is to include stories or descriptions of incidents that demonstrate both that you possess desirable qualities and that they know you well.
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| Q: |
What instructions should I give those who will be writing my letters of recommendation? |
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Please ask three referees who have direct knowledge of your scientific interests, abilities, and accomplishments to prepare written recommendations. If an address is listed in the announcement for the opening, letters should be forwarded to that address, and you may want to provide stamped, addressed envelopes to streamline the process. If no address is provided, your referees will receive an e-mail containing directions for submitting their recommendations electronically.
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| Q: |
How can I find out about NIH investigators who are doing research in areas that interest me? |
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Two good sources of information on the NIH intramural research program are the NIH Intramural Research Sourcebook and the NIH Intramural Database. The latter contains all of the NIH Institute and Center Annual Reports, which can be searched for topics that interest you. You may wish to contact investigators directly to inquire about potential postdoctoral positions.
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| Q: |
How many applications may I submit? |
| A: |
You may submit up to ten applications per year. A successful strategy is to submit several well-thought-out and carefully focused applications.
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| Q: |
How will I know if my application is complete? How can I update my application or check to see whether my letters of recommendation have been received? |
| A: |
You will only be allowed to submit your application if all fields marked with a red dot contain information. When your application is complete, you will receive a confirmation e-mail with instructions about how to access the application to update it or to check on letters of recommendation. (The application you will see is the application that is available to principal investigators at the NIH, except that you will not be able to read your letters of recommendation.) Note that it is your responsibility to make certain that all letters of recommendation have been received.
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| Q: |
How are applications reviewed? |
| A: |
When you submit your application in response to one of the positions listed on the Current NIH Postdoctoral Openings page, the investigator who posted the position is notified automatically by e-mail. The investigator can then review your application on-line. As in most academic situations, the investigator decides to whom he or she will offer his/her postdoctoral position. The OITE is not involved in the selection process.
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| Q: |
How will I be notified if I am selected? |
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Typically, you will receive a phone call or an email message from the investigator who is interested in having you join his/her lab.
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| Q: |
How long do applications remain active? |
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When you apply for a specific postdoctoral position, the investigator who posted that position has semi-exclusive access to your application. (If you apply for several positions, then each investigator will be able to see the application you have submitted for his/her position.) After 90 days, or if the investigator relinquishes his/her exclusive claim to your application either directly or by selecting another applicant and if you responded “yes” to item 5 in the application, “If not selected for this position, would you like to be considered for other Postdoctoral Opportunities?” your application will be placed in the General Applicant Pool. If you have applied for multiple positions, your applications will enter the General Applicant Pool only after all of the investigators to whom you applied have relinquished their claims or failed to take action for 90 days. Applications in the General Applicant Pool remain active for one year from the date of submission.
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| Q: |
Can a postdoctoral Visiting Fellowship be used for research training outside of the NIH? |
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No. This award provides support for training experiences in the intramural research program at the NIH; it cannot be used for other purposes.
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| Q: |
What kind of Visa will I need to participate in the Visiting Fellows Program? |
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Visiting Fellows are assisted in obtaining a J-Visa. This is the only option open, since Visiting Fellows are officially trainees and not employees. A J-Visa does not qualify the Fellow to apply for permanent residency. For additional information for international scholars visit http://felcom.nih.gov/Infobank/foreign.html and/or the Division of International Services web site at http://www.nih.gov/od/ors/dirs/isb/aboutisb.htm.
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| Q: |
Is housing provided by the NIH? |
| A: |
Housing for postdoctoral trainees is not provided by the NIH. Fellows are responsible for finding their own housing. Information on housing alternatives can be found at http://preirta.cit.nih.gov/DotNetNuke/Default.aspx?tabid=91.
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| Q: |
Is health insurance provided? |
| A: |
Health insurance is required for all postdoctoral trainees. The NIH will pay for low-option individual or family coverage available through the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES). If you wish to subscribe to an FAES policy with more extensive coverage than that provided by the NIH, you will be required to pay the difference in cost. If you are already insured on another policy, you will be allowed to remain on that policy if you provide evidence of coverage. If the policy is in your name, and you can demonstrate that you are the individual who makes the premium payments, you will be reimbursed by the amount the NIH would have paid for FAES coverage.
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| Q: |
When should I submit my application? |
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We suggest that you apply three to six months before the date on which you wish to start. On the other hand, it is never too early to begin networking with NIH scientists whose work is of interest to you and discussing the possibility of spending time at some point in their laboratories.
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| Q: |
How will I be paid? |
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Postdoctoral trainees receive monthly stipend checks. Trainees are paid at the beginning of the month for work completed the previous month. Taxes are not withheld. Income is reported by the NIH to the IRS on IRS Form 1099 at the end of the year. Trainees should plan ahead for the taxes that they will be required to pay and may need to pay quarterly Estimated Taxes throughout the year to avoid penalties. For information on trainee taxes, visit http://felcom.nih.gov/Infobank/IRTAtax.html.
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