Studying Climate Change Science and Impacts

Organization
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Reference Code
EPA-OAR-2019-0011
How to Apply

A complete application consists of:

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.

Application Deadline
4/30/2019 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

A postgraduate research opportunity is available at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) in Washington, D.C. This research opportunity is with the Climate Change Division (CCD).

CCD’s mission is to assess and address global climate change and the associated risks to human health and the environment. The research opportunity is sponsored by CCD’s Climate Science and Impacts Branch (CSIB). CSIB is responsible for:

  • Developing and leveraging climate change impacts analyses (e.g. www.epa.gov/cira).
  • Highlighting climate change impacts and risks through the development of communication tools, such as climate change indicators (www.epa.gov/climate-indicators).
  • Collaborating with the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) and its federal members on assessment reports, expert workgroups, and associated products.   
  • Coordinating and partnering with other EPA offices, government agencies, external stakeholders, and the public on climate change issues.

The selected participant will have the opportunity to learn about the latest climate change science and participate in a variety of challenging and rewarding projects and tasks with a collegial team of skilled professionals. The selected participant will learn about and support climate change indicator science, as well as federal partnerships with other organizations. Under the guidance of a mentor, potential research activities include, but are not limited to:

  • Tracking the latest climate-related scientific literature, identifying new indicators for development, and data analysis.
  • Characterizing risks (human, ecological, and economic) associated with climate change impacts, including highlighting the interconnectedness of climate and social variables (e.g. through vulnerability indices).
  • Supporting technical activities as CSIB staff further develops partnerships with regional planning organizations, state and local government use of climate science impacts and indicators for adaptation planning;
  • Learning how to research and develop new materials for CSIB programs, including briefings, presentations, geographic information system (GIS) spatial mapping and tools (e.g., ESRI story maps) for conveying climate-related content.

The selected participant will observe and gain knowledge about how to represent CSIB in several different venues with various stakeholders, and gain exposure to a broad range of environmental policy, programs, and related issues. The selected participant will have the opportunity to develop in-depth knowledge of CSIB on climate-change analyses, economics, selected international efforts, domestic policy, science, and health and environmental impacts.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: May 31, 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 and is contingent on the availability of funds. The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. No funding will be made available to cover travel costs for pre-appointment visits, relocation costs, tuition and fees, or a participant's health insurance. 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.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received a bachelor's or master's degree in climate science, atmospheric science, environmental policy, environmental science, or a closely related field, or be currently pursuing the degree and will reach completion by the start date of the appointment. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.

Applicants should have a strong interest in scientific research and data analysis and tools (e.g. GIS) for synthesis of climate information.

Eligibility Requirements
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree received within the last 60 months or anticipated to be received by 5/31/2019 12:00:00 AM.
  • Discipline(s):
    • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (1 )
    • Communications and Graphics Design (1 )
    • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (2 )
    • Earth and Geosciences (21 )
    • Environmental and Marine Sciences (13 )
    • Life Health and Medical Sciences (3 )
    • Mathematics and Statistics (10 )
    • Other Non-Science & Engineering (1 )
    • Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 )
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