EPA Thyroid Endpoint Assessment in Larval Zebrafish Fellowship

*Applications may be reviewed on a rolling-basis and this posting could close before the deadline.

EPA Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is currently available at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), within the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) located in Durham, North Carolina.

Research Project: This research project will develop methods and test a chemical library for thyroid endpoint assessment using a larval zebrafish model. EPA performs research to develop new tools and methods to facilitate the efficient testing of chemicals for important adverse effects including thyroid pathway perturbation. There are tens of thousands of chemicals that are currently in commerce, with hundreds more introduced every year. Many of these chemicals find their way into the environment and only a small fraction have been adequately assessed for potential risk. EDSP is developing and validating screening alternatives or new approach methods (NAMs) including in vitro assays and small organisms like zebrafish to screen chemicals for the potential for thyroid pathway perturbation. The focus is on developing medium and high-throughput assays that can be used to rapidly detect chemicals that can alter the thyroid pathway.

The objective of this research project is to develop and validate a zebrafish embryo toxicity test with a set of reference chemicals to assess the potential for the chemicals to produce perturbations in the thyroid pathway by assessing endpoints reported to be dependent on thyroid hormone. Under the guidance of a mentor, the research participant will collect, summarize and analyze the data for a publication. Research activities may include, but are not limited to:

• Hands-on participation in experimental research and data interpretation
• Reading and interpreting relevant scientific literature
• Active participation in meetings of the project team, branch and division
• Preparing reports, presentations, and summaries of the data
• Opportunity to present research at professional meetings
• Authoring manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals

Learning Objectives: Through participation in this opportunity, the research participant will learn how to:

• Maintain and expose zebrafish embryos to control, reference, and test chemicals
• Utilize state-of-the-art semi-automated imaging equipment
• Conduct several high-throughout screening (HTS) assays on zebrafish embryos to assess thyroid endpoints
• Analyze zebrafish morphological images using software and synthesize results for publication and presentation
• Analyze other data using various statistical approaches and synthesize results for publication and presentation

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Scott Lynn (lynn.scott@epa.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: August 2026. All start dates are flexible and vary depending on numerous factors. 

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially 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. The anticipated stipend range is $63,759 - $77,988 annually. 

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens only.

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, including but not limited to, COVID-19 requirements (e.g. facial covering, physical distancing, testing, vaccination).

Questions: Please see the FAQ section of our website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process please email ORISE.EPA.Other@orau.org / and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Salary : $63,759 - $77,988