Click HERE to apply! 

The EPA National Student Services Contract has an immediate opening for a full time PFAS Analytical Support position with the Office of Research and Development at the EPA facility in Research Triangle Park, NC.

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. CEMM’s research involves:

• Occurrence, fate, and transport in the natural environment
• Regulatory methods and models
• Tools to inform and evaluate environmental management practices and policies
• Environmental indicators
• Sampling for environmental characterization
• Contaminants of emerging concern

ORD has an extensive analytical program to understand the levels of polyfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS) in various environmental matrices.  This position will support the analysis of these environmental contaminants.

What experience and skills will you gain?

As a team member, you will support the analysis of PFAS samples by providing instrumentation support in the laboratory, preparation of sample media and containers, maintenance of routine instruments, quality control measures, and data transfer/analysis efforts.

How you will apply your skills

Environmental Sampling Instrumentation responsibilities will include:

• Preparation of sample media for gas chromatography (GC);
• Routine maintenance, as directed, on GC instruments;
• Quality control of environmental data, knowledge of use of blanks and background samples;
• Data entry on sample chain of custody;
• Data analysis: identification and quantification of chromatography peaks;
• Creation of metadata and fact sheets supporting the data products;
• Literature reviews;
• Preparation of analytical standards; and
• Contribute to scientific presentations and publications.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Work Experience, and Education

• Demonstrated education and/or experience in chemical laboratories;
• Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Excel;
• Demonstrated experience with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS);
• Demonstrated experience with analyzing GC/MS results and use of software packages. Examples might include Chemstation, Mass Hunter, Compound Discoverer, Mass Profiler Professional, Trace Finder or equivalent; and
• Experience with data programming languages. Examples might include R or Python.

Location: This job will be located EPA’s facility in Research Triangle Park, NC

Salary: Selected applicant will become a temporary employee of ORAU and will receive an hourly wage of $31.38 for hours worked.

Hours: Full-time.

Travel: Travel may be required but is unlikely.

Expected start date: The position is full time and expected to begin October 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’s degree in the fields of chemistry, physics, geography, ecology, environmental science, engineering, physical sciences 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’s degree in the fields of chemistry, physics, geography, ecology, environmental science, engineering, physical sciences 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.