Military Performance Division
“Scientific Career Opportunities in
the Government and Military”
Edward J. Zambraski, Ph.D., FACSM
Chief, Military Performance Division
US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine
Natick, MA 01760-5007
edward.zambraski@us.army.mil
(508) 233-5150
Military Performance Division
Background – E. Zambraski
 1976
Ph.D., University of Iowa “Exercise Physiology”
 Research
Renal, cardiovascular, exercise physiology
 1976
– 2003 Rutgers University
 Depts: Physiology →Biology → Physiology → Cell Biology /
Neuroscience
 Teaching: Physiology/Exercise Physiology
 Research: Maintained an externally funded lab for 27 years
Renal nerves, Hypertension / cirrhosis, PG Renal Function,
RAS
– Present: Chief (Chair), Military Performance
Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental
Medicine, Natick, MA
 2003
Military Performance Division
Three Perspectives

University Researcher/Teacher/Dept. Chair
Time demands of teaching and research
Competing for funds: NIH, private sector

APS: “Career Opportunity Committee”
Member and Chair for several years

US Government / Army: Civilian Scientist
Military Performance Division
My “Career Transition”
Quite
The
a bit beyond “mid-career” !!
kind of environment I currently work in
Military Performance Division
Mid-Career Transitions
Fundamental Issues – Government Scientist
Are
there jobs/positions?
Types
of positions or skill sets required?
Similarities/contrasts
to Academic positions
Military Performance Division
US Army Medical Department
Organization Chart
Office of the
Army Surgeon
General
Medical
Command
(MEDCOM)
Medical
Research
& Materiel
Command
AMEDD
Center &
School
Regional
Medical
Commands
US Army Research Institute of
Environmental Medicine.
Dental
Command
Veterinary
Command
Center for
Health
Promotion and
Preventive
Medicine
Military Performance Division
US Army Research Institute of
Environmental Medicine (USARIEM)
 20
miles west of
Boston
 Co-located
with the
Natick Soldier Center
Natick
Ideal location for
collaboration: MIT,
Harvard, BU, etc.
Military Performance Division
US Army MRMC Research
Military Infectious
Diseases
27%
Military Infectious Diseases








Medical readiness
Vaccines
Biotechnology
Prophylaxis/treatment drugs
Diagnostics/prognostics
Vector control
Medical C4ISR
HIV countermeasures
Combat
Casualty Care
10%
Military
Operational Medicine
17%



Lightweight medical equipment
Medical C4ISR
Trauma care
Health monitoring &
diagnostic technology









Soldier selection & sustainment
Soldier performance
Warrior system modeling
Health hazards protection
Diagnostics/prognostics
Health monitoring
Medical management of
CW casualties
Medical readiness
Drug prophylaxes/
pretreatments
Diagnostics/therapeutics
Medical Biological Defense
Military Operational Medicine

Med Bio
Defense
31%
Medical Chemical Defense
Combat Casualty Care

Med Chem
Defense
15%




Vaccines/therapies
Field-portable diagnostic
systems
Medical readiness
Biotechnology
Military Performance Division
Military Operational Medicine Labs
USARIEM
Air Force and Navy
Toxicology
Natick, MA
- Collocation with NSC
Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
- Occupational toxicology
research
- Deployment toxicology
- AFRL
- NHRC Toxicology
Detachment
NSMRL
Groton, CT
- Collocation with attack
sub fleet
- Auditory and visual
performance
enhancement (visual
and
auditory displays of
sonar signals
NHRC
San Diego, CA
- Collocation with Navy,
Marines,
special warfare, and trainees
- Navy MOM lead lab
- Epidemiology of injury and
illness
- Environmental and
occupational medicine
Fort Detrick, MD
- Deployment toxicology
WRAIR
Altitude
Laboratory
Pikes Peak,
CO
USAMRU-E
Heidelberg,
Germany
- Psychosocial
stress
studies in
USAREUR
and deployed
forces
Tri-Service
Directed Energy
Brooks City-Base, TX
-Laser eye protection
and
visual performance
WRAIRDetachment
- NHRC EMR
Detachment
USAARL
Fort Rucker, AL
- Collocated with Army
aviation
- Platform-specific research
(rotary-wing aircraft and
ground combat vehicles)
- Injury biodynamics
research
- Lead DoD biomedical lab
for
sensory research (visual
and
auditory performance)
NAMRL
Pensacola, FL
- Collocation with
Navy aviation
- Aviation
medicine
Tactile sensory
input and spatial
disorientation
research
Washington, DC
- Basic sciences
research
- Neuropsychiatry,
NMRC
Washington, DC
- Diving and
environmental
physiology
- Hyperbaric medicine
Military Performance Division
March 25, 2008:
“ > 40% of the Army’s science
workforce are eligible for retirement
within the next 10 years.”
MG Weightman
Commander, MRMC
 Army
science workforce
~ 8,000+
 Other DoD branches (Navy,
Air Force) real numbers
but much smaller
Military Performance Division
US Army Research Institute of
Environmental Medicine
ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
• Environmental Extremes
(Heat, Cold & High Terrestrial
Altitude)
• Physiological Monitoring &
Predictive Modeling
OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE
& PERFORMANCE
• Occupational Task
Performance & Injury
Prevention
• Bioenergetics & Metabolism
(Nutrition)
• Cognitive Performance
Assessment
•
•
•
•
“World-Class” Laboratory for
Environmental Medicine, Physiology,
Performance and Nutrition Research
Integrated Cellular, Tissue, Animal &
Human Research Programs
Four research “Divisions”
n = 200 scientists/support personnel
•Under a military “Command”
•40 % scientists are military
Military Performance Division
World Class Facilities
• Doriot Climatic Chambers
(minus 70 F to 160 F)
• Water Immersion Laboratory
• Altitude (Hypobaric) Chamber
Sea-level to 9,150 m (30,000 ft)
• Biochemical labs,
Testing labs, off-site centers
• Pikes Peak Lab
4300 m (highest in NA)
Military Performance Division
USARIEM Organization
Research Support Division
Thermal & Mountain
Medicine Division
(TMMD)
Biophysics &
Biomedical
Modeling Division
(BBMD)
USARIEM Personnel: N ≈ 200
35% Military
50% Civilian
15% Contractor
Military Nutrition
Division
(MND)
Military Performance
Division
(MPD)
Military Performance Division
Military Performance Division
Research Teams
 Epidemiology
 Injury Epidemiology

Performance Physiology






Assessment of individual capacities/training programs
Endocrine control: exercise and/or environmental stress
Muscle / bone function: stress fractures/bone health
Mechanisms of muscle growth and injury
Energy Metabolism
Biomechanics
 Load carriage/equipment interactions
 Injury potential

Cognitive Performance
 Cognitive performance: assessment
 Altered Cognitive Function: military operations (blast,
deployment..)
Military Performance Division
Types of Scientists: USARIEM/MPD
 Physiologists
 Pharmacologists
 Systems
 Statisticians
 Environmental
 Biomedical
 Cellular
engineers
 Biophysicists
 Biochemists
(modelers)
 Endocrinologists
 Nutritionists
 Molecular
 Immunologists
 Cell
biologists
Signaling
 Epidemiologists
 MDs
(clinical research)
Military Performance Division
Scientist: Comparison of Responsibilities
Academia
10%
30%
30%
US Gov’t/Army
9%
1%
10%
30%
80%
Teaching
Administrative
Grants/ Funding
Research
Military Performance Division
Skills Needed: Civilian
Scientist in the US Army
Research
Expertise
 Basic scientist
 Applied: “ real world”
Function
Ability
in disciplined/structured environment
to Communicate: oral and written
Contracting/Budgeting
 Acquisition training, CORs, CRADA, MOU
Perform
under pressure: “suspense”
 “taskers”, briefings, reviews
“DWA”
(deal with acronyms !!)
Military Performance Division
General Schedule (GS) System
Civilian Scientists
Pay
ranges stipulated (GS-1 – GS-15)
 Competitive with University salaries
Full
benefits
More
structured
 Annual appointments
 Leave calculations (recently revised)
 Time monitored
“Term”
appointments vs “permanent” positions
Military Performance Division
Government Scientist
“Coming in green” (active duty)
Health
Professions Scholarship
Program: MDs, Vet, Psych (PhD)
Professional
Allied/Health programs:
 Physical therapy (Doctoral)
 Occupational therapy (Doctoral)
 Dieticians (Masters)
 Physician assistants
 Payback ≈ 2:1
Military Performance Division
Army’s Scientific Workforce
GS
Civilian Scientists
Military
Scientists / Health Professionals
Contracted
Scientists
 “in house”
 Collaborations
“IPA”
– Intergovernmental Personnel Agreement
Military Performance Division
Comparison: attributes of each..
Academia
US Army
Salaries
+
+
Appointments
Tenure
Contract/Term/Perm.
Choice Res. Topics
+
+
+
+
(+)
-
-
* Work Requirements
* Resources
Bureaucracy
Publishing
Meetings/ Travel
Pressure / Demands
*Job Satisfaction *
- (Hours Monitored)
++
+
+
(-)
++
Military Performance Division
Finding Jobs within US Gov’t/Army
(MRMC-Military Operational Medicine)
Direct
Inquiries and Contact with Army
Research Investigators.
Interactions
as Professionals
 Meetings/conferences
 Societies/Editorial Boards
Interaction
Formal
as Collaborators
Government Job Announcements
 Websites:
http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/ [general government]
http://www.cpol.army.mil/
[Army civilians]
Military Performance Division
Mid-Career Transitions
Civilian Scientist
Military Health
Professional
Contractor
Research Positions: US Army / Government
Very
positive work environment (my perspective)
There
Wide
Clear
are positions (this number will be increasing)
variety of disciplines / skill sets
differences academia
environment
government
 Individual qualities / choice / time point in your career
Military Performance Division
“Scientific Career Opportunities in
the Government and Military”
Edward J. Zambraski, Ph.D., FACSM
Chief, Military Performance Division
US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine
Natick, MA 01760-5007
edward.zambraski@us.army.mil
(508) 233-5150
The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the
author and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of
the Army or the Department of Defense.