Research Project Description
Water Quality Standards and Feasibility Studies
Research Participation Program
Office of Water
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Washington, DC
EPA Water 2015-370
Project Description:
A postgraduate/postdoctoral internship project is available with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Water in Washington, DC. The internship will be served with the Office of Science and Technology/Standards & Health Protection Division, Regional Branch.
The Standards and Health Protection Division (SHP) directs the national water programs for water quality standards and advisories for safe fishing and swimming. This project involves research and development of pertinent technical and policy materials.
The participant will be trained in:
- Producing technical and policy analyses related to water quality standards issues arising from development and adoption of State water quality standards.
- Researching options for resolution of issues for purposes of briefing senior decision-makers.
- Evaluating processes and procedures for determining technical and economic feasibility of attaining water quality standards.
The participant will learn about the role of water quality standards in achieving the goals of the Clean Water Act, and the relationship between standards and related core Clean Water Act programs such as the CWA 402 NPDES permit program and the CWA 303(d) listing and TMDL programs.
Qualifications:
Applicants should have received a master’s degree or doctoral degree in engineering, economics, environmental management, environmental policy, or a closely related field within five years of the starting date, or completion of all requirements for the degree should be expected prior to the starting date.
The program is open to all qualified individuals without regard to race, sex, religion, color, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, or status as a Vietnam era or disabled veteran. U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status is preferred (but a candidate also may hold an appropriate visa status; an H1B visa is not appropriate). Guidelines for non-U.S. citizens may be found at http://orise.orau.gov/epa/applicants/immigration.htm.
The appointment is full-time for a one-year and may be renewed depending on the availability of funding and upon recommendation of EPA. The participant will receive a monthly stipend. The annual stipend is commensurate with degree level and will range from $52,668 up to $76,378. No funding will be made available to cover travel costs for pre-appointment visits, relocation costs, tuition and fees, or a participant's health insurance. The participant must show proof of health insurance. This can be obtained through ORISE. The intern does not become an EPA employee.
Technical Questions:
The EPA contact person for this project is Corey Buffo (buffo.corey@epa.gov).
How to Apply:
An application can be found athttp://orise.orau.gov/epa/applicants/application.htm. Please reference Project # EPA Water 2015-370 when calling or writing for information.