Recruitment and Retention Subcommittee

Chair: LCDR Julia Zucco

Co-Chair:  CDR George Mitzner 

Co-Chair: LCDR Jorielle Houston*

 * indicates non-voting member

Standard Operating Procedure [PDF]

Purpose

To advise the Scientist Professional Advisory Committee (SciPAC) on organizational issues related to Scientist Officer recruitment and retention. The subcommittee will strive to enhance efforts to recruit and retain highly qualified Scientist Officers.

Activities

• Develops and maintains resources for Scientist Officers at various developmental phases of their careers.
• Provides onboarding support for early career Scientist Officers including monthly meetings and informative seminars.
• Coordinates with and advises SciPAC Executive Board, CPO, and additional USPHS groups on Scientist Officer recruitment and retention matters.

Are you a Scientist interested in joining the PHS?

The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps opens general duty application opportunities based on the needs of the Service and the needs of the Federal Agencies. Applications are currently being accepted for the Scientist Category.  The Recruitment Office is the only source for official recruitment information. For details, please contact our Interested Applicant Leads below and/or visit the PHS website for further information.

Recruitment and Retention Subcommittee Teams

The Roles and Responsibilities of the Recruitment and Retention Subcommittee are divided across seven teams.

1. Resources Team
   This team maintains SciPAC Recruitment and Retention resource documents such as Top Tips for Scientists in the USPHS in coordination with other SciPAC Subcommittees (Career Development, etc.) and the R&R Interested Applicant team.
2. Interested Applicant Team
   This team facilitates all initial contact with applicants interested in becoming Scientists, directs applicants to usphs.gov, and coordinates recruitment presentations at graduate schools and training programs targeting potential Scientist Officers. POCs include: CDR Angela.Williams and LCDR Kelsy Hoffman
3. Officer Basic Course (OBC) Engagement Team
   This team helps to ensure that an existing SciPAC Officer attends each new OBC open house and graduation to welcome and support new Call to Active Duty Scientist Officers. They will distribute information on SciPAC to the new Officers. The OBC Engagement Team also supports new Scientists by attending Pinning and Graduation ceremonies when possible.
4. New Call to Active Duty (CAD) Seminars
   This team works to develop, promote and administer seminars on topics for new Scientist Officers. These topics include things like Commissioned Officers’ Effectiveness Reports (COERs), Awards, Promotions, Deployments and other new Officer relevant topics. Seminars are scheduled every other month to coincide with annual topics (COERs in September, etc.).
5. Epidemic Intelligence Service/Laboratory Leadership Service (EIS/LLS) Team
   This team supports USPHS candidates that have been accepted to the Epidemic Intelligence Service/Laboratory Leadership Service (EIS/LLS) fellowship programs in their pathway towards joining the Corps. Congratulations! The team is available to answer questions from prospective candidates, meeting with them individually or during the EIS conference, and other duties as necessary to assist with entry into service where allowed. 
6. New Scientist Officer Team
   This team engages in retention and support activities through monthly lunch meetings of new Officers from all agencies (Scientists ≤ 3 years CAD and/or at O-3 grade). The team will work to foster a sense of junior Officer esprit de corps and offer a safe space for junior Officers to share their concerns and questions with each other.