The EPA National Student Services Contract has an immediate opening for a full-time EPA Laboratory Research Support position with the Office of Research and Development at the EPA facility in Duluth, MN.

The Office of Research and Development at the EPA supports high-quality research to improve the scientific basis for decisions on national environmental issues and help EPA achieve its environmental goals. Research is conducted in a broad range of environmental areas by scientists in EPA laboratories and at universities across the country.

What the EPA project is about

The Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure (CCTE) supports ORD by providing solutions-driven research to rapidly evaluate the potential human health and environmental risks due to exposures to environmental stressors and ensure the integrity of the freshwater environment and its capacity to support human well-being. CCTE researchers are developing and applying cutting edge innovations in methods to rapidly evaluate chemical toxicity, transport, and exposure to people and environments. Within CCTE, the Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division (GLTED) focuses on freshwater ecotoxicity and freshwater coastal ecology. The Division encompasses traditional and predictive toxicity using advanced scientific tools to produce science to inform ecological risk assessments of chemicals by EPA’s Program Offices and Regions.

What experience and skills will you gain?

As a team member, you will be expected to perform laboratory activities such as, cleaning of laboratory glassware, preparation of common reagents, preparation for and execution of bioassays, chemical and physical analysis of water, sediment, and tissue samples, and conducting chemical analyses using a variety of analytical and microscopy instrumentation. The team member may be required to attend conferences and present papers. All necessary training and oversight will be provided by EPA scientists serving as candidate mentors.

The team member will follow standard operating procedures (SOP) provided by the Mentor. In addition, the team member will be involved in development of techniques, writing operating procedures (OPs), developing new SOPs and performing experiments with established chemists. The team member will maintain careful and accurate records in a laboratory notebook and follow the quality assurance guidelines for data entry in laboratory notebooks or electronic data management systems and calculations. This notebook, and all other data produced in performance of this work, will be the property of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Required Knowledge, Skills, Work Experience, and Education

• Three or more courses at the undergraduate level in biology from an accredited college/university;
• Three or more courses at the undergraduate level in chemistry/biochemistry from an accredited college/university;
• Demonstrated experience using chemical instrumentation;
• Demonstrated experience preparing samples for analysis;
• A working knowledge of sediment testing with benthic invertebrates; and
• Strong written, oral and electronic communication skills.

Location: This job will be located EPA’s facility in Duluth, MN.

Salary: Selected applicant will become a temporary employee of ORAU and will receive an hourly wage of $22.24 for hours worked.

Hours: Full-time.

Travel: Occasional overnight travel may be required.

Expected start date: The position is full time and expected to begin December 2022. The selected applicant will become a temporary employee of ORAU working as a contractor to EPA. The contract renews each May through 2025.

For more information, contact EPANSSC@orau.org. Do not contact EPA directly.

• Be at least 18 years of age and
• Have earned at least a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, chemistry, toxicology, biology, or a related field with substantive chemistry coursework from an accredited college/university within the last 24 months and
• Be a citizen of the United States of America or a Legal Permanent Resident.

EPA ORD employees, their spouses, and children are not eligible to participate in this program.

• Citizenship: LPR or U.S. Citizen
• Degree: Bachelor's Degree received within the last 24 month(s).
• Overall GPA: 2.00
• Discipline(s):
  • Environmental and Marine Sciences
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences
  • Other Physical Sciences

I certify that I am at least 18 years of age; a recent graduate with at least a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, chemistry, toxicology, biology, or a related field with substantive chemistry coursework from an accredited college/university within the last 24 months; a citizen or a Legal Permanent Resident of the United States of America; and not a current employee of EPA ORD or the spouse or child of an EPA ORD employee.