Post-Baccalaureate/Post-Doctoral Bioethics Fellowship @ NIH
The NIH Department of Bioethics welcomes applications for fully funded post-baccalaureate and
post-doctoral research fellowships. Fellows are central to the activities and intellectual life of our
interdisciplinary department, including weekly bioethics seminars, case conferences, ethics
consultations, IRB deliberations, and other educational opportunities at NIH. They study ethical
issues related to biomedical research, clinical practice, genetics, biotechnology, public health,
health policy, population health, global health and other important issues in bioethics. They also
conduct mentored conceptual and empirical research. For a typical fellow, this research yields
multiple first-authored publications in academic journals. We do not require or expect bioethics
experience, and encourage anyone with a strong interest to apply.
Fellowships begin in September 2027. Stipends are determined by NIH Intramural Research
Training Award (IRTA) guidelines.
Our post-baccalaureate fellowships are ideal for students interested in eventually pursuing an
MD, JD, PhD, or other graduate degree. Applicants for the post-baccalaureate fellowship must
have an undergraduate degree completed no more than 3 years prior to the start date of the
fellowship or a master’s degree completed no more than 6 months prior. Only U.S. citizens or
U.S. Legal Permanent Residents are eligible for post-baccalaureate fellowships.
Applicants for our post-doctoral fellowships must have completed a terminal degree no more
than 5 years prior to the start date of the fellowship. Post-doctoral applications are welcome from
philosophy, law, medicine, social sciences, and other disciplines. U.S. and non-U.S. citizens are
eligible for post-doctoral fellowships.
We encourage applications from candidates with a range of disciplinary backgrounds and
substantive interests. Though not an exhaustive list, this year we are particularly interested in
candidates who would be excited to work on research projects related to ethics of
neurotechnologies, public health, research with human subjects, genetics, euthanasia and assisted
suicide, reproduction, emerging technologies, and global health. For more information about the
department’s research interests, please see our website (https://www.bioethics.nih.gov/people).
Applications should include:
Statement of interest (up to 1000 words) which explains your interest in bioethics, how
the fellowship fits into your career goals and what potential bioethics topics you would
like to investigate. While previous bioethics experience is not required, please explain
why bioethics is appealing to you. For applicants with previous bioethics training, explain
how this fellowship would build on your previous experience. You may also discuss any
aspects of your background or experience that would bring a unique perspective or
contribute to the department or the field of bioethics. We are dedicated to building a
vibrant and inclusive community in our department.
One or two writing samples that total no more than 30 double-spaced pages and which
demonstrate your analytical or critical thinking ability. They need not be on a bioethics
topic, and there is no preference for published work. Most successful applicants submit
samples that defend a position or analyze an argument. Single-authored writing samples
are preferred. If a co-authored sample is submitted, the applicant should describe their
role in writing the paper. Please explain whether/how AI tools were used in producing a
writing sample.
Three letters of recommendation
Resume/CV
Undergraduate and graduate transcripts
Apply online at: nihbioethics.awardsplatform.com
For further information see https://www.cc.nih.gov/bioethics/education, contact
Bioethics_Fellowship@mail.nih.gov , or call 301-496-2429. For information on the NIH
fellowship program and stipend amounts, see www.training.nih.gov/programs.
Employer Name: Clinical Center Department of Bioethics
Position Location:
Department of Bioethics
Clinical Center
National Institutes of Health
10 Center Drive, Room 1C118
Bethesda, MD 20892-1156
Application Deadline Date:
Post-doctoral Application Deadline: 12:01 AM January 1st EST
Post-baccalaureate Application Deadline: 12:01 AM January 16th EST