Tuesday, May 26, 2020

SOILS INC. - Soil Scientist


VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP: Environmental Science and Planning Internship for Nuclear Reactor Licensing

Employing Agency Name & Address: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852

Contact's Name: Deborah Hackett

Email Address: Deborah.Hackett@nrc.gov   

Telephone: (301) 415-1415

Dates Needed: Fall 2020 semester, The salary for this paid internship will be based on a number of factors, including the number of hours completed toward your degree and grade point average.

Weekly Hours Needed: Length of internship and hours of work are flexible and can be tailored to the student’s specific needs to achieve the 135-hour department requirement, however, the overall duration may not exceed 89 days.

Internship Description: Exciting opportunity for juniors or seniors with interest in environmental permitting, the National Environmental Policy Act, and licensing of nuclear reactors.  Coursework in sciences or policy is desirable, and good writing, communication, and data analysis skills are positives.  Contribute to the development of generic environmental impact statement (EIS) for advanced nuclear reactor licensing, help prepare other guidance on environmental reviews for reactor licensing, and/or help review of specific reactor licensing applications.  Opportunities for formal training from internal agency instructors, especially on topics related to nuclear science, technology, and policy.  Some travel possible within the United States, especially to nuclear facilities.  Make a difference - get involved with environmental work at a high-visibility Federal agency at a critical inflection point in environmental policymaking!

Virtual Job Duties: Perform technical research, review data from reactor licensees and license applicants, and write technical memoranda and analyses.  Participate in technical discussions and meetings.  Identify opportunities to modernize and streamline environmental review procedures.  Shadow and learn from experts in the environmental and nuclear professions.

Internship Application Requirements: Cover Letter, Resume, and Unofficial Transcript. Interns must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.85. Interns must be U.S. citizens and pass a security clearance process.

Submit application: Send a one-page letter of interest, resume, unofficial college transcript, and contact information (name, title, phone, email) of three professional or academic references to Deborah Hackett at Deborah.Hackett@nrc.gov.  Minimum requirements include U.S. Citizenship, a cumulative grade point average of 2.85 or higher on a 4.0 scale, and the ability to obtain a security clearance including a pre-employment drug screen.

Application deadline: 06/03/2020

VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP: TENORM Assistance

Employing Agency Name & Address: Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20460

Contact's Name: Philip Egidi

Email Address: egidi.philip@epa.gov

Dates Needed: Flexible through Fall 2020

Weekly Hours Needed: Flexible

Internship Description: Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (TENORM) is defined as, "Naturally occurring radioactive materials that have been concentrated or exposed to the accessible environment as a result of human activities such as manufacturing, mineral extraction, or water processing.” "Technologically enhanced" means that the radiological, physical, and chemical properties of the radioactive material have been concentrated or further altered by having been processed, or beneficiated, or disturbed in a way that increases the potential for human and/or environmental exposures. Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) is defined as, “Materials which may contain any of the primordial radionuclides radioactive elements as they occur in nature, such as radium, uranium, thorium, potassium, and their radioactive decay products, such as radium and radon, that are undisturbed as a result of human activities." Background radiation, which is present in terrestrial, cosmic, and cosmogenic sources, is always around us. Some man-made radioactivity is considered part of the background for regulatory purposes (e.g., the fallout from weapons testing).

Virtual Job Duties: Literature reviews, data collection, reduction, and visualization of TENORM in oil and gas effluents and residuals. Assemble radiological data from the literature on various sources of radioactivity in the oil and gas sector, evaluate the data against EPA QA guidelines; compile in an ongoing spreadsheet, perform descriptive and nonparametric statistics on the data, visualizations (plots, graphs) and when possible present locations in GIS.

Internship Application Requirements: Resume and Unofficial Transcript

Submit application: Submit to Tom Peake (peake.tom@epa.gov) via email.

Application deadline: 09/30/2020

VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP: GIS Assistant

Employing Agency Name & Address: Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20460

Contact's Name: Jonathan Major, Xinyue Tong, Jay Santillan

Email Address: Major.Jonathan@epa.gov, Tong.Xinyue@epa.gov, santillan.eugenio-felipe@epa.gov

Dates Needed: Summer 2020 and Fall 2020. The exact start and end dates can accommodate the intern’s schedule.

Weekly Hours Needed: Up to 40 hours per week. The exact hours can accommodate the intern’s schedule. The duties could accommodate more than one intern. The exact project to be executed during the internship can be discussed and developed between the intern and EPA hosts, based on available time and data resources.

Internship Title & Description: WIPP, developed by DOE in southeastern New Mexico about 26 miles east of Carlsbad, is the nation's first and only facility for deep geological disposal of defense-related transuranic (TRU) waste. The facility is mined in a stable salt bed 2150 feet below the ground surface. SE New Mexico was selected due to its stable geology, thick impermeable salt layers, and local support. Defense TRU waste consists of clothing, tools, rags, residues, debris, sludge, soil, and other items contaminated with plutonium and other man-made radioactive elements. WIPP can accept two types of shipments: Contact-handled (CH) waste: dose rate < 200 mrem/hr measured at container surface and Remote-handled (RH) waste: dose rate up to 1,000 rem/hr (no more than 7,080 m3, or 5% by volume). In the WIPP LWA of 1992 and 1996 amendments, Congress gave EPA the authority to develop the criteria to implement the generally applicable radioactive waste disposal standards specifically for the WIPP. WIPP began to receive waste shipments in 1999. At the end of 2019, 12,638 waste shipments containing over 172,000 waste containers have been received at WIPP.


Virtual Job Duties: Produce a GIS database and associated map products for use by EPA staff for the WIPP and the Delaware Basin region of southeast New Mexico around and south of Carlsbad, NM to track and verify information provided by DOE along with other state and federal agencies. DOE has a GIS database that would be the starting point for the EPA work. The Delaware Basin is part of the oil and natural gas-rich Permian Basin that covers west Texas and southeast New Mexico. The database should include subsurface data derived from publically available industry and government resources and wells drilled by DOE in support of WIPP characterization and monitoring. Location of production wells inside the Delaware Basin. Location, timing, rate, depth (formation), and total volume of wastewater injection wells inside and surrounding the margins of the Delaware Basin. Location, time, and depth of brine encounters during drilling activities inside the Delaware Basin. Location of pipelines and other infrastructure The GIS database would parallel and incorporate data from DOE’s Delaware Basin Drilling Surveillance Program (DBDSP). The GIS database may also include data from the WIPP groundwater monitoring program to support and allow independent hydrological analyses by EPA staff. Other database parameters that may be included: Location, time, and magnitude of earthquakes inside the Delaware Basin. Hydrological and climatological data, including water quality data (where applicable), and Air monitoring data to support EPA NESHAPS work. Job duty includes literature reviews, online research, database entry and creation, and GIS maps.

Internship Application Requirements: Resume and Unofficial Transcript

Submit application: Submit to Tom Peake (peake.tom@epa.gov) via email.

Application deadline: 09/30/2020

VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP: WIPP Information Management Assistant

Employing Agency Name & Address: Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20460

Contact's Name: Jerry Ellis and Xinyue Tong

Email Address: Ellis.Jerry@epa.gov and Tong.Xinyue@epa.gov

Dates Needed: Summer 2020 and Fall 2020. The exact start and end dates can accommodate the intern’s schedule.

Weekly Hours Needed: Up to 40 hours per week. The exact hours can accommodate the intern’s schedule.

Internship Description: The Center for Waste Management and Regulations conducts oversight of the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Materials related to the project reside in the official docket at regulations.gov. The regulations.gov is not very searchable and as the project is now over 20 years in scope and will have at least another 20-30 years, it is imperative that EPA develop a useable information management system. The primary goal of any WIPP information management system (WIMS) is to allow us at EPA to search for documentation of policy decisions, topics, and specific documents, such as correspondence between EPA and DOE that are in the docket (regulations.gov). EPA staff will need assistance with preparing documents to be put in an information system that will be developed by a contractor. While the primary database/information management system will be done by a contractor, EPA will also need additional support not provided by the contractor as discussed in the duties below. Ideally, the system developed for WIPP could be used for documents in the radioactive National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) and emergency response. Thus, we may also request assistance with identifying documents in these other categories that could be part of an extended information management system.

Virtual Job Duties: Participate in the WIPP information management development activities. Categorize WIPP documents on the existing file repository (e.g. G-Drive, SharePoint, and Docket). Convert files (e.g., Word Perfect, Image files) into pdf. Adding metadata to files. Job duty includes literature reviews, online research, and database entry. The intern will help the staff organize files in a database/web-based system, including “tagging” the files with metadata so that documents can be searched by keyword, date, title, category of the document (such as inspection reports, PowerPoint presentations, published scientific literature).

Internship Application Requirements: Resume and Unofficial Transcript

Submit application: Submit to Tom Peake (peake.tom@epa.gov) via email.

Application deadline: 09/30/2020

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Research Assistant in Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality - Auburn University

Research Assistant in Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality
Auburn University, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences
Auburn, AL, USA

Description: One Research Assistant position is currently available to support several projects focused on the abiotic and biotic factors mediating freshwater harmful algal blooms in aquaculture ponds and drinking water and recreational reservoirs. The incumbent will participate in field sampling, conduct lab analyses (i.e., phytoplankton and zooplankton enumeration, algal pigments, nutrients), ensure proper maintenance of laboratory equipment, and maintain inventory and order supplies.

Qualifications: Minimum qualifications include a BS (MS preferred) in biology, ecology, limnology, or related field. Prior experience in field and laboratory aquatic ecology and water quality research is not required but preferred.

Salary: Salary is dependent on qualifications and experience. At a minimum, the salary will be $28,000 plus benefits.

Start date: Exact start date is negotiable, but a preference would be given to candidates available no later than 1 September 2020. The position is for one year and may be renewable pending available funds and performance.

How to Apply: The position will remain open until filled.
For full consideration, please apply by 1 July 2020. Applicants will be required to submit a statement of research interests and experiences and CV. Additional information, including contact information for three references and copies of transcripts, is also requested at the time of application. For more details about the application process, please visit: https://www.auemployment.com/postings/7171

For more information about the position or our lab, please contact Alan Wilson at wilson@auburn.edu or visit http://wilsonlab.com/

Auburn University is an affirmative action equal opportunity employer.

Monday, May 18, 2020

LEED Training Special - DC - Summer Online Webinars

Students can take advantage of their time over the summer to advance their knowledge of sustainability. All upcoming in-class LEED workshops in DC have transitioned to live webinars so students can participate in the identical training while remaining safe and isolated.

Undergrads and Grads in the Department of Environmental Science and Technology at the University of Maryland can use the discount code ‘green’ for $50 off the course price.

Webinar and Online self-paced options:

Live webinars can be streamed on any of the following dates:

1.      June 6 2020 – 2:00PM – 6:00PM EDT

2.      June 25 2020 – 5:00PM – 9:00PM EDT

3.      July 11 2020 – 1:00PM – 5:00PM EDT

4.      July 29 2020 – 5:00PM – 9:00PM EDT

5.      August 23 2020 – 1:00PM – 5:00PM EDT   -   OR   -

6.      September 12 2020 – 2:00PM – 6:00PM EDT

The above options are identical to the in-person workshops.

You can register here for a webinar - https://leadinggreen.com/webinars

Online – Start today - Self-paced recorded workshop

Or take the on-demand recorded course completed at your own pace here - https://leadinggreen.com/online

Take advantage of your summer to make your resume stand out with the LEED Green Associate, the only professional designation to show employers and clients you have certified knowledge in the field. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is simply a sustainability scorecard for green buildings. Buildings can become LEED Certified as can people!

To date, this course and its materials have proven to be instrumental in helping over 9000 students pass their respective exams at a 99% pass rate. This course is offered at a quarter of the price and time as the competition and allows students to graduate with letters after their names!

This course is instructed by a USGBC Faculty member and is the most effective way to pass. The USGBC charges a $100 (reduced for students) fee for the actual exam which can be taken at any time at your nearest Prometric center. Save money by reserving your spot today and make a positive difference in your career!

Cost: $200

Students can use the coupon code ‘green’ for $50 off (Discounted course price $150)

To register for a live webinar please visit: https://leadinggreen.com/webinars

Or online on-demand here -  https://leadinggreen.com/online

Please contact the instructor Lorne directly with any questions at info@leadinggreen.com

UMD Virtual Career Fair

UMD Virtual Career Fair
June 9, 2020 11 AM to 3 PM  
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Our virtual career fair offers the opportunity for current students and alumni to connect with diverse employers seeking to hire for full-time, internship and part-time opportunities across a variety of industries. The event will take place using the CareerEco virtual fair platform
The platform will allow for chat-based interactions between candidates and employers. Employers will also be able to invite individual candidates to connect via a webcam for 1-on-1 conversations. For more information, visit
 https://careers.umd.edu/event/VCF  

Summer Math Classes



Contact Tracing Course - Johns Hopkins

The COVID-19 crisis has created an unprecedented need for contact tracing across the country, requiring thousands of people to learn key skills quickly. The job qualifications for contact tracing positions differ throughout the country and the world, with some new positions open to individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent.

In this introductory course, students will learn about the science of SARS-CoV-2 , including the infectious period, the clinical presentation of COVID-19, and the evidence for how SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted from person-to-person and why contact tracing can be such an effective public health intervention. Students will learn about how contact tracing is done, including how to build rapport with cases, identify their contacts, and support both cases and their contacts to stop transmission in their communities. The course will also cover several important ethical considerations around contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine. Finally, the course will identify some of the most common barriers to contact tracing efforts -- along with strategies to overcome them.

Register here

Global Leadership Summer Courses

Click here for more infomation!

FInals Resources

Finals week is now upon us!

You may be finding yourself in need of some extra help in preparing and succeeding – luckily for you, there are A LOT of FREE (virtual) resources on campus and online that can help where you need it most...

Get ready for finals by viewing the Spring 2020 Academic Success Guide and learn tips to help you prepare for final exams. https://go.umd.edu/asguide-sp2020

Tutoring & Academic Success Support: https://tutoring.umd.edu/

Online Counseling Center Resources:  www.counseling.umd.edu/las/

Writing Assistance at the Writing Center
Schedule an online appointment or visit:  http://www.english.umd.edu/academics/writingcenter

Free Tutoring at the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Education
For more information, visit https://omse.umd.edu/tutoring/

MENTAL HEALTH
Maintaining good mental health, like maintaining physical health, takes time and effort.
FREE and CONFIDENTIAL services are available on campus

UMD Counseling Center: http://www.counseling.umd.edu/
The University Health Center:  http://www.health.umd.edu/
UMD HELP Center – peer counseling:  https://helpcenterumd.org/


PHYSICAL HEALTH
You are not just a brain; you are a body!  Maintaining good physical health is as important as developing learning skills and mental health.  Exercise, take study breaks, get plenty of sleep and drink plenty of water.  Take some time to recharge:

Campus Recreation Services (now offering virtual workouts and activities!): https://recwell.umd.edu/keepmoving

Good luck, and be kind to yourself during this very strange semester

VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP: Research Assistant

Location: Online (National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Japan)

Description:
The principal investigator, Dr. Keiko Tagami (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Keiko_Tagami), is a Japanese soil scientist and radioecologist, who is fluent in English, and has previously worked with a graduate of the UMD ENST program. University of Maryland / ENST Adjunct Professor Edward Landa will support the internship program.
The intern will work remotely (via email and Skype) with Dr. Tagami on a project focused on the radioecological consequences of the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. Recent studies have shown that the release of radon (222Rn) and thoron (220Rn) gas, naturally occurring radionuclides from the radioactive decay of uranium and thorium in the soil, is a significant contributor to air dose.
Duties:
Via literature review and self-study, the intern will become familiar with: (1) the nature of anthropogenic soil contamination at Fukushima, (2) factors effecting the natural occurrence of radon and thoron emanation from soil pore spaces to the atmosphere, (3) computer-generated animation techniques available with freeware that can be used to describe contributors to the radiological air dose.

Tasks include:

  • literature review
  • online research
  • database entry
  • GIS maps
  • computer-generated animation using freeware
  • PowerPoint presentation

The intern will then prepare a series of animated sequences depicting the impact of meteorological conditions on air dose at various sites in the Fukushima region. Previous experience with computer generated animation is desirable, but not mandatory; intern will need to acquire these skills by self-teaching during the internship. The final product of the internship will be a PowerPoint presentation in English, including animation sequences, suitable for presentation at an international meeting.

Application:

  • Cover Letter
  • Resume
  • Unofficial Transcript
  • Please include a description of any previous experience with computer-generated animation.
Please send all materials to Dr. Tagami via email (tagami.keiko@qst.go.jp) by June 15th


Send application materials immediately as applications will be accepted until position is filled.



VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP: Research Assistant - Traits and Timing Project

Employing Agency Name & Address: Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA

Contact's Name: Lea Johnson

Email Address: ljohnson@longwoodgardens.org

Dates Needed: Flexible, can begin immediately. This project is ready to begin at any time, and can accommodate multiple students working independently. Students may choose to work individually or together on analysis/visualization products.

Weekly Hours Needed: Minimum 8, maximum 40.

Internship Description: The purpose of the project is to build a database of information about plant traits. In the first round of this project, we are focusing on both invasive plant species and on Pennsylvania rare plants. The Research Assistant will first help to build this database by reviewing a set of sources for information about a provided list of invasive and rare plant species, and reporting information on each species via an online form. The Research Assistant will then have the opportunity to contribute original analysis, visualization, or other products that will derive insights into patterns found in the data and/or create new ways of making the data useful and accessible for land management decision-making. This could involve a spatially explicit component if the student desires and has a solid working knowledge of GIS.

Virtual Job Duties: Online research, database entry, and creation of analysis/visualization products to be developed in relation to student's interests and backgrounds.

Internship Application Requirements: Cover Letter, Resume, and Unofficial Transcript

Submit application: Email all application parts as one .pdf file to Dr. Lea Johnson at ljohnson@longwoodgardens.org

Application deadline: 12/15/2020

Thursday, May 14, 2020

ESA Science Programs Specialist - D.C.

Title: Program Specialist
Department: Office of Science Programs
Supervisor: Associate Director of Science Programs
Classification: Full time, Temporary, Non-exempt

About ESA
The Ecological Society of America, founded in 1915, is the world's largest community of professional ecologists and a trusted source of ecological knowledge, committed to advancing the understanding of life on Earth. The Society publishes five journals and a membership bulletin and broadly shares ecological information through policy, media outreach, and education initiatives.

About ESA's Office of Science ProgramsWe connect the research and management communities, support the use of science to inform decision making and build capacity among scientists by:
- Training: We offer workshops and courses to help scientists gain the skills they need to navigate changes in funding, policy, and technology.
- Facilitating engagement: We connect ESA members with agencies that require ecological knowledge and expertise.
- Synthesizing information: We help make ecology more accessible to managers and the public.
- Facilitating peer review: We help agencies conduct peer reviews of scientific studies and programs that agencies use to support decision making.

Position Overview
ESA seeks an energetic candidate with strong organizational and communication skills to provide administrative and logistical support for a variety of programs in the Office of Science Programs (e.g. ESA's Sustaining Biological Infrastructure Training Initiative, and the Panel on Vegetation Classification). A basic background in and appreciation for ecology, biology, and/or environmental sciences is desired.

The Program Specialist will work with the Associate Director of Science Programs to organize and manage special ESA meetings, workshops, and training events that will bring scientists together on a wide range of topics. Additional duties may include taking notes, updating websites, taking photos and creating promotional materials, and tracking budget information. There may be opportunities to network with scientists in a variety of disciplines and contribute to workshop/grant reports and presentations.

Responsibilities
  • Organization and planning: assist with meeting and workshop planning to ensure events run smoothly; manage onsite logistical details for events, including a/v, room setup, printed materials, and timekeeping; schedule and manage conference calls for working groups.
  • Communications and writing: take effective and concise notes during conference calls and events; contribute to workshop and meeting reports and presentations; liaise with workshop and meeting participants as needed through email, phone, and in-person communication; help draft and proofread grant proposals and reports.
  • Outreach and marketing: create and refine outreach materials for Science Office programs; this may include email campaigns, flyers, website updates, liaising with ESA's Public Affairs office regarding social media updates, and creating/editing videos.
  • Data entry: act as the point of contact for travel reimbursements; monitor and report on travel budgets.
  • Other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree, with a strong interest or experience in environmental studies, ecology, or a related field.
  • Well-organized, detail-oriented, and able to handle multiple tasks
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team
  • Basic computer skills, including working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite
  • Willing to perform data entry and other basic tasks
Preferred Qualifications
  • Project management experience
  • Meeting facilitation experience in face-to-face and/or online environments
  • Experience with Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Asana, and/or Google Classroom
  • Experience with WordPress and/or basic HTML skills
  • Experience managing social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram)
  • Individuals are encouraged to apply even if they don't meet 100% of these preferred qualifications.
This is a temporary [August 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021] full-time position based in ESA's downtown Washington, DC office, with occasional travel involved and remote work permitted. The position pays $18-$22 per hour, based on experience/qualifications, and is contingent on grant funding.

Please email a cover letter and resume, combined in one pdf file, to sbi@esa.org   with "Program Specialist" in the subject line. Applications are due Friday, June 12th. Interviews for shortlisted candidates will be conducted in early July. The position is open until filled.

ESA is an Equal Opportunity employer. We sincerely encourage individuals of all identities, experiences, and backgrounds to apply.

Ecological Society of America
1990 M Street NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Mapping (GIS) and Satellite Imagery Analysis (Remote Sensing) Summer Courses

Are you looking to learn an in-demand job skill or complete a GenEd in as little as three weeks? Mapping and Satellite Imagery Analysis jobs are predicted to grow much faster than average in the next 10 years, so consider checking out summer courses within the Department of Geographical Sciences! 3-week and 6-week options available - all online! Our Professors have been offering these courses online for years, which means they have a wealth of experience in online best-practices. Please reach out to geog-advise@umd.edu to find out which course is the best fit for you! 




Biological Scientist - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Project Title: Secondary molecular analysis for viral pathogens identified by High Throughput
Sequencing on non-routine diagnostic plant samples

Background: This study will evaluate the established HTS protocols against traditional diagnostic methods on non-routine diagnostic samples received at the USDA-APHIS-CPHST-Beltsville Laboratory. Multiple computational pipelines developed for the specific detection of viruses using the data generated by HTS technologies such as VirFind (Ho and Tzanetakis 2014), VirusDetect (Zheng et al. 2017), and VirusSeeker (Zhao et al. 2017) will be considered in this study. The plant viruses identified by bioinformatic analysis need to be further confirmed by an additional molecular tool in order to validate the analysis and confirm the presence of the identified organisms.

Position Description:  This position serves as a molecular biology analyst in the APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine, Science, and Technology Beltsville Laboratory. The incumbent will conduct research and confirmatory molecular work to help the Agency evaluate high throughput sequencing protocols against traditional diagnostic methods on non-routine diagnostic samples. The ideal candidate must have knowledge and experience in basic molecular biology technologies and principles (e.g. DNA/RNA, PCR, Sequencing) and Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs).

Education Requirement: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in biological sciences.

Methods: This project is in its second year and has already generated a large amount of data that needs further molecular confirmation. The confirmatory molecular work proposed for the student, while not time-sensitive, will help refine our bioinformatic analysis and interpretation of HTS data for virus identification of diagnostic samples.

Apply here by May 11th

National Wetlands Inventory - Assistant Wetlands Coordinator

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) Program is excited to share our vacancy announcement for two permanent staff!

Staff will be hired at the GS‐7, 9 or 11 pay scale, and will serve as Assistant Wetlands
Coordinators for the NWI Program. The incumbents will primarily manage, coordinate and provide
quality control for multiple NWI wetland mapping projects in support of the NWI Geospatial Dataset,
which is served on the Wetlands Mapper. The incumbents will also serve as technical experts on wetland identification and mapping, and support production of Wetlands Status and Trends reports as needed. Applicants will be assessed based on demonstration of knowledge, skills and abilities related to wetland mapping and analysis listed in the additional information spreadsheet in USAJOBS and describe in more detail below. Note that applicants are not expected to have all skills at the start of employment and training will be provided. NWI is interested in applicants who are enthusiastic, flexible, and willing to learn.

  • Strong working knowledge of wetland science, including knowledge of the ecological, geographical, and hydrological basis for wetland position and type at the landscape scale.
  • Strong working knowledge of techniques used to identify wetlands in the field, and using remotely sensed imagery.
  • Demonstrated skill in the interpretation of optical remote sensing data, including aerial photographs or fine spatial resolution satellite data with an emphasis on wetlands.
  • In-depth knowledge of GIS and cartographic principles, concepts, and practices, especially knowledge related to geographic data capture and attribute assignment.
  • Strong demonstrated skill in using ESRI software, including ArcGIS or ArcPro, to display, map, analyze and summarize natural resource information relevant to wetlands.
  • Ability to quickly and accurately create and edit vector data using GIS software.
  • Knowledge of Quality Assurance/Quality Control principles for GIS review, especially relevant to the Federal Geographic Data Committee Wetlands Mapping Standard.
  • Demonstrated skill in spatial and statistical analysis using Model builder, Python and R.
  • Strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively regarding complex GIS workflows and wetland ecology.
  • Ability to independently solve problems and select techniques for carrying out assignments.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to write a detailed cover letter summarizing their proficiencies
relative to those listed in the formal announcement and the accompanying spreadsheet, as well as the
geographic location where you would be willing to work. The NWI Assistant Wetlands Coordinator positions should also be specifically mentioned in your cover letter.

Inquiries regarding these positions, and not the general application process, should be made to Jonathan Phinney, Chief of the Branch of Geospatial Mapping and Technical Support (Jonathan_Phinney@fws.gov).

Apply here by May 11th

VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP: Research Assistant: Saltwater Intrusion Study

Employing Agency Name & Address: Maryland Geological Survey 2300 St. Paul St. Baltimore, MD 21218

Contact's Name: Dr. Emelia A. Furlong, Hydrogeologist

Email Address: Emeliaa.furlong@maryland.gov

Dates Needed: The internship can take place during either the Summer 2020 Session or the Fall 2020 Semester.

Weekly Hours Needed: 135 hours/number of weeks

Internship Description: Under the supervision of the designated MGS Hydrogeologist, the research assistant will compile and document groundwater quality data from County, State, and Federal databases to assess the vulnerability of the region and aquifers of study to saltwater intrusion. Results will be compiled in a geodatabase and summarized in a PowerPoint presentation. This research can be completed individually or as a team project by two or more students.

Virtual Job Duties: The research assistant will compile water quality data from Federal, State, and County databases for the region of study in MD. The assistant will document well coordinates and estimate well screen elevations for aquifer designation.  Using the potentiometric surface maps available on the MGS web site, the research assistant will determine the direction of groundwater flow in the aquifers of interest. Results will be compiled in a geodatabase and summarized in a PowerPoint presentation.

Internship Application Requirements: Cover Letter, Resume, and Unofficial Transcript. Dr. Furlong will meet with the applicants who pass the initial screening via ZOOM or some such video technology prior to the final selection.

Submit application: Submit applications online to Emelia Furlong  (Emeliaa.furlong@maryland.gov)

Application deadline: 05/26/2020

VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP: Research Assistant - Watershed Study

Employing Agency Name & Address: Maryland Geological Survey 2300 St. Paul St. Baltimore, MD 21218

Contact's Name: Dr. Emelia A. Furlong, Hydrogeologist

Email Address: Emeliaa.furlong@maryland.gov

Dates Needed: The internship can take place during either the Summer 2020 Session or the Fall 2020 Semester.

Weekly Hours Needed: 135 hours/number of weeks

Internship Title & Description: Under the supervision of the designated MGS Hydrogeologist, the research assistant will collect and synthesize internet data for a small watershed in Maryland in order to assess the feasibility of a 2 to 3 year hydrologic budget study. The results of this feasibility study will be summarized in a PowerPoint presentation which will include references for the data presented.  This research can be completed individually or as a team project by two or more students.

Virtual Job Duties: Research will include a survey of available literature describing the watershed, assembling data from the USGS Streamstats application, and compiling available online maps of the topography, soils, geology, land use, precipitation, and climate data. A PowerPoint presentation visually summarizing the research will culminate the internship.

Internship Application Requirements: Cover Letter, Resume, and Unofficial Transcript. Dr. Furlong will meet with the applicants who pass the initial screening via ZOOM or some such video technology prior to the final selection.

Submit application: Submit applications online to Emelia Furlong  (Emeliaa.furlong@maryland.gov)

Application deadline: 05/26/2020