Research Opportunity Description
Community Environmental and Human Health
Research Participation Program
Region 10 and Office of Research and Development
National Exposure Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Seattle, WA
EPA-ORD/NERL-HEASD-2014-01
Project Description:
A postgraduate research project training opportunity is currently available at the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This project is a collaboration between the EPA’s
Office of Research and Development (ORD) National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL)
Human Exposure and Atmospheric Modeling Division (HEASD) and Region 10’s Office of
Ecosystem Tribal and Public Affairs (OETPA). This project will be located in Region 10 in
Seattle, Washington.
Supporting Communities Using EPA Science Tools is a project that provides practical, cuttingedge
scientific resources to improve human health through identifying and prioritizing
community environmental issues and supporting relevant community decision making. The
research is part of an EPA program aimed at developing information and solutions for
sustainability of vulnerable communities with environmental human health concerns through
providing practical, state-of-the-art resources through the Community-Focused Exposure and
Risk Screening Tool (C-FERST; www.epa.gov/heasd/c-ferst), Decision Analysis for a
Sustainable Environment, Economy, & Society (DASEES) and the peer-reviewed scientific
literature. The program seeks to address problems of significant environmental human health and
education importance at the community level, provide tools, including GIS mapping tools, that
incorporate citizen science in communities to understand and reduce environmental burden, and
evaluate the estimates of exposure, risk and the improvement in human health.
The research participant will join a team that seeks to address problems of significant human
health importance at the community level, provide tools to communities to understand and
reduce environmental burden, and evaluate the estimates of exposure, risk, and policies in order
to improve human health. S/he will learn to apply and translate scientific findings to support
practical community driven solutions that improve human health and the environment.
The participant will develop skills and exposure through community partnerships with diverse
communities and vulnerable populations facing environmental human health risk. Exposure to
environmental human health as practiced at the U.S. EPA, community-based voluntary
organizations and organizations that support those efforts will be key focus areas. The participant
will develop professionally in one or more disciplines supporting (e.g., environmental and
human health, geographic information systems, decision science, sustainability and citizen
science).
Qualifications:
Applicants must have received a master’s degree in environmental/public health, environmental
sciences, environmental policy or a closely related field within five years of the desired starting
date, or completion of all requirements for the degree should be expected prior to the start date.
Experience with socio applications in Geographic Information Systems and urban planning is
desired.
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 can also hold an appropriate visa
status, however, an H1B visa is not appropriate).
The appointment is full time for one year and may be renewed upon recommendation of EPA
and subject to availability of funds. The participant will receive a monthly stipend. Funding may
be made available to reimburse a research participant’s travel expenses to present the results of
his/her research at scientific conferences. 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 and medical insurance. The participant does not
become an EPA employee.
Technical Questions:
The contacts for this project are Sheryl Stohs (stohs.sheryl@epa.gov), Bruce Duncan
(Duncan.bruce@epa.gov), and Bruce Mintz (Mintz.bruce@epa.gov). A teleconference to provide
additional information and answer technical questions will be held July 16, 2014, from 3:00-4:30
p.m. EST. The call-in number is 866-299-3188; the passcode is 702-798-2642#.
How to Apply:
An application can be found at http://orise.orau.gov/epa/applicants/application.htm. Please
reference Project # EPA-ORD/NERL-HEASD-2014-01 when calling or writing for
information.