[5] She was an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM) where she investigated traumatic brain injury (TBI) and computerized neuropsychological assessment.

[3] Cernich worked for 10 years in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, where she served as the acting deputy director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE).

In this role, she coordinated prevention, education, research, and clinical care efforts for service members and veterans diagnosed with TBI.

Cernich led the development of the congressionally mandated NIH Rehabilitation Research Plan, an effort that included coordination with 17 institutes and centers and multiple external stakeholders.

[6] In September 2019, Cernich was selected as deputy director of NICHD, where she assists the director in overseeing the institute's programs supporting research on child development, developmental biology, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, intellectual and developmental disabilities, population dynamics, reproductive biology, contraception, pregnancy, and medical rehabilitation.