Clinical Research Fellow

Fellowship Title: Clinical Research Fellow

Reporting To:  Medical Director, Center for Biomedical Research (CBR), Population Council

Location: New York, NY or Atlanta, GA with intermittent travel to CBR (New York, NY)

Assignment Length: One Year (August 2026 – July 2027)

Fellowship Summary: 

The Center for Biomedical Research Clinical Research Fellow will support all aspects of the Population Council’s Center for Biomedical Research (CBR) portfolio, including sexual-reproductive health research and clinical trials of products in development at CBR and/or other institutions under the direct mentorship of the Medical Director. The Clinical Research Fellow will work collaboratively with a team of scientists, project managers, and regulatory professionals at CBR, with researchers at Population Council affiliates and with colleagues outside the Council.

This position is an excellent opportunity to gain exposure, learn, and engage in both domestic and international clinical settings, and develop good clinical research practice skills. The Fellow will have opportunities to learn regulatory requirements, ethical considerations, and navigate Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes. Topical areas of work may include family planning, HIV and STI prevention, infertility, multipurpose prevention technologies, prevention of pre-term birth, and menopause. The Fellow will also contribute to the synthesis of research findings into publications, presentations, and reports, with the opportunity to be named as a co-author based on contributions to the publications at the discretion of the Medical Director. 

This fellowship is designed to bridge clinical training and academic inquiry – providing structured study in rigorous research methodology, statistical analysis, and global translation of research findings. The fellow will learn to conduct research through methodological precision, ethical responsibility, and scientific innovation, while contributing to projects that advance reproductive autonomy and health equity worldwide. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conduct background research and literature reviews regarding clinical research questions relevant to proposed and ongoing clinical trials. Research topics could include but are not limited to emergency contraception, male contraceptive topics, multi-purpose prevention products, infertility, and acceptability studies.
• Develop study protocols and documents for clinical trials, including informed consent, case report forms, and survey questionnaires in collaboration with clinical team.
• Draft and review Clinical Study Reports and statistical analyses. 
• Assist in data analysis and interpretation of research findings. Draft publications and manage submissions to journals.
• Research, prepare, and present internally, at national and international on a diverse range of topics related to clinical trials, product development programs, and strategic initiatives.
• Support proposal submissions to government (e.g. NIH, European government agencies) and foundation (e.g. Gates) donors. Draft sections of proposals and provide literature reviews and data analysis to support proposal submissions.
• Attend and contribute to product development team meetings.
• Contribute to regulatory submissions, IRB processes, and internal research presentations.

Qualifications

We understand that there are many paths to acquiring expertise and experience and strong candidates may not have every qualification listed here. We encourage applications from individuals who bring passion, skills, and experience in many or most of these areas. 

• Medical Degree or PhD with a focus on obstetrics/gynecology or reproductive health with training in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, or other related field or relevant work experience required.
• Superior writing and editing skills. Ability to synthesize datasets or research findings into graphs, tables and other written materials with a keen attention to detail and appearance while utilizing good editorial judgment.
• Strong organizational skills and follow-through, ability to prioritize, and ability to work independently.
• Good interpersonal skills, sense of humor and ability to interact effectively with staff and outside contacts at all levels.
• Ability to work collaboratively and manage several projects simultaneously.
• Excellent English language skills, both spoken and written.

Applicants with the following qualifications are preferred:

• Experience or interest in global health research and/or reproductive health
• Superior research skills including synthesizing scientific publications into key points for presentations, exercising good judgment regarding data sources for research topics and experience with DHS data sets.
• Prior experience working in a clinical trial setting analyzing datasets, designing survey questions and creating clinical trial study documents. 
• Experience with statistical programming languages such as R, SAS, or STATA.

Terms

• One-year fellowship, beginning August 2026.
• Monthly stipend (starting at $6,237/month, commensurate with experience) to cover cost of living expenses, and individual health coverage.
• Deliverables: two manuscripts, one presentation, one funding proposal contribution, one educational session.

TO APPLY:

Please include a brief description of your academic and professional qualifications and goals, a short statement about your research interests and a copy of your CV. 

The deadline for applications is February 15th, 2026. Ideal start around August 2026.

The Population Council is an international, nonprofit, nongovernmental institution that seeks to improve the well-being and reproductive health of current and future generations around the world and to help achieve a humane, equitable, and sustainable balance between people and resources. The Council conducts biomedical, social science, and public health research and helps build research capacities in developing countries. Established in 1952, the Council is governed by an international board of trustees. Its New York headquarters supports a global network of country offices. 

The Population Council provides equal opportunity; it does not discriminate against any person with regard to age, color, creed, national origin, disability, political belief, veteran status, religion, marital status, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Decisions on employment are based on an individual’s qualifications as related to the position for which they are being considered. The Population Council is international in the composition of its board of trustees and its staff, as well as in the nature and deployment of its activities.