EPA Systematic Review Methods Researcher Fellowship
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An application
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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.
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A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
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Two educational or professional recommendations. Click here for detailed information about recommendations.
*Applications may be reviewed on a rolling-basis and this posting could close before the deadline. Click here for information about the selection process.
EPA Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is available at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development (ORD), Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment (CPHEA), Chemical and Pollutant Assessment Division (CPAD) in Washington, D.C.
CPAD is responsible for scientific assessment activities related to the health effects of chemicals and pollutants within the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS; https://www.epa.gov/iris) and Provisional Peer-reviewed Toxicity Value (PPRTV; https://www.epa.gov/pprtv) programs. These assessments provide the scientific foundation for EPA policy and regulatory decision-making.
Research Project: The research participant will have opportunities to contribute to high impact policy-relevant research and science assessments in support of EPA's mission to protect human health and the environment. Under the guidance of a mentor, research activities may include:
- Applying systematic review methods for scientific assessments
- Identification and integration of new lines of evidence for systematic reviews including mechanistic or new approach method (NAM) data sources
- Developing and evaluating natural language processing (NLP) and related machine learning (ML) methods for efficient literature searching, screening, and data extraction
- Collaborating with software and data analysis teams to identify and implement solutions to improve and/or automate systematic review workflows
- Devising scientific approaches for IRIS and PPRTV process and interacting with EPA scientists to improve risk assessment methodologies
Learning Objectives: The research participant will have the opportunity to learn approaches for the evaluation, analysis, and integration of scientific evidence on the health effects of environmental pollutant exposures that inform EPA’s scientific assessments. The participant will have the opportunity to be involved in a variety of projects that can include qualitative or quantitative analyses of study findings and data. The participant will gain understanding of how scientific evidence is integrated to create policy-relevant assessments and how those assessments ultimately inform EPA’s decision-making processes.
The participant will also have the opportunity to interact with scientific staff in CPAD. The participant will have opportunities to conduct quantitative or qualitative analyses that will contribute to EPA scientific assessments. Through this process the participant would learn about systematic review in the context of science assessments, risk assessment, and new computational tools in evidence analysis. The participant will have the opportunity to learn and apply advances in artificial intelligence and ML to optimize EPA's mission to deliver high quality scientific evidence for the protection of human health and the environment.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this project is Sean Watford (Watford.Sean@epa.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor.
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: October 2, 2023. All start dates are flexible and vary depending on numerous factors. Click here for detailed information about start dates.
Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year and may be renewed upon EPA recommendation and subject to availability of funding.
Level of Participation: The appointment is full-time.
Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Click here for detailed information about full-time stipends.
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, including but not limited to, COVID-19 requirements (e.g. facial covering, physical distancing, testing, vaccination).
Questions: Please see the FAQ section of our website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process please email ORISE.EPA.ORD@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
The qualified candidate should have received a bachelor's degree in one of the relevant fields, or be currently pursuing the degree with completion before the appointment start date. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.
- Experience with computer programming, including with one or more of the following languages: JavaScript, Python, R, Java, or SQL
- Experience with systematic review methods
- Knowledge of relational databases
- Experience with software version control (Git)
- Strong written, oral and electronic communication skills
- Skills for data analysis, visualization, critical thinking, and problem solving
- Strong networking and communication skills with a broad range of peers, awareness of strategic relationships, and adaptability to collaborate with diverse groups of people
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree received within the last 60 months or anticipated to be received by 10/2/2023 11:59:00 PM.
- Discipline(s):
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