The EPA National Student Services Contract has an immediate opening for a full time Green Infrastructure Decision Analyst position with the Office of Research and Development at the EPA facility in Narragansett, RI.  

The Office of Research and Development at the EPA supports high-quality research to improve the scientific basis for decisions on national environmental issues and help EPA achieve its environmental goals. Research is conducted in a broad range of environmental areas by scientists in EPA laboratories and at universities across the country.

What the EPA project is about

Within ORD, the Center for Environmental Measurement & Modeling (CEMM) conducts research to advance EPA’s ability to measure and model contaminants in the environment, including research to provide fundamental methods and models needed to implement environmental statutes. The methods and models developed by CEMM are typically applied at the airshed, watershed, and ecosystem level.  Within CEMM, the Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division (ACESD) is responsible for coastal watershed, freshwater, estuarine, and coastal ecological research.

What experience and skills will you gain?

As a team member, you will assist with the analytical duties and synthesis required to support research in Decision Analysis for Community Sustainability and Community Green Infrastructure Implementation. The team member will bring an interdisciplinary perspective in assisting with data collection, analysis, synthesis, and translation to support development and implementation of Decision Support models and tools for communities seeking to protect ecosystem services and increase sustainable outcomes in both human and environmental dimensions. Specific tasks shall focus on Green Infrastructure, Decision Tools, Systems modeling, Community case studies, spatial analysis, tool documentation/instruction, literature review, synthesis, or a combination of these.

Responsibilities will include assisting with:

Research and Analysis:

• Locating and compiling documents and content characterizing issues, goals, decisions, and management plans and outcomes pertaining to land and resource use, ecosystem services, green infrastructure, and integrated sustainability for municipalities;
• Assessing and collecting data on availability, use, and outcome of management practices by decision-makers. Participating with team-members in analyzing, evaluating and documenting best management practices;
• Using an assortment of software packages for data analysis and display;
• Preparing data tables, analysis, and visualizations to assist with the characterization and evaluation of decision making context, collaborations, processes, and needs;
• Assisting in literature review and meta-analysis to develop content for decision analysis and framing tools;
• Researching and summarizing information relating to Use Cases and Decision Cases pertaining to Community Sustainability goals and environmental science and policy;
• Participating with team-members in evaluating and documenting Green Infrastructure implementation and benefits, community-scale socio-environmental systems, issues, network structure, and data gaps; and
• Other tasks required for accomplishing project objectives.

Documentation and communication:

• The development of the summary analysis of results and impacts in the preparation of reports, databases, documents, and other products for the writing and publication of research findings;
• Participating as a member of an interdisciplinary team in assigned activities, and interacting with team members and other EPA scientists;
• Maintaining records of meetings, correspondence, and action documents, and maintain a system to track projects in progress; and
• Assisting the team in developing/presenting oral presentations results and impacts using graphics and other interactive formats.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Work Experience, and Education

• Interdisciplinary academic training comprised of a mix of physical and social sciences;
• Work, volunteer, or related experience that contributes to transdisciplinary expertise and demonstrated breadth and depth in both social science and natural sciences;
• Technical analysis, communication and writing ability as evidenced by publications, presentations, jobs, and training;
• Experience with research, including demonstrated analytical, problem formulation, and leadership skills;
• Experience working with scientific and policy data, literature, maps, and surveys using applications including spreadsheets, relational databases, and visualization tools;
• Proven ability to function in a team, document work, meet goals, and communicate results;
• Practical knowledge, as demonstrated through training or experience, of resource management policy, systems science, community engagement methods, and decision sciences; and
• Familiarity with literature and practice pertaining to Green Infrastructure, Community Sustainability, and Watershed scale environmental management, or Environmental policy/ decision analysis.

Location:  This job will be located EPA’s facility in Narragansett, RI.