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Career paths through the U.S. EPA
Citation:
FRAZIER, M. R. Career paths through the U.S. EPA. Presented at 2010 American Physiological Society Intersociety Meeting: GLobal Change and Global Science: Comparative Physiology in a Changing World, Westminister, CO, August 04 - 07, 2010.
Impact/Purpose:
In a recent survey of employee satisfaction, the U.S. EPA was ranked 6th of the 30 large federal agencies that were surveyed (http://data.bestplacestowork.org).
Description:
In a recent survey of employee satisfaction, the U.S. EPA was ranked 6th of the 30 large federal agencies that were surveyed (http://data.bestplacestowork.org). I have been working as a post doc at the EPA since receiving my Ph.D. in ecological physiology from the University of Washington in 2007. There are many great opportunities at EPA for researchers, but this career path may not be for everyone. To help determine whether the EPA is right for you, I will describe: my work environment and research; the organizational structure of EPA; benefits and salaries; and my impression of how EPA compares to academics as well as some of the pros and cons of a career at EPA. I will also discuss how to find post doctoral positions at the EPA. There are three primary types of post doctoral opportunities at EPA: 1) The National Research Council (NRC) coordinates post doc positions for several federal agencies, including the EPA (http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/RAP). 2) Student Services Contract Positions are becoming increasingly popular within the EPA (http://epa.gov/ord/orma/ssa-jobs.htm OAM RTP “Student Services for…”). These positions are paid hourly and have no benefits, but provide a great introduction to the EPA. 3) Post-docs are also available through the EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD; www.epa.gov/ord/htm/jobs_ord.htm). ORD post doctoral positions have all the benefits available to other federal employees. This is a proposed presentation and does not necessarily reflect EPA policy. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.