Scientific Data Communications Support (Part-Time)

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The EPA Environmental Research and Business Support Program has an immediate opening for a part-time (20 hours per week) Scientific Data Communications Support position with the EPA facility in Research Triangle Park, NC.

What the EPA project is about

The Office of Research and Development at the EPA supports high-quality research to improve the scientific basis for decisions on national environmental issues and help EPA achieve its environmental goals. Research is conducted in a broad range of environmental areas by scientists in EPA laboratories and at universities across the country.

The National Exposure Research Laboratory’s (NERL) Exposure Methods and Measurement Division (EMMD) is responsible for developing and evaluating methods to measure exposure to environmental pollutants.  The Sensor Performance, Evaluation, and Application Research (SPEAR) Program works to identify new air sensor technologies coming to markets, conduct performance testing and/or evaluation relative to more traditional air quality measurement methods (typically FRM/FEM quality), apply promising technologies during field study applications, and to summarize the results of those efforts for a variety of stakeholders.

What you will be doing

As a team member, you will provide assistance in summarizing the needs of stakeholder group for managing, interpreting, and visualizing data from low-cost sensors.  This will involve scheduling discussions with key stakeholder groups from EPA regions, Tribal, state, and local agencies, taking meeting notes, and summarizing key points into an EPA report and presentation materials.  As a team member, you will be involved with communicating the key findings to a wider audience including stakeholders and data management solution providers.  Assistance may also be requested to summarize the ability of data management solutions to address the key needs identified in the report.

As a team member, you will also provide data summarization/reporting support for the field evaluation of low-cost air quality sensors.  This may include a combination of data aggregation, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, and report writing. 

Required skills

• Strong written, oral and electronic communication skills;

• Demonstrated knowledge and professional demeanor in using communication software including Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Skype and the ability to communicate scientific information;

• Experience with data analysis software including Excel and R; and

• Experience with data management solutions including databases.

How you will apply your skills

     Sensor data needs assessment support shall include: 

• Scheduling discussions with key stakeholder groups from EPA regions, Tribal, state, and local agencies;

• Taking meeting notes and summarizing discussions and key needs for managing, interpreting, and visualizing data from low-cost sensors;

• Developing EPA report and presentation materials detailing the key findings; and

• Consulting and interviewing platform managers and summaring how EPA data management platforms meet the needs outlined in the EPA report.

     Sensor evaluation support shall include: 

• Discussing findings with the research team;

• Summarizing the data for reports and data archives;

• Documenting research findings into an EPA report;

• Consulting, interviewing, interacting, and scheduling meetings with EPA scientists as necessary; and

• Participating as a member of a multi-disciplinary research team.

May be asked to present work performed as a poster at a scientific conference.

Location: This job will be located EPA’s Research Triangle facility in Raleigh-Durham, NC.

Salary: Selected applicant will become temporary employee of ORAU and will receive an hourly wage of $26.34 for hours worked.

Hours: Part Time (20 hours per week)

Travel: No travel is required.

Expected start date: The position is full time and expected to begin October 2019. The initial project is through May 14, 2020, with potential options periods.

Working conditions: You will be supervised by a mentor who will provide day-to-day direction, as well as coach, advise, counsel and review your work.  The position will involve work in an administrative setting and is not expected to involve exposure to hazardous elements

• Be at least 18 years of age and

• Have earned a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree with at least one year of graduate school in chemistry, environmental science, engineering, statistics, math, physics, information/data science, data management, science communication, or a closely related field of study from an accredited university or college within the last 24 months and

• Be a citizen of the United States of America or a Legal Permanent Resident.

EPA ORD employees, their spouses, and children are not eligible to participate in this program.

• Citizenship: LPR or U.S. Citizen
• Degree: Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree received within the last 24 month(s).
• Overall GPA: 2.00
• Discipline(s):
  • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (12 )
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (16 )
  • Engineering (27 )
  • Environmental and Marine Sciences (13 )
  • Mathematics and Statistics (10 )
  • Physics (16 )

I certify that I am at least 18 years of age; have at least a Bachelor’s degree and have at a minimum one year of graduate school in chemistry, environmental science, engineering, statistics, math, physics, information/data science, data management, science communication, or a closely related field of study from an accredited university or college within the last 24 months; a citizen or a Legal Permanent Resident of the United States of America; and not a current employee of EPA ORD or the spouse or child of an EPA ORD employee.