EPA Evaluation of Renewable Energy Opportunities on Contaminated Lands

Organization
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Reference Code
EPA-OLEM-OCPA-2019-0045
How to Apply

A complete application consists of:

  • An application
  • Transcript(s) – For this opportunity, an unofficial transcript or copy of the student academic records printed by the applicant or by academic advisors from internal institution systems may be submitted. All transcripts must be in English or include an official English translation. Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts.
  • A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
  • Two educational or professional recommendations

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
8/26/2019 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

A research opportunity is currently available at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM), Office of Communications, Partnerships and Analysis (OCPA) located in Washington, DC.

The research participant will learn about a variety of Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) programs and will have the opportunity to participate and gain experience in a number of activities. The focus of this project will be participating in EPA's RE-Powering America's Land Initiative which encourages the reuse of current and formerly contaminated lands for renewable energy development.

Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant will be involved in the following activities:

  • Research obstacles and opportunities associated with the promotion of landfills, federal sites, mining sites, etc. as sites for renewable energy development and communicate any results/findings
  • Analyze trends associated with renewable energy development on contaminated lands, landfills and mine sties using statistical analyses and geographical information systems
  • Analyze factors/incentives/markets that encourage renewable energy development generally and on contaminated lands, landfills and mine sites, specifically
  • Explore and implement methodologies associated with metrics to measure the benefits associated with siting renewable energy on contaminated land

The participant will benefit by learning approaches to evaluate and analyze data to inform program and policy decisions in OLEM. The participant will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge of geographic information systems. S/he may have the opportunity to communicate his/her analysis through peer-reviewed publications and/or presentations at conferences. Furthermore, s/he will gain an understanding of how scientific evidence is used to inform EPA decision-making processes.

The participant will be exposed to and interact with researchers and program staff from a variety of disciplines and organizations. S/he will have latitude in exercising independent initiative and judgment in the research commensurate with the level of training. Collaborating on project-related manuscripts will be encouraged.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: August 26, 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 contingent on the availability of funds. The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. 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 master's or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields, or be currently pursuing one of the degrees and will reach completion by the start date of the appointment. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date. 

Preferred skills:

  • Experience in geographic information systems and data analysis
  • Experience with Census data 
  • Experience in communicating science and/or policy to both technical and non-technical audiences

The program is open to all qualified individuals without regard to race, sex, religion, color, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, or status as a Vietnam era or disabled veteran. U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status is preferred (but can hold an appropriate visa status; however, an H1B visa is not appropriate).

Eligibility Requirements
  • Degree: Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or anticipated to be received by 8/26/2019 11:59:00 PM.
  • Discipline(s):
    • Communications and Graphics Design (1 )
    • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (16 )
    • Earth and Geosciences (21 )
    • Engineering (27 )
    • Environmental and Marine Sciences (13 )
    • Mathematics and Statistics (10 )
    • Other Non-Science & Engineering (5 )
    • Social and Behavioral Sciences (28 )