EPA Community Resilience and Equity Social Science 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 research opportunity is 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 Washington, D.C.

Research Project: The EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD) provides scientific leadership for evaluating human health and ecological risks associated with exposure to physical, chemical, and biological stressors, including environmental pollutants and climate change. CPHEA is responsible for environmental assessments that inform regulatory offices of the EPA, regions, states, communities, and authorized tribes. This involves the use of both environmental and social sciences to clearly articulate the attributes of ecosystems that are valued by stakeholders, analyze, and synthesize information from disparate sources, and communicate the uncertainties inherent in the conclusions. Assessments must also consider the context of decision making and the needs of decision makers, and as such use translational research approaches that involve stakeholders in problem formulation and development of assessment goals and strategies and result in products designed to be highly usable and actionable.

This research training opportunity is at the intersection of social science, environmental assessment, and climate change vulnerability and adaptation.

The research participant will have the opportunity to engage in human-centered design (HCD) and social science related research contributing to the development of a resources that supports community-driven, guided process for evaluating equity and resilience to disasters and climate change in order to generate solutions that address the root cause of social and environmental inequities. The research participant may also engage in the development, analysis, and application of indicators; designing, conducting, and analyzing community case studies; designing trainings on how to use this resource; collecting feedback as this resource is used; and contributing to the development of new applications of this research to complex environmental problems such as brownfields redevelopment in the context of climate change impacts and risks.

Learning Objectives: The research participants will learn and practice approaches for designing products, engaging with project partners, and developing outreach materials. The research participant will have the opportunity to be involved in qualitative or quantitative analyses of scientific data, the visualization, and strengthening community capacity for using climate and hazards data and tools. The research participant will gain an understanding of how scientific evidence is used to inform EPA decision-making processes. The research participant will collaborate with scientific staff in CPHEA, EPA Regions, states, Tribes, and communities.

Under the guidance of a mentor, specific research training activities may include:

• Designing and implementing HCD workshops with regional, state, Tribal, community, and local partners to explore user needs, train users on tool use, and gather feedback on tools
• Climate change and disaster impacts, vulnerability, resilience, and adaptation
• Conducting tool development, testing, and evaluation through co-production with project partners
• Conducting case studies of equitable resilience planning in local communities, using qualitative data gathering and analysis methods
• Research on barriers and opportunities to using hazards and climate data in resilience planning
• Designing and executing case studies in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams
• Preparing peer-reviewed manuscripts, reports, presentations, and outreach materials

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Emily Eisenhauer (eisenhauer.emily@epa.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: August 1, 2023. 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 up to three 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 EPArpp@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.