Scientific Reviewer

Position Objective: Provide services as a Scientific Reviewer in support of the overall functions of the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The purpose of this Scientific Review Administrator contractor position is to provide NINR/NIH peer review services to Scientific Review Brach. The contractor will help SROs and review chief in pre-meeting prep, organize the meeting with SROs, and write summary statement drafts after review meetings.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Review and prepare written reviews of research grant applications. 1
• Evaluate incoming applications for completeness and accuracy.
• Provide timely response to all inquiries from program, reviewers, and applicants and keep informed of all actions.
• Work with staff to manage the scientific peer review of grant and cooperative agreement applications, and contract proposals assigned for primary merit review.
• Identify and select reviewers by matching the expertise of the reviewers to the research grant application.
• Collaborate with staff to identify and coordinate the participation of reviewers for each application received and identify and coordinate the participation of reviewers for grant applications.
• Identify and select reviewers by matching the expertise of the reviewer with the specific science contained in the research grant applications and recommend potential reviewers.
• Prepare peer review rosters.
• Make initial determinations regarding the appropriate assignment of all grants.
• Make assignment decisions and resolve conflicts in assignments based on knowledge of the scientific interests of the Institute.
• Review draft documents and synthesize comments and incorporate appropriate comments from reviewers into final documents.
• Cross check data and verify content from source documents.
• Assist staff in the development of summary statements for grant application reviews. Upload, write and edit draft summary statements.
• Work with staff on entry of reviewer data into the Committee Management system in order to prepare peer review rosters.
• Assign applications to reviewers. 2
• Determine appropriate meeting type; face-to-face, teleconference, Internet-Assisted meeting, etc.
• Assess reviewers against applications for potential conflicts of interest. Enter, update and check the correctness of conflict data for all reviewers. Use databases and internet sites to identify appropriate reviewers.
• Examine key personnel, institutional affiliations and letters of support associated with each grant application to determine potential conflicts of interest.
• Represent and gather information at meetings to report back to the branch. Schedule review meetings; prepare materials for reviewers; interact with staff. Captures the results of committee deliberations during the review meeting.
• Attend study section meetings and support the federal Scientific Review Officer by taking note of discussions. Consult with staff as necessary to ensure smooth execution of pre- and post-meeting details.
• Attend review meetings and ensure that each protocol receives an appropriate and fair review; create a meeting roster and enter relevant reviewer information; and enter meeting information in Internet Assisted Review.
• Obtain, evaluate and coordinate written critiques from expert reviewers. Manage the coordination of critiques form expert reviewers.
• Subsequent to the reviews, manage the coordination of critiques from expert reviewers.
• Ensure that high quality written reviews are obtained.
• Ensure that reviewers and committee members are provided with adequate opportunities to present their major critiques.
• Proofread, clarify and edit reviews, summaries and reports.
• Identify the administrative and the scientific issues in the grant applications or contract proposals. Evaluate incoming reviews for completeness and accuracy.
• Ensure that high quality written reviews are obtained.
• Ensure that summary statements and technical evaluation reports are compiled and edited to produce high quality documents.
• Determine whether appropriate human subject and animal information is contained in the applications. Provide scientific and technical assistance and consultation.
• Apply scientific knowledge in areas related to the mission and the NIH peer review process.
• Identify the administrative and the scientific issues in the grant applications or contract proposals, including the hypotheses and rationale presented in the applications/proposals. 4
• Describe and list the type of science and specific technologies proposed in the application and contract proposals. 5
• Evaluate scientific aspects of concepts, proposals, protocols and reports for research. 3
• Enable to work with SROs to do premeeting pre, organize review meetings, and write Summary Statement post meeting are described and instructed by Review Chief and SROs. - Daily

Basic Qualifications:

• PhD in community and public health, nursing, nutrition sciences, clinical psychology, general medical and health services, biology, general social sciences, or a related discipline.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office and Outlook.
• Experienced in human research subject protections, peer review process for grants, and grants and contract mechanisms.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ability to multi-task and pay close attention to detail.
• Excellent analytical, organizational and time management skills.
• Strong communication skills, both oral and written