NIH Administrative Fellows Program

As I mentioned in my intro post, one of the things I like to do for my fellow alum, is to network about jobs and to pass on opportunities for employment. Well, do I have a good one for you...

Here at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), we have a great program called the Administrative Fellows Program (AFP). It is great because I was the founder of the program (along with many, many people who helped me build it to where we are today - over 100 current or former fellows). Now that is not the only reason it is great...it helps that it is a really good program filled with training, many opportunities, camaraderie, and you get to work at the best place in the US Government...the NIH.

This link above gives you lots of information about the AFP, what types of positions we are recruiting for this year, some handy-dandy information about how to federalize your resume, and a whole lot more.

If you attended our recruiting event that was held in the Business School Auditorium (held on February 25), I, with my colleagues, presented the AFP and answered tons of questions from lots of interested students. We met some very high caliber men and women (and why wouldn't we have, right?) In talking to those who came to hear us talk about the program, I became more and more excited about the level of graduates coming from UB and how much they will add to the NIH through this program. It made me proud to have my co-workers who were there see the quality UB students...just goes to show the great programs UB has to offer.

Just some quick tidbits about the NIH AFP:

• The job announcement opened on March 1 and will close April 2.


• You will need to send your resume to be screened to adminfellows@mail.nih.gov. If you are qualified, you will be sent a code that will be used when you apply for the positions.


• If selected into the program (it is no cake walk --- there is a grueling panel interview day, and most likely other interviews in the days to follow), you will enter as a GS-9 fellow, be eligible for the GS-11 after the first year, and then at the completion of the second year, be eligible to be converted to a GS-12. Not too shabby, huh?


• We are looking for up to 30 individuals who are interested in such careers as ethics specialist, administrative officer, grants management specialist, management analyst, communications specialist and budget analyst.


• You can actually see a graduate of the AFP's first class and hear him talk a little bit about being at the NIH. Even though he is not a UB grad, he gives some great information about what he does and what it is like working at the NIH.

I hope you would consider applying for the program, and please make sure you read all about the program at the links I gave above.

Til next time...