EPA Integrated Environmental Modeling Fellowship

*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: There is a research opportunity available at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development (ORD), Center for Environmental Measurements and Modeling Division (CEMM). The appointment is with the Watershed and Ecosystem Characterization Division (WECD) in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. 

Research Project: One of the research topics under the EPA ORD’s Research Program “Safe and Sustainable Water Resources (SSWR)” is nutrient under a changing climate. The goal of this research area is to improve our scientific understanding of how management practices can impact environmental quality. EPA has developed the Fertilizer Emission Scenario Tool for the Community Multiscale Air Quality (FEST-C) system to simulate daily fertilizer application to agricultural lands for bi-directional ammonia (NH3) modeling in the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. FEST-C integrates the Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model with the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model and CMAQ. The research participant will collaborate with EPA scientist and model developers to learn how the modeling systems was developed and how it can be applied to address questions such as how climate change impact nutrient losses from agricultural fields.

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, the research participant will learn and gain experiences on model development and application as well as addressing research questions related to water quality using the integrated modeling system and monitoring data. The learning objectives may include:

• Developing necessary input files for using the integrated multi-media modeling system
• Applying the modeling system to assist the evaluation of nitrogen source, fate and transport under various alternative scenarios. 
• Learning carbon and nitrogen cycle simulations in the integrated multi-media modeling system.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Yongping Yuan ([email protected]). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: March 1, 2024.  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 or part-time and is negotiable. Those currently pursuing a doctoral degree may begin this appointment part-time and transition to full-time participation upon receiving the degree.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend, commensurate with educational level and experience. The estimated yearly stipend range for this opportunity is $71,995 – $86,293. 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 [email protected] and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received a doctoral degree or be currently pursuing a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date or currently pursuing.

Preferred skills: 

• Geographic Information System and hydrological and water quality modeling
• Data analysis tools, including software packages such as R/PYTHON or commercial spreadsheet software
• Nitrogen and carbon cycle
• Education and experience in environmental research
• Excellent oral, written, and electronic communication skills.