Career exploration and readiness

We offer workshops to help you reflect on your past experiences and your future career goals. These are general/overview workshops appropriate for trainees at all levels and with interests in all employment sectors in the U.S. and internationally. Our current workshops are:

• Career Planning for Scientists
• Interviewing Skills for Scientists
• Networking for Scientists
• CVs and Resumes

Workshops run throughout the academic year and occur in-person and online. Visit OITE events for detailed information and find archived videos on the OITE YouTube channel.

Attend a panel discussion focused on career options, at and away from the bench, and in all sectors. Many panel discussions are hosted by the Graduate Student Council and FelCom and are appropriate for trainees at all levels. If you are a postbac planning your next steps, you may benefit from the postbac career exploration series.

Our premier career exploration event with over a dozen panels and extensive networking opportunities is our Virtual NIH Career Symposium. This takes place in May and is an opportunity to hear from a large number of career professionals at once.

Many of our graduate students and postdoc are Visiting Fellows with roots across the globe. Our NIH Visiting Fellows Committee hosts the Science Voices From Home series to connect trainees with information on international jobs. Many of the speakers are NIH alumni who can directly address how they developed job search skills while training at NIH.

Career panels run throughout the academic year and occur in-person and online. Visit OITE events for detailed information and find archived videos on the OITE YouTube channel.

OITE Career Counselors can help you explore careers and prepare for your job search through individual consultation, assessments, and conversations. Many NIH trainees wait to meet with a career counselor, thinking that career counseling is something you do toward the end of your training experience. Therefore, we offer the following guidance about introductory meetings early in your training experience:

• If you are a postbac who is uncertain about your educational and career goals, meet with a career counselor immediately after arriving at NIH so you can begin exploring your options immediately.
• New NIH graduate student and postdocs should consider a brief introductory meeting early in your training experience, so that that you can tend to your career readiness skills from the outset. The timing depends on the anticipated length of your NIH training experience, but generally should be within the first year so you begin developing critical core competencies early in your training experience.

This group is facilitated by an OITE career counselor and is designed to provide expert input, peer support, and accountability for career-oriented activities. Key topics covered include: assessing our skills, values and interests; networking; transferable skills, and more.

There are two career exploration groups, one for postbacs and another for graduate students and postdocs/fellows. These groups are virtual to accommodate trainees on all NIH campuses. The groups run in the winter and spring; registration is announced on OITE listservs and in our events page.

Learn how to prepare an application package, interview, negotiate, and transition to a faculty position at a university or college. Our current workshop offerings are:

• Faculty/Research Careers in the Intramural Research Program
• Applying for Faculty Positions (Overview, Job Packages)
• Faculty Job Interviews
• Negotiating Faculty Job Offers
• Understanding the US academic system

You can also hear directly from current faculty and many NIH alumni in faculty positions at our Virtual NIH Career Symposium in May.

Academic job search workshops occur throughout the academic year, both in-person and online. Search OITE events for offerings and explore videos on the OITE YouTube channel.

Explore best practices for writing a grant or fellowship in our annual spring workshop or watch the material on-demand here. Check with your IC training director for IC-specific resources as grant writing is best learned through the lens of your discipline and research focus.

Intramural postdocs, clinical and research fellows can get personalized guidance from OITE staff on their application packets and with job negotiations. Reach out for assistance.

This group is facilitated by OITE staff and provides current faculty applicants support, feedback, and accountability. Participants provide peer review of documents, discuss strategies for applying, explore stress management and well-being skills, and help motivate each other.

The group meets virtually to accommodate trainees on all NIH campuses. It begins in the late summer and runs throughout the fall; registration is announced on OITE listservs and on our events page.

Learn about career options in industry, the structure of companies, how to build your resumé and craft you cover letter, common interview questions, and strategies to negotiate when offered a position. Our current workshops are:

• Industry Careers Overview and Job Packages
• The Organization of Business
• Industry Job Interviews
• Negotiating Job Offers

Workshops run throughout the academic year and occur in-person and online. Search OITE events for offerings and explore videos on the OITE YouTube channel.

This course intertwines interdisciplinary scientific content, the drug development process, professional skills development, clinical trial terminology, and career exploration.

There are two sessions, one for postbacs in the fall and another for graduate students and postdocs in the spring. This course takes place in-person on the Bethesda campus, with hybrid options for trainees on other campuses. Find upcoming dates by searching OITE events.

The OITE has an advisor specific to industry, Brad Fackler. All the career counselors can also help with industry applications. Make an appointment.

Guides participants through the process of applying for industry positions. The group discusses applying to industry positions, hosts speakers from industry, peer-reviews key documents, and provides support.

This group is virtual and for graduate students and postdocs/fellows on all NIH campuses and locations. This group runs in fall and again in spring. Registration is announced on the OITE-Grads and OITE-Postdocs listservs.

We offer workshops to help prepare you for the job market. These workshops are appropriate for trainees at all levels and with interests in all employment sectors in the U.S. and internationally. Our current workshops are:

• Networking for Scientists
• Job Search Strategies
• CVs and Resumes
• Interviewing Skills for Scientists (including small group sessions on the most common questions)
• Job Negotiations
• Careers with the federal government and applying through USAJOBS

Workshops run throughout the academic year and occur in-person and online. Visit OITE events for detailed information and find archived videos on the OITE YouTube page.

Build your network for your intended career by attending career panels. Once you have identified your career path, your focus at career panels is to connect with professionals in the field. Make sure to follow-up with at least one panelist after every event. Many panel discussions are hosted by the Graduate Student Council and FelCom and are appropriate for trainees at all levels. If you are a postbac planning your next steps, you may benefit from the postbac career exploration series.

Our premier career exploration event with over a dozen panels and extensive networking opportunities is our Virtual NIH Career Symposium. This takes place in May and is an opportunity to connect with potential employers or colleagues.

Many of our graduate students and postdoc are Visiting Fellows with roots across the globe. Our NIH Visiting Fellows Committee hosts the Science Voices From Home series to connect trainees with information on international jobs. Many of the speakers are NIH alumni who can directly address how they developed job search skills while training at NIH.

Career panels run throughout the academic year and occur in-person and online. Visit OITE events for detailed information and find archived videos on the OITE YouTube channel.

As you launch your job search, the OITE career counselors can help you prepare for the job market by reviewing your resume, identifying employers and networks, practicing your interview skills, and negotiating your new job.

This group is facilitated by an OITE career counselor and is designed to provide expert input, peer support, and accountability for career-oriented activities. Key topics covered include: refining your resume, interview practice, and general support as you apply for positions.

There are two career exploration groups, one for postbacs and another for graduate students and postdocs/fellows. These groups are virtual to accommodate trainees on all NIH campuses. The groups run in the winter and spring; registration is announced on OITE listservs and in OITE upcoming events.

Many trainee groups help connect you to others exploring similar career paths.

• Science Policy Discussion Group
• Consulting Club
• More coming soon

These groups recruit new members each fall via the OITE listservs.