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The EPA National Student Services Contract has an immediate opening for a full time Drinking Water Researcher position with the Office of Research and Development at the EPA facility in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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 Water Infrastructure Division (WID), within EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, conducts customer-driven research and support, providing scientific leadership on national-scale problems associated with water quality in the built infrastructure.  These efforts focus on drinking water treatment plants, distribution systems, storage tanks, premise plumbing, wastewater collection systems and treatment plants, storm water systems, green infrastructure and water reuse. WID specializes in providing technical information to small water systems who have unique capabilities and needs. The research conducted in WID supports the regulatory and non-regulatory scientific needs of EPA, water utilities, and state, local, territorial and tribal agencies in their implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act, and other legislative and policy mandates.  High priority research in the division includes removal of emerging contaminants like PFAS and legacy contaminants like lead from drinking water and developing wastewater surveillance techniques for the early detection of COVID in wastewater. 

What experience and skills will you gain?

As a team member, you will assist EPA staff with the science and engineering management duties required to support and maintain day-to-day management of a productive high-profile science and research division. This position shall encompass research and development program management support for the division’s immediate office. The team member will learn about managing a large, fast-paced interdisciplinary organization of more than 75 federal employees and 25 contractors, made up of biologists, chemists, engineers, and physical scientists. The team member’s responsibilities will include:

• Perform research designed to evaluate impact of water chemistry on the properties of lead and copper particles formed in water. This is includes maintaining and possibly modifying experimental systems whereby test waters, conducting particle formation experiments, water sampling, solids sampling and water quality monitoring will be performed;

• Perform basic water chemistry and solids analyses of related lead copper- containing water samples using various water and solids analysis techniques;

• Perform related literature review on all aspects of lead and copper particles in drinking water;

• Analyze associated experimental data using spreadsheets, and statistical and graphical software packages;

• Coordinate lead and copper particle water sampling efforts with external groups (i.e., communities, states); and

• Produce outputs associated with lead and copper particle research findings including research summaries, peer-reviewed manuscripts, and presentations.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Work Experience, and Education

• Basic knowledge of scientific and/or engineering principles and practices;

• Basic knowledge of water chemistry and solids analysis methods;

• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (i.e., Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook);

• Strong communication skills (i.e., written, oral, online, telephone, social media etiquette);

• Strong time management and organizational skills, including experience handling multiple assignments with competing deadlines; and

• Experience working in a team environment.

Desired Knowledge, Skills, Work Experience, and Education

• Experience organizing, tracking and coordinating large amounts of electronic information with thousands of data points and

• Knowledge of water infrastructure systems.

Location:  This job will be located at EPA’s facility in Cincinnati, OH.

Salary: Selected applicant will become a temporary employee of ORAU and will receive an hourly wage of $22.63 for hours worked.

Hours: Full-time.

Travel: Travel is not expected for this position.

Expected start date: The position is full time and expected to begin November 2021. The selected applicant will become a temporary employee of ORAU working as a contractor to EPA. The initial project is through May 14, 2022, with up to 3 additional option periods.

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

• Be at least 18 years of age and

• Have earned at least a Bachelor’s degree in a science or engineering or other 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: Bachelor's Degree received within the last 24 month(s).
• Minimum Overall GPA: 2.00
• Discipline(s):
  • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (12 )
  • Communications and Graphics Design (2 )
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (17 )
  • Earth and Geosciences (21 )
  • Engineering (27 )
  • Environmental and Marine Sciences (14 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (46 )
  • Mathematics and Statistics (10 )
  • Physics (16 )
  • Science & Engineering-related (1 )
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (28 )

I certify that I am at least 18 years of age; a recent graduate with at least a Bachelor’s degree in a science or engineering or other 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.

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