While being an off-site fellow provides career development and exposure for scientists, it also requires more than simply expertise in their scientific field.

I would say there's two things that I think are really important, regardless of what assignment we're looking for.

The first is having a really strong understanding of the lab, like a really solid network that they can draw back on, and to just have spent enough time to know not only their area of expertise, but what other areas of expertise there are at the lab and how to tap into those if something were to come up while they were on assignment.

The second area I would say is communication skills.

It's so important for our folks on assignment to be able to really connect with their host offices.

And typically, that means taking a really technical and scientific concept and translating it into something that someone that does not have a scientific background at all can really understand and utilize.

Today, while NNSA and the Department of War remain core partners of the Off-Site Fellows Program, the fellows have also served in the Executive Office of the President, the House of Representatives, the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and even the Governor's Office of California.

We're constantly considering new opportunities.