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Scientific Reviewer

Bethesda, MD

(ID: 2026-3932)


Axle is a bioscience and information technology company that offers advancements in translational research, biomedical informatics, and data science applications to research centers and healthcare organizations nationally and abroad. With experts in biomedical science, software engineering, and program management, we focus on developing and applying research tools and techniques to empower decision-making and accelerate research discoveries. We work with some of the top research organizations and facilities in the country including multiple institutes at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).


Axle is seeking a Scientific Reviewer to join our vibrant team at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supporting the Center for Scientific Review (CSR) located in Bethesda, MD.


Benefits We Offer:

  • 100% Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage for Employees
  • Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays
  • 401K match up to 5%
  • Educational Benefits for Career Growth
  • Employee Referral Bonus
  • Flexible Spending Accounts:
    • Healthcare (FSA)
    • Parking Reimbursement Account (PRK)
    • Dependent Care Assistant Program (DCAP)
    • Transportation Reimbursement Account (TRN)

Position Information:

 

The Contractor shall provide qualified scientific and operational services to support the planning, coordination, conduct, and documentation of NIH peer review activities. Services shall be performed in accordance with applicable NIH and CSR policies, procedures, guidance, and established review schedules. The Contractor shall collaborate with SROs, CSR leadership, reviewers, and review support staff to ensure assigned review activities and deliverables are completed accurately, consistently, and within established requirements and deadlines.

 

Additional Qualifications:

 

Certifications & Licenses

  • No certification needed

 

Field of Study

  • General Medical and Health Services

  • General Social Sciences

  • Miscellaneous Psychology

  • Physical Sciences

  • General Engineering

  • Miscellaneous Biology

 

Software

  • IAR

  • Internet Assisted Review

  • Peer Review

  • eRA

  • CMM (Committee Management Module)

  • QVR

  • Query View Report

 

Skills

  • Peer review process for grants

  • Literature and database searches

  • Grants and contract mechanisms

  • Administrative summaries

  • Subject matter expert

 

Deliverables:

 

  • The Contractor shall provide documentation and operational support for NIH application scientific reviews, including panel formation, reviewer recruitment and training, administrative compliance screenings, critique quality control, and meeting documentation.

  • Additionally, the Contractor shall prepare and finalize summary statements for all applications and deliver ad hoc support as required.

  • All work must be completed timely, accurately, and professionally in accordance with NIH policies, CSR best practices, and federal regulations.

  • Critique and summary deliverables must be clear, objective, and accurately reflect key evaluation factors.

  • Contractor staff shall maintain effective, professional collaboration with Government leadership and reviewers while upholding strict ethics and confidentiality standards.

  • Deficient deliverables shall be corrected and resubmitted at the Government’s direction. - Ad-Hoc

 

Statement of Work Details:

 

  • Identify the administrative and the scientific issues in the grant applications or contract proposals, including the hypotheses and rationale presented in the applications/proposals. - 1
  • Identify and select reviewers by matching the expertise of the reviewer with the specific science contained in the research grant applications and recommend potential reviewers. - 2
  • Perform a thorough review of the content of each individual application and its relevance in terms of the scientific interests of the Institute. - 3
  • Ensure that high-quality written reviews are obtained. - 4

  • Performs administrative review of research grant applications.

  • Work with staff to manage the scientific peer review of grant and cooperative agreement applications, and contract proposals assigned for primary merit review.

  • Serve as an internal authoritative source of information on application receipt, referral and grants management policies and procedures.

  • Identifies specific areas of expertise for peer review panel, searches databases and resources and prepares lists of potential reviewers.

  • Make initial determinations regarding the appropriate assignment of all grants.

  • Make assignment decisions and resolve conflicts in assignments based on knowledge of the scientific interests of the Institute.

  • Prepares preliminary drafts of summary statements.

  • Review draft documents and synthesize comments and incorporate appropriate comments from reviewers into final documents.

  • Provide critical review of literature and evaluate research concepts, proposals, protocols, and reports. Validates and enters information into databases.

  • Work with staff on entry of reviewer data into the Committee Management system in order to prepare peer review rosters.

  • Assign applications to reviewers.

  • Determine appropriate meeting type; face-to-face, teleconference, Internet-Assisted meeting, etc.

  • Identifies involved persons who must be on a conflict-of-interest list and identifies deficiencies which must be addressed prior to review.

  • Assess reviewers against applications for potential conflicts of interest.

  • Consult with program staff to identify potential reviewers and ascertain conflicts of interest.

  • Examine key personnel, institutional affiliations and letters of support associated with each grant application to determine potential conflicts of interest.

  • Attends peer review meetings to take notes for use when preparing final summary of documentation of meeting proceedings.

  • Captures the results of committee deliberations during the review meeting.

  • Obtains written critiques from reviewers.

  • Obtain, evaluate and coordinate written critiques from expert reviewers.

  • Ensure that high-quality written reviews are obtained.

  • Evaluates incoming reviews for completeness and accuracy.

  • Identify the administrative and the scientific issues in the grant applications or contract proposals.

  • Ensure that summary statements and technical evaluation reports are compiled and edited to produce high-quality documents.

  • Analyzes scientific content of grant applications.

  • Apply scientific knowledge in areas related to the mission and the NIH peer review process.

  • Evaluate scientific aspects of concepts, proposals, protocols and reports for research.

  • Mentors and trains staff on scientific peer review processes and procedures.

  • Assesses organizational need and develops training programs to improve accuracy and performance of peer review processes and procedures.

  • Develops training materials, job aids and instructions for use by peer reviewers.

  • Mentors and coaches peer reviewers in the performance of reviews.


Disclaimer: The above description is meant to illustrate the general nature of work and level of effort being performed by individuals assigned to this position or job description. This is not restricted as a complete list of all skills, responsibilities, duties, and/or assignments required. Individuals may be required to perform duties outside of their position, job description or responsibilities as needed.


The diversity of Axle’s employees is a tremendous asset. We are firmly committed to providing equal opportunity in all aspects of employment and will not tolerate any illegal discrimination or harassment based on age, race, gender, religion, national origin, disability, marital status, covered veteran status, sexual orientation, status with respect to public assistance, and other characteristics protected under state, federal, or local law and to deter those who aid, abet, or induce discrimination or coerce others to discriminate.


Accessibility: If you need an accommodation as part of the employment process please contact: careers@axleinfo.com


This role has a market-competitive salary with an anticipated base compensation range listed below. Actual salaries will vary depending on a candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills, and location.

Salary Range

$91,000 - $94,000 USD

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