Oregon PSM

Internship Program Opportunity
Office of Water
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, DC

Project Description:
A postgraduate (see qualifications) internship is available at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Water/Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water in Washington, D.C.

EPA is working to understand the implications of climate change and to adapt our programs to ensure their continued effectiveness. Climate change will impact every aspect of the national water program. Over the coming years, in the United States can expect:
■Warming water temperatures to change contaminant concentrations in water and alter aquatic system uses;
■New patterns of rainfall and snowfall to alter water supply for drinking and other uses and lead to changes in pollution levels in aquatic systems;
■More intense storms to threaten water infrastructure and increase polluted storm water runoff;
■Shorelines, coastal ecosystems, and coastal communities to be affected by sea level rise;
■Changes in ocean chemistry to alter aquatic habitat and fisheries; and
■Changes in energy production systems to affect both water quantity and water quality.

There remains significant uncertainty about the exact scope and timing of climate change–related impacts on water resources, EPA’s Water Security Division and its partners are continuing to assess emerging climate change information, integrate potential impacts into core programs, and identify new challenges and approaches to respond to utility needs.

As a part of this effort, EPA formed a National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC) Climate Ready Water Utilities Working Group in fall 2009. The Working Group was charged with: (1) developing attributes of climate ready water utilities; (2) identifying climate change-related tools, trainings, and products to address utilities’ short and long-term needs; and (3) identifying mechanism that would facilitate the adoption of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies by the water sector. The NDWAC Climate Ready Water Utilities Working Group presented its findings and recommendations to EPA in December of 2010.

The internship will be with the Climate Ready Water Utilities initiative team within the Water Security Division. The intern will be involved in team activities such as the development of tools, training courses, guidance documents, and other resources to help utilities to be better prepared to adapt to and mitigate the potential impacts of climate change on drinking water and wastewater utilities. The intern could also be involved in the coordination among water sector response and climate change partners at the utility, local, state, and federal levels. Other team activities include analyses, developing summary reports, collaborating with EPA staff and external stakeholders, and developing of a variety of materials related to the national water programs’ response to climate change.

Qualifications:
Applicants should have received a bachelor’s degree or higher in a biological or physical science, engineering, or environmental policy within the four years of the desired starting date, or completion of all requirements for the degree should be expected prior to the starting date. Climate change experience and knowledge are desirable.

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 can also hold an appropriate visa status, however, an H1B visa is not appropriate). The intern must show proof of health and medical insurance. The intern does not become an EPA employee.

The appointment will initially be full-time for one year and may be renewed for up to three additional years depending on funding; the annual stipend will be up to $42,000.

Technical Questions:
The EPA mentor for this project is Curt Baranowski; he can be contacted at (202) 564-0636 or via email at Baranowski.Curt@epa.gov. For more information regarding EPA’s Climate Ready Water Utilities initiative, visit http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/watersecurity/climate/.

How to Apply:
The Internship Program for EPA’s Office of Water is administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). Please reference Project # EPA Water 2012-223 when calling or writing for information. For additional information and application material contact: Internship Program - EPA Water, Attn: Betty Bowling - MS 36, ORISE, P.O. Box 117, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 Phone: (865) 576-8503 Fax: (865) 241-5219 email: betty.bowling@orau.org.

An application can be found at http://www.orau.gov/partform/EPA/EPA_Application.pdf.