Water Quality Standards Uses, Antidegradation and Variances
Research Participation Program
Office of Water
Office of Science and Technology
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EPA Water 2015-362

Project Description:

 http://orise.orau.gov/epa/applicants/description.aspx?JobId=18574

A postgraduate internship project is available at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Water in Washington, DC. The internship will be served with the Office   of Science and Technology (OST) in the Standards & Health Protection Division.

 The Standards and Health Protection Division directs the national water programs for water quality standards and advisories for safe fishing and swimming.  The intern will be trained in the Division’s National Branch (NB), one of the two branches that work on water quality standards.  

This project will involve science, policy, and analysis on water quality standards program issues that have national implications, particularly those pertaining to uses for surface waters, antidegradation and Water Quality Standard (WQS) variances. This would include research and development of pertinent technical and policy materials. 

The intern will be part of a multi-disciplinary and/or cross-program team. He/she will be involved in a range of EPA’s Water Quality Standards Program activities, with a particular emphasis on national policies on designated uses, antidegradation components of WQS and WQS variances. The intern will gain experience in:

• Producing policy reports and technical documents related to water quality standards issues that have national implications.
• Developing and delivering training programs for states or tribes on the Water Quality Standards Program.
• Assembling data and information and developing materials and concerning biological, chemical, and other scientific aspects of the Water Quality Standards Program. C
• Coordinating with other offices in the Office of Water to support policy and technical analyses related to uses, antidegradation and WQS variances.

Qualifications:

Applicants should have received a bachelor’s or master’s degree biology, environmental science, environmental management, or policy or environmental engineering, or a similar degree within five years of the starting date, or completion of all requirements for the degree should be expected prior to the starting date. 

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 a candidate also may hold an appropriate visa status; an H1B visa is not appropriate). Guidelines for non-U.S. citizens may be found at http://orise.orau.gov/epa/applicants/immigration.htm.

The appointment is full-time for a one-year period and may be renewed for an additional two years depending on the availability of funding and upon recommendation of EPA. The annual stipend will range from $43,057 to $52,668. The participant will receive a monthly stipend based upon educational level. 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 insurance. This can be obtained through ORISE. The intern does not become an EPA employee.

Technical Questions:

The EPA contact person for this project is Shari Barash (barash.shari@epa.gov). 

How to Apply:

An application can be found at http://orise.orau.gov/epa/applicants/application.htm. Please reference Project # EPA Water 2015-362 when calling or writing for information.