Health Scientist Administrator (Program Officer)

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders. NIMH is one of the 27 Institutes and Centers that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the largest biomedical research agency in the world. NIH is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The Division of Translational Research (DTR) at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) directs, plans, and supports programs of research that translate knowledge from basic science to discover the etiology, pathophysiology, and trajectory of mental disorders and develop effective interventions for children and adults. The Adult Pathophysiology and Biological Interventions Development Branch (APBIDB) supports programs of research aimed at understanding the brain basis of mental disorders, specifically multidisciplinary studies with human and model systems on the genetic, molecular, cellular, circuit, and systems levels of brain function designed to elucidate the pathophysiology of mental disease and to translate these findings to clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies.

The Division is looking for an individual to serve as a Program Officer at its Rockville, Maryland site to direct and lead its Translational Therapeutics Program (TTP). This program supports research that seeks to identify and validate targets for intervention development; assess mechanisms of action of putative interventions; identify and validate biomarkers of disease progression and treatment response; demonstrate and evaluate target engagement of proposed interventions; and assess their clinical efficacy. The overall goal is to facilitate the development of novel treatments (e.g., novel chemical entities, repurposed drug compounds, small molecules, gene therapies) for major mental disorders in adults and clinical dimensions of psychopathology associated with these disorders. The Program Officer will be expected to plan and direct programs in TTP on national and international levels in support of the advancement of DTR’s research mission. Responsibilities will include administering and managing an extramural portfolio of research grants and cooperative agreements and developing new funding opportunities. The Program Officer will also be expected to interact and collaborate with researchers in the scientific community, with program officers at NIMH, NIH, and other federal agencies.

This position requires working both independently and collaboratively. Strong organizational, oral, written, and communication skills are also required. Candidates having earned either an MD or an MD/Ph.D. with substantial expertise in psychopharmacology and therapeutic drug development would be an ideal match to the program’s goals. The salary will be commensurate with the experience of the candidate. A full Federal Civil Service benefits package is available, including retirement, health and life insurance, long-term care insurance, leave, and a Thrift Savings Plan (401K equivalent). The successful candidate is subject to a background investigation and public financial disclosure requirements.