The overall goal of the NIH Research Career Development program is to help ensure that a diverse pool of highly trained scientists is available in appropriate scientific disciplines to address the Nation's biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) support a variety of mentored and non-mentored career development award programs designed to foster the transition of new investigators to research independence and to support established investigators in achieving specific objectives. Candidates should review the different career development (K) award programs to determine the best program to support their goals. More information about Career programs may be found at the NIH Research Training and Career Development  website.

The objective of the NIH Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) is to provide salary and research support for a sustained period of “protected time” (3-5 years) for intensive research career development, under the guidance of an experienced mentor, or sponsor in the biomedical, behavioral or clinical sciences leading to research independence. The expectation is that, through this sustained period of research career development and training, recipients will launch independent research careers and become competitive for new research project grant (e.g., R01) funding.

Purpose

The NIH recognizes a unique and compelling need to promote diversity in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical and social sciences workforce. The NIH expects efforts to diversify the workforce to lead to the recruitment of the most talented researchers from all groups; to improve the quality of the educational and training environment; to balance and broaden the perspective in setting research priorities; to improve the ability to recruit subjects from minority health and other health disparity populations into clinical research protocols; and to improve the Nation's capacity to address and eliminate health disparities. For more information, see Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity, NOT-OD-20-031.

This program provides research development opportunities for non-tenured science faculty from diverse backgrounds, including individuals from groups that are underrepresented in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences. The research development program of the candidate should be based on the candidate's scholastic background, previous research experience, past achievements, and potential to develop into an independent research investigator.

Scientists and physicians with some research experience who need guided course work and supervised laboratory experiences, as well as faculty who need an intensive research experience under the guidance of an established scientist, are eligible to work with their institutions to apply.