The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in Research Triangle Park, NC, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is rated among the top five places in the country for conducting postdoctoral research, according to a national survey in the life sciences magazine, The Scientist.

After completing a doctoral program, someone interested in a research career looks to gain 2-5 years of practical experience at a research institution where, as a "Postdoc,” they are paid a stipend commensurate with their experience. “This is great news,” said NIEHS Director, David Schwartz, M.D. “With so many esteemed universities in the area, it’s important for doctoral students to know they can have rewarding and fulfilling work experiences right here at NIEHS in North Carolina.”

In the 2006 edition of its annual “Best Places to Work for Post Docs” survey of 114 private, governmental and academic institutions, The Scientist listed NIEHS as fifth overall. The NIEHS has been consistently rated among the top five institutions in the survey. It held the number three spot for the past 2 years. The 2006 survey also found the NIEHS to be the top ranked NIH institute for post doctoral training opportunities.

“We’re consistently rated high because the NIEHS scientists appreciate the expertise, skills, and enthusiasm that post docs bring to the lab,” said Deborah Swope, Ph.D. in the NIEHS Office of Fellows' Career Development. “We have state-of the art facilities and our scientists create an atmosphere of collegiality and respect and encourage collaborations across the many disciplines we support.”

The Scientist based the rankings on a Web-based questionnaire of non-tenured scientists covering 46 categories. Topics included: the quality of research equipment, the availability of mentoring, and the level of collaboration. The most important factor cited was the quality of training and career preparation offered by an institution.

For a complete link to the article in the March issue of The Scientist, visit http://www.the-scientist.com/2006/3/1/53/1/. For more information about research training opportunities at NIEHS, visit: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/ofcd/

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a component of the National Institutes of Health, supports research to understand the effects of the environment on human health. For more information on environmental health topics, please visit our website at http://www.niehs.nih.gov/.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.