Coral Laboratory Research Support

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

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

Primary responsibilities will include:

• Data entry, documentation, and analysis;
• Constructing, cleaning, monitoring, and maintaining laboratory culture and testing systems and organisms;
• Measuring, maintaining, documenting, and quality assurance of laboratory test conditions and parameters;
• Obtaining, preparing, organizing, and/or maintaining research supplies, materials, and/or solutions;
• Preparing biological and environmental samples;
• Compiling data and literature references into organized computer files;
• Literature and web searches on environmental impacts on coral and their effects;
• Maintaining laboratory notebooks as instructed by mentor;
• Quality assurance and database management;
• Field collection of specimens and water samples; and
• Conforming to all health and safety, environmental compliance, and research protocols.

Communications-related responsibilities will include:

• Participating as a member of a multi-disciplinary research team;
• Interacting with EPA scientists; and
• Effectively communicating both verbally and in writing.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Work Experience, and Education

• Knowledge of coral biology;
• Experience with marine aquaculture, preferably coral husbandry;
• Experience with compiling, organizing, and summarizing data;
• Experience with proper laboratory techniques to reduce contamination;
• Experience in MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, and MS Outlook;
• Experience compiling, organizing, and summarizing literature references; and
• Knowledge of basic laboratory safety requirements.

Location: This job will be located EPA’s facility in Gulf Breeze, FL.

Salary: Selected applicant will become a temporary employee of ORAU and will receive an hourly wage of $22.68 for hours worked.

Hours: Full-time.

Travel: No overnight travel is anticipated.

Expected start date: The position is full time and expected to begin September 2023. 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 biology, ecology, marine biology, zoology, chemistry, statistics, or a related field of study from an accredited university or college 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.