National Institutes of Health Office of the Ombudsman
Center for Cooperative Resolution
Building 31, Room 2B63
31 Center Drive, MSC 2087
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-2087
Tel: (301) 594-7231
Fax: (301) 594-7948
http://ombudsman.nih.gov
Contacts:
Howard Gadlin
301-594-6916
gadlinh@od.nih.gov
Kevin Jessar
301-594-7231
jessark@od.nih.gov
The NIH, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research. Helping to lead the way toward important medical discoveries that improve people’s health and save lives, NIH scientists investigate ways to prevent disease as well as the causes, treatments, and even cures for common and rare diseases.
The NIH Office of the Ombudsman, Center for Cooperative Resolution is a neutral, independent, and confidential resource providing informal assistance to NIH scientists, administrators, and support staff in addressing work-related issues. The Ombudsman, who directs the Center, serves as a focal point for conflict resolution at NIH by (1) providing confidential, informal assistance to employees and managers in resolving work-related concerns, and (2) developing and coordinating effective dispute resolution processes and procedures. The Center offers a variety of services and programs to address likely sources of conflict such as performance appraisals, harassment, mentoring relationships, and scientific collaboration.
Under the supervision of the NIH Center for Cooperative Resolution (CCR) staff, the CCR Intern will have the opportunity to learn about the function of an organizational ombudsman office. The Intern will focus on one major project and will observe and assist with individual consultation sessions; mediation processes; group facilitations; conflict resolution system development and assessment; conflict-related research; and trend identification based on aggregate data. Additionally, the Intern will assist with a variety of administrative tasks for the Office, such as providing support for a peer panel composed of managers and employees to hear employee grievances. The Intern will also be assigned a mentor who will help provide guidance throughout the internship.
