What are the responsibilities and job description for the EPA Rural and Agriculture Policy Fellow position at Zintellect?
*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 at the Environmental Protection Agency within the Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in the Office of the Administrator, located in Washington, D.C. The Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs was recently established in March of 2024.
This Office was also created to collaborate with small, underserved towns and rural communities that are seeking federal investments, through Rural Partners Network and other mechanisms. This research position will help support the development and amplification of a rural framework within EPA and assist on various agricultural policy initiatives as needed.
Research Project: This project will primarily involve research and scientifically grounded product development of an EPA Rural strategy or framework. This position will require research into rural policy; assessment of EPA policies to identify barriers and opportunities; and review of complimentary other federal agencies' program to find synergies.
Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, the research participant will have the opportunity to:
- Aid EPA staff in scoping and developing a rural strategy or framework.
- Learn about emerging and key issues related to rural and agricultural communities.
- Ability to engage with EPA and utilize our resources.
- Evaluate EPA programs and relevant federal agency programs for possible synergies.
- Identify potential data gaps and how rural policy informs current rule making processes and other EPA processes.
- Identify challenges related to rural communication and community engagement.
- Apply your background in social science, environmental science, agricultural science, public health, or communication science to real-world rural communication and community engagement settings.
- Develop research summaries and other communications for technical and nontechnical audiences.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Rebecca Perrin (perrin.rebecca@epa.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: Winter 2025. All start dates are flexible and vary depending on numerous factors. Click here for detailed information about start dates.
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. Click here for detailed information about full-time stipends. The current monthly stipend range is $5,700 for master’s and $6,897 for doctoral degrees.
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.REG@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
