EPA Biology Research Opportunity on the Aquatic Toxicity and Bioaccumulation of PFAS
To submit your application, scroll to the bottom of this opportunity and click APPLY.
A complete application consists of:
- An application
- Transcripts – Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts
- A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
- One educational or professional recommendation. Your application will be considered incomplete, and will not be reviewed until one recommendation is submitted.
All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.
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*Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis and applications may close before the deadline.
EPA Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is currently available at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), located in Duluth, Minnesota.
The mission of EPA is to protect human health and the environment. EPA works to ensure that: Americans have clean air, land and water; National efforts to reduce environmental risks are based on the best available scientific information; Federal laws protecting human health and the environment are administered and enforced fairly, effectively and as Congress intended; Environmental stewardship is integral to U.S. policies concerning natural resources, human health, economic growth, energy, transportation, agriculture, industry, and international trade, and these factors are similarly considered in establishing environmental policy; All parts of society have access to accurate information sufficient to effectively participate in managing human health and environmental risks; Contaminated lands and toxic sites are cleaned up; and chemicals in the marketplace are reviewed for safety.
Research Project: Per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic contaminants found ubiquitously in the environment due to their broad commercial uses and chemical properties that resist degredation. While some PFAS like PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) have received considerable attention in environmental and toxicological research, large data gaps remain. Within the past two and a half decades thousands of new PFAS have been identified, and most have little to no information on their ecological effects. Research is currently underway to test the effects of broad classes of PFAS on aquatic organisms, determine their accumulative potential, and evaluate structure-activity relationships. The overall goal of this research supports EPA OCSPP’s focus on developing predictive approaches for hazard identification and risk assessment of data-poor PFAS.
You will learn to design and implement laboratory-based aquatic toxicity and bioaccumulation experiments under the mentorship of federal staff members, including any of the following activities:
- Developing aquatic toxicity and bioaccumulation test methods
- Preparing laboratory exposure systems for use, and monitoring and maintaining proper function of equipment
- Handling experimental chemicals and preparing exposure solutions
- Organism handling and monitoring
- Preparing samples for analytical chemistry measurements
- Using advanced instrumentation (GC, HPLC, MS, MS/MS, and Orbitrap) to quantify PFAS in exposure systems, determine purity of chemical stocks, and assess uptake into biota
- Recording experimental data with methods consistent with quality assurance guidelines
- Evaluating laboratory data, employing statistical analyses, and distilling results into reports for team members, collaborators, and other interested parties.
- Presenting research findings at meetings, conferences, and workshops
- Helping with or independently preparing manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication
Learning Objectives: This opportunity will provide a solid springboard for career development or pursuing advanced education. Under the guidance of a mentor, you will gain professional skills which will provide a practical foundation for future employment in research, contract or production laboratories, or environmental regulation. You will be part of a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and will collaborate with highly regarded researchers within and outside of the EPA. Additionally, you will have opportunities for honing public speaking and technical writing skills.
Mentor(s): The mentors for this opportunity are Kevin Lott (lott.kevin@epa.gov) and Sarah Kadlec (kadlec.sarah@epa.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: Fall/Winter 2026. All start dates are flexible and vary depending on numerous factors.
Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year and may be renewed three to four additional years upon EPA recommendation and subject to availability of funding.
Level of Participation: The appointment is full time.
Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR) only.
EPA Security Clearance: Completion of a successful background investigation by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is required for an applicant to be on-boarded at EPA.
ORISE Information: 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. Participants do not become employees of EPA, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.
ORISE offers all ORISE EPA graduate students and Postdocs a free 5-year membership to the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA).
The successful applicant(s) will be required to comply with Environmental, Safety and Health (ES&H) requirements of the hosting facility.
Questions: Please see the FAQ section of our website. If you have additional questions about the application process please email ORISE.EPA.OCSPP@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
A qualified candidate has a bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, toxicology, or a related field, or is pursuing a degree that will be completed by the start date of the appointment. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.
Preferred skills:
- Two or more undergraduate courses in chemistry and two or more courses in biology, plus experience in conducting scientific research beyond that encountered in college.
- Extensive undergraduate courses in chemistry and /or biology, plus 1 or more years experience in conducting scientific research beyond that encountered in college.
- Computational experience (e.g., spreadsheets, R-based statistics), proficiency in oral and written communication, familiarity with literature search tools and strategies.
- Previous experience with aquatic organisms.
- Weekend availability is also preferred. Occasional weekends are an unavoidable part of research that seeks to understand the chronic effects of chemicals on aquatic organisms with exposure durations that extend beyond the typical 5 day week.
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