EPA Research Support on Clean Water Programs and Technical Tools 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: A postgraduate research training opportunity is available at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Water in Washington, DC. The research participant will serve in the Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds. 

The appointment will be in the Program Development and Jurisdiction Branch, which is responsible for developing and administering several EPA programs under the Clean Water Act including scope of jurisdiction, water quality certifications, state and tribal dredged and fill programs, and tribal and state wetland programs. These programs are essential to supporting federal, state, territory, and tribal water quality programs from a policy, regulatory, technical, implementation, and financial assistance perspective.

Research Project: The objective of this project is to research federal, state, territory and/or tribal clean water programs, including those that utilize the federal definition of “waters of the United States,” and investigate technical tools to support the success of such programs. The project will involve researching programs that protect water resources from pollution, including identifying technical, legal, and policy barriers that states, territories, and tribes face in protecting their water resources. The project may also involve identifying specific waters across the country that are at risk of not being protected from pollution by existing clean water programs. This project will also involve investigating and evaluating technical tools such as dashboards, mapping interfaces, or other geographic information system tools that can inform federal, state, territory, and tribal clean water programs.

Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant may be involved in any of the following training activities

• EPA team meetings and cross-office discussions on clean water programs
• Attending and/or providing training presentations on clean water programs
• Networking with states, tribes, and territories at EPA-hosted events or conferences.

Learning Objectives: Learning objectives for this opportunity include:

• This opportunity will provide the participant with exposure to a broad range of technical and policy issues surrounding federal, state, territory, and tribal clean water programs.  
• The participant will improve their interdisciplinary skills by working at the interface of science, policy, and law. 
• The participant will have the opportunity to collaborate with multiple EPA offices and regions to review and provide technical assistance for clean water programs. 
• The participant will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge of water resources, water policy, and technical tools.  

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: Fall 2023. All start dates are flexible and vary depending on numerous factors. Click here for detailed information about start dates.

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Whitney Beck (beck.whitney@epa.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Appointment Length: The appointment initially may 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.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. FY 23 - Master’s ~$64,957; PhD ~$78,592

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.OW@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.