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The EPA National Student Services Contract has an immediate opening for a full-time Laboratory Specialist at EPA 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

The Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling (CEMM) conducts research to advance the Agency’s ability to measure and model contaminants in the environment, including research to provide fundamental methods and models needed to implement environmental statutes.  Within CEMM, the Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division (ACESD) conducts applied research in the coastal watershed, freshwater and estuarine zones to collect data and develop theories, methods, models to better understand the cumulative effects of physical, chemical, biological and anthropogenic stressors impacting the ecological condition of the Atlantic coast and to support states and communities using physical, analytical, and social-ecological systems approaches.

As part of the agency’s mission to protect human health and the environment, ACESD supports the development and application of novel innovations in exposure science. Exposure science sets the context for understanding and solving real-world problems. A major component of the organization’s research portfolio is the environmental fate, transport and effects of contaminants of emerging and immediate concern. These contaminants are often unregulated and their presence in the environment often goes unnoticed for years. Using novel methods, scientists at ACESD investigate the presence, movement and effects of these compounds in the environment.

What experience and skills will you gain?

As a team member, you will provide support for the collection, preparation and analysis of environmental samples and participate in data management, data curation and data analysis in support of research on contaminants of emerging and immediate concern (including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) under the Safe and Sustainable Water Resources (SSWR) research program. The team member will assist with sample collection, extraction and chemical analysis using mass spectrometric analysis; and assist with data management, file management, data curation and extraction, quality control, as well as performing qualitative and quantitative data analysis. The team member will be welcomed as a member of a multi-disciplinary research team and support the advancement of EPA’s understanding of the potential outcomes of the presence of contaminants of concern in the marine environment at national through community scales.

Field Sampling – responsibilities will include:  

• Engage in sampling activities to collect water, groundwater, tissue and sediment samples following approved Standard Operating Procedures and Quality Assurance Project Plans;
• Lifting 50 lbs. of equipment while aboard a moving vessel;
• Collecting field data including temperature, salinity/conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen;
• Generating reports of field activities; and
• Ability to troubleshoot and resolve problems with limited resources as they arise.

Laboratory Analysis – responsibilities will include:

• Developing and implementing methods for the extraction and cleanup of environmental samples using multiple methods (e.g., solid phase extraction, liquid/liquid extraction);
• Data analysis;
• Documentation of methods, data and other relevant work-related results;
• Communicating technical information clearly, concisely and completely; both verbally and in writing;
• Ability to independently troubleshoot and resolve sample prep issues as they arise;
• Identifying needed laboratory supplies and equipment and maintaining an inventory of frequently used items;
• Properly maintaining equipment and supplies; and
• General laboratory housekeeping.

Other responsibilities include:

• Participating as a member of a multi-disciplinary research team; and
• Presenting work at a scientific conference as funding permits.
• Assisting team leaders in a timely and appropriate manner with the requested procedures or operations needed to accomplish specific tasks.
• Completing tasks in an accurate, thorough, and timely way following approved health and safety procedures.
• Performing detailed work assignments supporting researchers in a logical sequence and resulting in the completion of work by established deadlines.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks effectively.
• Working independently when performing recurring tasks

Required Knowledge, Skills, Work Experience, and Education

• Experience working in a laboratory environment following appropriate safety and health protocols;
• Experience processing non-target mass spectrometry data and working with high-resolution mass spectrometers;
• Experience working with analytical chemistry instrumentation with minimal supervision; including LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS;
• Skill working with Microsoft Office;
• Strong written, oral and electronic communication skills; and
• Experience programming in Python and R or other scripting languages.

Desired Knowledge, Skills, Work Experience, and Education

• Experience working in the field performing sampling activities related to this position;
• Experience performing sample extraction and clean-up of water, sediment and/or tissues; and
• The ability to swim and familiarity with small boats.

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

Salary: Selected applicant will become a temporary employee of ORAU and will receive an hourly wage of $33.29 for hours worked.

Hours: Full-time.

Travel: Occasional overnight travel may be required.

Expected start date: The position is full time and expected to begin September 2023. The selected applicant will become a temporary employee of ORAU working as a contractor to EPA. The contract renews each May through 2025.

For more information, contact EPANSSC@orau.org. Do not contact EPA directly.

• Be at least 18 years of age and
• Have earned at least a Master of Science degree in the fields of biology, chemistry, geology, oceanography or a related field from an accredited university or college within the last 24 months and
• Be a citizen of the United States of America or a Legal Permanent Resident.

EPA ORD employees, their spouses, and children are not eligible to participate in this program.

• Citizenship: LPR or U.S. Citizen
• Degree: Master's Degree received within the last 24 month(s).
• Minimum Overall GPA: 2.00
• Discipline(s):
  • Business (11 )
  • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (12 )
  • Communications and Graphics Design (6 )
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (17 )
  • Earth and Geosciences (21 )
  • Engineering (27 )
  • Environmental and Marine Sciences (14 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (48 )
  • Mathematics and Statistics (11 )
  • Other Non-Science & Engineering (13 )
  • Physics (16 )
  • Science & Engineering-related (2 )
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (29 )

I certify that I am at least 18 years of age; a recent graduate with at least a Master of Science degree in the fields of biology, chemistry, geology, oceanography or a related field from an accredited university or college within the last 24 months; a citizen or a Legal Permanent Resident of the United States of America; and not a current employee of EPA ORD or the spouse or child of an EPA ORD employee.