A complete application consists of:

• An application
• Transcripts – Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts
• A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
• Two educational or professional recommendations

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.

If you have questions, send an email to EPArpp@orau.org. Please include the reference code for this opportunity in your email.

A research opportunity is available at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM), Office of Communications, Partnerships and Analysis (OCPA) located in Washington, DC.

OLEM Programs and regional colleagues regularly work in communities across America: cleaning up Superfund sites, responding to emergencies, assisting tribes, states and local governments in the cleaning up and redeveloping contaminated properties, brownfield sites and underground storage tanks sites; and establishing protections for the management of hazardous waste. OCPA serves as the principal office to the Assistant Administrator for OLEM planning, facilitating, and conducting analysis of OLEM programs and policies. Current areas of focus are renewable energy on contaminated land (specifically, the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative), sustainability, economic impacts and benefits of land cleanup or prevention, program evaluation , and performance measurement.

Under the mentorship of OCPA staff, the research participant will learn about a variety of OLEM programs and will have the opportunity to participate in two project areas, while gaining experience in one or more of the activities listed under each project:

• Benefits analyses and program evaluations of OLEM programs:
  • Collaborate on research projects with economists and program evaluation experts to identify the impacts of OLEM programs
  • Analyze the impacts of OLEM programs including study design, statistical analysis, geographic information systems analysis, and preparation of results for manuscripts, reports and briefing documents
  • Collect, review, organize, verify, and analyze OLEM program data
  • Review scientific literature and develop syntheses and summaries of information for technical and nontechnical audiences
• RE-Powering America's Land Initiative:
  • Research obstacles and opportunities associated with the promotion of landfills, federal sites, mining sits, etc. as sites for renewable energy development and communicate any results/findings
  • Analyze trends, etc. associated with renewable energy development on contaminated lands, landfills, and mine sites using statistical analyses and geographic information systems
  • Analyze factors/incentives/markets that encourage renewable energy development generally and on contaminated lands, landfills or mine sites, specifically
  • Explore and implement methodologies associated with metrics to measure the benefits associated with siting renewable energy on contaminated land

Through this project, the participant will benefit by learning approaches to evaluate and analyze data to inform program and policy decisions in OLEM. The participant will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge of geographic information systems. S/he may have the opportunity to communicate his/her analysis through peer-reviewed publications and/or presentations at conferences. Furthermore, s/he will gain an understanding of how scientific evidence is used to inform EPA decision-making processes.

The participant will be exposed to and interact with researchers and program staff from a variety of disciplines and organizations. S/he will have latitude in exercising independent initiative and judgement in the research commensurate with the level of training. Collaborating on project-related manuscripts will be encouraged.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: June 17, 2019

This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and EPA. The initial appointment is for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of EPA contingent on the availability of funds. The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. The appointment is full-time at EPA in the Washington, DC, area. Participants do not become employees of EPA, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits.

The qualified candidate should have received a master's or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields, or be currently pursuing one of the degrees and will reach completion by the start date of the appointment. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date. 

Preferred skills/experience:

• Geographic information systems
• Data analysis
• Census data
• Communicating science and/or policy to both technical and non-technical audiences

The program is open to all qualified individuals without regard to race, sex, religion, color, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, or status as a Vietnam era or disabled veteran.

• Degree: Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or anticipated to be received by 6/17/2019 12:00:00 AM.
• Discipline(s):
  • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (1 )
  • Earth and Geosciences (2 )
  • Engineering (2 )
  • Environmental and Marine Sciences (3 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (5 )
  • Mathematics and Statistics (1 )
  • Other Non-Science & Engineering (1 )
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (2 )