Postgraduate Research Opportunity in Clean Water Community Outreach

Organization
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Reference Code
EPA-REG2-2019-0012
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
5/1/2019 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

A postgraduate research opportunity is available at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA), Region 2, in the Clean Water Division in New York, NY.

The project is located in the Director’s Office of EPA Region 2’s Water Division. The Water Division ensures drinking water is safe, and restores and maintains watersheds and their aquatic ecosystems to protect human health, support economic and recreational activities, and provide healthy habitat for fish, plants, and wildlife. The division is responsible for implementing the Clean Water Act (CWA), Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act. We accomplish our mission by: developing strong partnerships with EPA Headquarters, other Regions, States, Indian Nations, local communities and other stakeholders; strategically implementing statutory mandates; providing technical assistance to protect public health and achieve environmental results; managing various grant programs; communicating openly;  conducting oversight of delegated/authorized state and tribal programs, directly implementing federal programs where not delegated/authorized; conducting audits and assessments under the CWA and SDWA; and measuring and communicating environmental results.

We are looking to strengthen our community outreach and engagement, particularly in underserved areas that are subject to drinking water, marine debris, and wastewater challenges. Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant will be involved with communicating with key community or NGO representatives and exploring ways in which EPA can provide technical support (e.g., green infrastructure, plastics pollution reduction) and build capacity in environmental justice communities. The participant will also collaborate with interagency partners on continuing Region 2's coral reef protection efforts. In addition, the participant will collaborate with a team of EPA staff working on a wide array of watershed and water pollution issues in the New York/New Jersey area (including the 8 Indian Nations in our jurisdiction), providing a stronger linkage between the work they do and the communities EPA Region 2 serves.

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. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. The appointment is full-time at EPA in the New York, NY, 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 one of the relevant fields, or be currently pursuing a master's degree. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.

Preferred skills:

  • Strong communication and facilitation skills
  • Experience with water quality issues and/or wastewater remediation technologies and is eager to learn about tools to improve the water environment and communicate this information with others
  • Bilingual (English-Spanish)
Eligibility Requirements
  • Citizenship: LPR or U.S. Citizen
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree.
  • Discipline(s):
    • Communications and Graphics Design (1 )
    • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (1 )
    • Earth and Geosciences (21 )
    • Engineering (2 )
    • Environmental and Marine Sciences (13 )
    • Life Health and Medical Sciences (2 )
    • Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 )
Affirmation

I have received a bachelor's or master's degree within the past 60 months, OR I am currently pursuing a master's degree.