EPA Fellowship in Drinking Water Data Analysis, Policy & Regulatory Research

*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 within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Water (OW), Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW), Standards and Risk Management Division (SRMD) located in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Research Project: The Standards and Risk Management Division (SRMD) plays an integral role in implementing legislative provisions in the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). SRMD’s mission is to protect human health through the development of regulations, guidance, data analyses, technical assistance, and laboratory programs. Fellows selected for this project will provide research on this multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and policy analysts to help SRMD implement the mission. Specifically, one program that SRMD implements is the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR). The national drinking water occurrence data gathered through the UCMR program assists the U.S. EPA Administrator in determining whether or not to regulate a particular contaminant. The Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Branch (UCMB) in Cincinnati, Ohio implements the UCMR program, and manages the key components of this complex regulatory effort. The fifth UCMR (UCMR 5) started in 2022, and the development of the sixth UCMR started in 2023. Click here for more information on UCMR.

Learning Objectives: The participant will collaborate on various research projects related to the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR). This includes learning about the Safe Drinking Water Act, evaluating UCMR 5 data, providing research for UCMR 6 development, and contributing to the implementation of UCMR 6. The participant will develop problem solving skills by encountering complex issues that arise during the development and implementation of an environmental rule. Under the guidance of a mentor, additional research and project learning opportunities include:

Learning about the regulatory development process, including observing a multi-disciplinary workgroup, and participating in public involvement
Analyzing unregulated contaminant occurrence data in drinking water
Reviewing available health assessments for unregulated contaminants in drinking water
Evaluating unregulated contaminant information such as production, use, and release data
Researching chemical properties and treatment studies for unregulated contaminants in drinking water
Explore ways to develop and improve the databases that support UCMR 6
Learning about cost estimates for a national occurrence study like UCMR
Learning about newly developed analytical methods for drinking water and receive training on how to perform on-site laboratory and data audits
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Brenda Bowden (bowden.brenda@epa.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor directly.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: Fall/Winter 2024. All start dates are flexible and vary depending on numerous factors. Click here for detailed information about start dates.

Appointment Length: The appointment initially may be for one year and may be renewed three to four 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. At this time, the anticipated stipend is between $51,068 and $75,578. 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.

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.

Qualifications
The qualified candidate should have received a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields, or currently be pursuing one of the degrees with completion by December 31, 2024. Degree must have been received within 60 month of the appointment start date.

Preferred skills:

Good communication skills, both oral and written
Skill with computer software, especially the Microsoft Office products Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Eligibility Requirements
Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
Degree: Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree, or Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or anticipated to be received by 12/31/2024 12:00:00 AM.