EPA Research Internship on Climate Sciences and Community Resilience Education and Outreach

*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 currently available at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development (ORD), Center for Public Health Environmental Assessment (CPHEA), Integrated Climate Sciences Division (ICSD) located in either Washington, D.C. or Research Triangle Park, NC.

Research Project: The EPA Office of Research and Development’s Integrated Climate Sciences Division (ICSD) works to build the capacity of EPA program and regional offices to respond to climate change through adaptation actions and improved resilience. ICSD staff develop a variety of products, including online tools and information, analyses, and assessment reports, to assist partners throughout EPA, states, tribes, and communities in their responses to climate change impacts. Some examples of these products include the Adaptation Organon (https://www.epa.gov/adaptation-organon), the Crisfield Resilience Academy (https://www.epa.gov/gcx/crisfield-resilience-academy), the Equitable Resilience Builder (https://www.epa.gov/emergency-response-research/equitable-resilience-builder), and LASSO (https://lasso.epa.gov/), among others. 

Under the guidance of a mentor, the research participant will have the opportunity to interact with ICSD staff to develop training, outreach, and other communications materials based on ICSD products. The goal of this research training opportunity is to build capacity within EPA Regions, as well as with other partners in states, tribes, and communities, to use the products and information, as well as train others. The research participant will have the opportunity to develop train-the-trainer materials and conduct training workshops and webinars, with ICSD staff. The research participant may collaborate with ICSD staff to develop evaluation materials for ICSD training programs and outreach efforts. The research participant will have the opportunity to receive training and guidance in making all public materials accessible and 508 compliant.

Learning Objectives: Through this opportunity the research participant will learn about federal, especially EPA’s, climate resilience tools and their applications in agencies and communities. The research participant will learn how to develop effective training materials for these types of tools and audiences, as well as evaluation techniques to better understand effectiveness and capacity building.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Britta Bierwagen (bierwagen.britta@epa.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: Winter 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 three to four additional years 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.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received a master’s degree in one of the relevant fields or be currently pursuing with degree completion before the appointment start date. Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Preferred skills/experience:

• Expertise in developing training and other educational materials.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Expertise in stakeholder and community engagement, transdisciplinary or participatory methods in environmental research, and/or climate adaptation planning.
• Experience conducting trainings through virtual and in-person workshops and webinars, developing technical summaries of lessons learned, evaluating workshops and webinars, and producing visualizations of results.
• Experience facilitating and leading online and in-person trainings, including but not limited to webinars, train-the-trainer workshops, and professional development opportunities for colleagues and the general public.
• Experience using Microsoft Office products, especially Power Point, Word, and Outlook.
• Experience developing web-based materials for Drupal web pages.
• Understanding of climate science, environmental science, and social sciences.
• Experience making materials 508 compliant.

Eligibility Requirements

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Master’s Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.