EPA - Internship: Alternatives for Assessing Toxicity of Environmental Contaminants to Aquatic Organisms

About the role

EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention is developing and evaluating alternative testing approaches for generating toxicity information in a more rapid and cost-effective manner.

Responsibilities

• Conducting laboratory exposures to organic chemicals using aquatic organisms, including fish, invertebrates, and algae.
• Extracting biomolecules including DNA, RNA, endogenous metabolites, etc. from animal and plant tissues.
• Conducting molecular, biochemical, physiological, and/or histological analyses on biofluids and tissue samples collected from aquatic organisms.
• Screens chemicals or chemical mixtures for biological activity using a diversity of cell-free, cell-based, and/or high throughput testing approaches.
• Applying computational pipelines, bioinformatic approaches, statistical analyses, and quality assurance/quality control principles to complex biological data sets including those from "omics" technologies.
• Compiling and summarizing scientific information from the peer-reviewed literature and from online data sources.
• Conducting weight of evidence-based evaluations based on Bradford Hill considerations.
• Analyzing experimental data and generating tables, figures, and other summaries of results.
• Presenting research results at scientific meetings and contributing to peer-reviewed publications.

Requirements

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a bachelor's or master's degree in the relevant fields. Preferred skills include experience with basic molecular biology techniques, computational skills, coursework in biostatistics and/or bioinformatics, previous experience with aquatic organisms, particularly fish, previous research experience, familiarity with literature search tools and strategies, cell culture experience, and training or experience in organic chemistry, biochemistry, and analytical chemistry.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing or having received a bachelor's or master's degree in relevant fields.
• Preferred skills: experience with basic molecular biology techniques, computational skills, coursework in biostatistics and/or bioinformatics, previous experience with aquatic organisms, particularly fish, previous research experience, familiarity with literature search tools and strategies, cell culture experience, and training or experience in organic chemistry, biochemistry, and analytical chemistry.

Skills

Basic molecular biology techniques used for analysis of proteins and nucleic acids (e.g., gel electrophoresis, PCR, quantitative real-time PCR, use of thermocyclers and/or bioanalyzers, etc.). Computational skills (e.g., programming, R-based statistics).

Benefits

The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. The anticipated stipend range is $52,500 - $64,000 annually.

Pay

$52,500.00 - $64,000.00 Yearly

Schedule

Full-time