Communications Specialist at EPA

Organization
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Reference Code
EPA-SSP-0012-12R-4-2-18
How to Apply
  • Submit application and supporting documents by clicking on Apply Now button.
  • For more information, contact EPAjobs@orau.org. Do not contact EPA directly.
Description

The EPA Environmental Research and Business Support Program has an immediate opening for a Communications Specialist with the Office of Research and Development at the EPA Research Triangle Park facility in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina.

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 Center for Computational Toxicology (NCCT) is developing and using ground-breaking scientific methods to change the current approach used to evaluate the safety of chemicals. NCCT researchers integrate advances in biology, biotechnology, chemistry, and computer science to identify important biological processes that may be disrupted by the chemicals.

The combined information helps prioritize chemicals based on potential human health risks. Using computational toxicology research, thousands of chemicals can be evaluated for potential risk at small cost in a very short amount of time. NCCT’s research is part of EPA's broader Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS) Research Program. Working closely with CSS, NCCT actively engages a wide-range of stakeholders to help make this new chemical information more understandable and useable. The chemical data resulting from using these new methods are publicly available through online iCSS dashboards and complete data files can be downloaded from an EPA website.

The selected applicant shall assist the Communications Director with the communication and administrative duties required to support and maintain a robust outreach program, including the administration, management, and communication of results as well as tracking impacts resulting from NCCT research activities.

Management and Administrative responsibilities will include:

  • Assisting with evaluating the effectiveness of NCCT’s communications campaigns. This will include maintaining a database of stakeholders, interviewing stakeholders, tracking mentions of NCCT research in the media, monitoring NCCT web trends, and determining how communications activities are influencing the usage of NCCT research,
  • Assisting with the planning and development of strategic social media and digital initiatives targeting the scientific community. The selected candidate will make recommendations for social trends and impact,
  • Maintaining records of meetings, correspondence, and action documents, and
  • Maintaining a system to track projects in progress.

Communications-related responsibilities will include:

  • Assisting with event planning for webinars, conferences, workshops, stakeholder meetings, and other public events. This includes preparation of posters and other display materials, development of science demonstrations and PowerPoints, and development of fact sheets and other communications materials that explain NCCT research. This may include traveling to conferences, workshops, stakeholder meetings, and other public events where NCCT research is being promoted,
  • Assisting with development of internal and external web content explaining NCCT research. Write and edit communications materials for posting on EPA Internet and Intranet sites. Web products include science features, research summaries, online newsletters, program overviews, Q & A’s, researcher bios, and web videos. External web content shall be written so it is engaging and understandable, and
  • Assisting in writing products for the scientific media explaining NCCT research. Products include press releases, media advisories, press kits, Q & A’s, key messages, summaries describing the impact of scientific papers published in journals and other related products.

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

Salary: Selected applicants will become temporary employees of ORAU and will receive an hourly wage of $20.96 for hours worked.

Hours: Full-Time

Travel: Occasional overnight travel may be required.

Expected Start Date: The position is full time and expected to begin April 2018. The initial project is through May 14, 2018, followed by up to two (2) 12-month optional periods.

For more information, contact EPAjobs@orau.org. Do not contact EPA directly.

Qualifications

Eligible applicants must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age,
  • Have earned at least a Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, technical communications, environmental studies, or a related field 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.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Work Experience, and Education

The applicant shall:

  • Have demonstrated previous work, volunteer or school experience writing about complex scientific topics, as evidenced by a scientifically-oriented writing sample,
  • Have previous course work learning how to measure the effectiveness of communications campaigns including tracking media coverage, social media metrics and website metrics,
  • Have previous course work or experience writing website content, blogs, tweets, and Facebook posts for communications campaigns,
  • Have work or school experience in administration support functions including managing records (electronic and hardcopy), coordinating webinars or other meetings, and updating databases, and
  • Have strong proofreading and editing skills in the English language.
Eligibility Requirements
  • Citizenship: LPR or U.S. Citizen
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree, or Doctoral Degree received within the last 24 month(s).
  • Discipline(s):
    • Communications and Graphics Design (6 )
    • Earth and Geosciences (21 )
    • Environmental and Marine Sciences (14 )
    • Life Health and Medical Sciences (45 )
Affirmation

I certify that I am at least 18 years of age; have earned at least a Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, technical communications, environmental studies, or a 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.

ORAU is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability); visit the ORAU website for required employment notices.


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