EPA summer internships

U.S. EPA – Region 2

2014 Volunteer Summer Internship Program

The volunteer summer internships should start on or shortly after 6/2/14 and end on or before 8/29/14.  Most of the internships will be part-time, 18-32 hrs/week, but some managers are looking for more of a commitment.  Internship schedules will be flexible and would be worked out with your supervisor. A $125/month public transit subsidy is potentially available depending on how you will travel to/from our offices.

In order to apply, please email your resume and a cover letter to Feeley.James@epa.gov.  Please mention the heading of the internship you are applying to in the subject of your email.  If you would like to apply to multiple internships, please do so using separate emails.  Interviews are expected to happen in late March/early April.  Passing a background check and providing documentation on your student status for the Fall 2014 collegiate semester will be required to finalize any selections.

1.      Office of the Regional Administrator – Sandy Recovery Green Team – New York, NY:

Assist with projects related to the Sandy Recovery Green Team (SRGT).  The SRGT is an interdivisional EPA Region 2 Team that reports to the Office of the Regional Administrator.  The SRGT coordinates EPA Region 2’s involvement with the rebuilding and recovery from the devastating impacts of Superstorm Sandy, working with federal, state, and local partners in supporting the President’s Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force and implementing its recommendations, and activities associated with the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (Public law 113-2).  Activities may involve web page development, data analysis, project reviews, policy and programmatic research on resilience, climate change adaptation, green infrastructure, and meeting organization.

2.      Office of Policy & Management – Human Resources Branch – New York, NY:

The intern will work with our Human Resources (HR) Specialists on a variety of projects and will learn about succession management; human capital development; training and recognition programs; and other key human resources activities.  The intern will assist in coordinating Region 2’s annual awards program; expected tasks include preparing the awards booklet, powerpoint, and ceremony script; printing awards certificates; and assisting in organizing and executing the event.  The intern will also work with our HR Specialists on other projects that may arise.

3.      Clean Water Division – Drinking Water & Ground Water Protection Section – New York, NY:

Primarily the intern will work to identify streams in selected NY counties that were susceptible to flooding and severe storm events, based on the experience in previous storms.  Using GIS, public water supply intakes were overlain, to see which systems might be affected by flash floods and excessive sediment scoured from the banks of flooding streams.  In addition, GIS was used to place 300-ft buffers along the streams and to overlay tax parcels.  Parcels that were in agricultural use were highlighted, since they represented potential sources of runoff-based nutrients and pathogens.  The intern will demonstrate the feasibility of this analysis and its possible use in focusing future resiliency efforts by EPA.  The intern will participate in other smaller Groundwater and Surface Drinking Water projects as they come up.

4.      Clean Water Division – Wetlands Protection Sections – New York, NY:

The intern will work with Regional Wetlands staff to develop procedures to identify and track wetlands properties of interest, such as preservation and restoration sites related to permitting and enforcement actions, as well as other land conservation programs sponsored by EPA’s Estuary Programs and Supplemental Environmental Projects associated with other water program enforcement actions. The number of these land parcels increases every year making it harder to track all these properties internally and communicate these locations to the general public. The objective of this project is to make such information publicly available via Google Earth, Bing, and other websites such that the public, NGO’s, and state and local governments are made aware of the presence of such sites in their local areas and can become familiar with the restrictions governing them. The intern would have to research available options, consult with EPA staff, and develop a draft procedure to collect and disseminate this information on a routine basis. The intern can have an interdisciplinary background but must be generally familiar with land conservation, stewardship, land use planning principles, GIS, and Xcel spreadsheets, and have the ability to create and manipulate geographic information files (e.g., .kmz, .shp) and GIS projects which may depict the locations and attributes of these parcels

5.      Clean Water Division – National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES) Section – New York, NY:

Only students pursuing a degree in engineering or physical sciences with a familiarity in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and statistical analysis will be considered for this internship. Solid computer skills (excel) are also a requirement.  The intern will assist with implementation of the section’s system for tracking state-issued NPDES permits.  This project entails tasks such as entering summary information for each permit into an Excel-based tracking system and filing permits (paper & electronic) into the appropriate location.  The intern would also be involved with the following projects: electronically scanning and filing pretreatment program reports; uploading data into EPA Water Quality Databases; analysis of water quality data (data processing, statistical analysis, and comparison against water quality standards); and spatial analysis of water quality information (ambient water quality data, facility information) using GIS.

6.      Emergency & Remedial Response Division – Program Support Branch (1) – New York, NY:

Only students pursuing a degree related to environmental engineering, environmental science, geology, hydrogeology or a related field will be considered for this internship.  The intern will assist in compiling a readily useable and searchable database that will help with the assessment of the effectiveness of remedies, the sharing of knowledge about implemented remedies and improve consistency within the Superfund program. Additional information can be added into the database structure to enhance its usefulness, as determined by PSB project officer personnel. The intern will primarily assist with compilation of Region 2 selected Remedy database and researching information.

7.      Emergency & Remedial Response Division – Program Support Branch (2) – New York, NY:

Only students pursuing a degree related to environmental engineering, environmental science, geology, hydrogeology or a related field will be considered for this internship.  The intern will assist in conducting feasibility studies (FS) for potentially sitting solar photovoltaic (PV) on properly closed landfill sites owned by municipalities in NY and NJ that are interested in redevelopment uses at these a landfill site which may be particularly well suited for solar PV installation. The purpose of the FS report will be to provide an assessment of the landfill to determine the potential for possible solar PV installation and estimated cost, performance, and site impacts of different solar PV technologies (crystalline silicon fixed tilt or single-axis tracking systems). Primary duties include: Assisting with researching landfill information, utility rate information needed for solar feasibility studies, nearest electrical substations, landfill distance to the nearest substations, transmissions lines, and highways; and working with Google earth pro mapping tools/entering data in the Department of Energy software.

8.      Emergency & Remedial Response Division – Program Support Branch (3) – New York, NY:

The intern would review Phase 1 & 2 Brownfields reports and work plans for completeness and technical aspects. Check databases to ensure that the info is accurate/correct, call grantee’s consultant with any questions/concerns or for additional info, etc.  Write comments which Project Officer or Tech Reviewer would incorporate into official EPA comments.  Other duties would include: records management assistance by identifying files that can be shredded, archived and retained; organize/index the central files for the section; and assisting with electronic filing.

9.      Division of Enforcement & Compliance Assistance – Pesticides Team – Edison, NJ:

The intern will work directly with Region 2 Pesticides Program’s Farm Worker Safety Coordinator to:  a) reach out to all 71 migrant farm workers clinics located in New York and New Jersey; b) participate at meetings with the coordinating migrant worker clinics; and c) obtain available migrant worker pesticide exposure data following the already developed template and analyze such data. The intern will also participate at outreach events targeting migrant farm workers in New York and New Jersey.

10.   Division of Enforcement & Compliance Assistance – Lead Team – Edison, NJ:

One or two interns will work directly with Region 2’s Lead Based Paint (LBP) Team to a) assist with Newburgh Lead Coalition activities, including providing outreach directly to Newburgh residents; and b) assist with national priority activities related to encouraging state and local agencies (e.g., code enforcement, health departments, building departments, licensing, etc.) to adopt practices to reduce childhood lead poisoning and to work cooperatively with EPA to ensure compliance with LBP regulations.

11.   Division of Enforcement & Compliance Assistance – Toxics Section – Edison, NJ:

The intern will work directly with Region 2’s Toxic Substances Section to a) assist with data collection, analysis, and outreach for PCBs in Schools activities, including assisting with public meetings for NYC CAFO and HUD outreach; and b) assist TRI coordinator with analysis and targeting to ensure proper reporting by TRI filers.  

12.   Division of Enforcement & Compliance Assistance – Compliance Asst. & Program Support Branch – New York, NY:

Under the supervision of the Division’s records management coordinator, the intern would conduct “clean up” of Divisional file rooms identifying records for disposition and archive, assist in development of a standard organization system for divisional files and of a divisional records management procedure, begin drafting file plans for electronic files, and develop training for staff on records management procedures.

13.   Division of Enforcement & Compliance Assistance – Compliance Asst. & Program Support Branch – New York, NY:

Under the supervision of the Data Management Team, the intern would assist in resolving data discrepancies and duplications in the Federal Registry System (EPA’s location resource database), help catalogue data sources for targeting, and extract data for targeting purposes.

14.   Division of Enforcement & Compliance Assistance – RCRA Compliance Branch – New York, NY:

The intern will gain knowledge of the federal enforcement and compliance program for the hazardous waste program under RCRA.  The intern would assist senior scientists and engineers in the development of inspection targets and support the progress for high priority enforcement cases. 

15.   Division of Enforcement & Compliance Assistance – Air Compliance Branch – New York, NY:

Only students pursuing a degree related to engineering will be considered for this internship.  The intern will assist technical staff in case investigations/development and enforcement actions.  More specifically, several cases require inspectors to analyze a substantial amount of data, logs, records, etc. in order to make definitive determinations of compliance relative to NSR, NSPS, MACT, Asbestos, CFCs, Greenhouse gases, etc.  The intern would be asked to review the data, and to summarize the results so that branch staff can use this information in support of inspections, investigations, enforcement actions and consent decree tracking.   The intern’s work will greatly facilitate the completion of the requisite information reviews so that compliance investigations/enforcement actions can be done more quickly, leading to source compliance achieved more expeditiously. 

16.   Division of Environmental Science & Assessment – Monitoring & Assessment Branch (1) – Edison, NJ

The intern will participate as a team member in all aspects of the Helicopter Monitoring Program.  The Program includes ocean monitoring to protect the bathing public and local shellfish areas, recording aerial observations for floatable debris in the New York/New Jersey Harbor area to protect the marine environment and to prevent the wash up of floatable debris on area beaches.  Oral and/or written briefings will be conducted.  Monitoring is accomplished by helicopter and occasionally by boat.  The position is approximately 50% field work.  In addition to the Helicopter Monitoring Program, the intern will work as a laboratory technician in the Edison Laboratory, where he/she will assist in sample preparation, routine microbiological analyses, as well as other laboratory functions.

17.   Division of Environmental Science & Assessment – Monitoring & Assessment Branch (2) – Edison, NJ

The intern will assist a regional biologist in various aspects of the Regional Bioassessment Monitoring Program.  During the summer, routine studies of rivers, streams, and lakes will be conducted to assess biological conditions.  These biological assessments involve the collection of macro invertebrates and fish.  Objectives of the studies are to examine relationships between the biology and land use, habitat, and water quality.  Students working with the biologist will be responsible for assisting in the field collection of biological, habitat, and water quality data.  Students will also assist with laboratory sample processing and entry of data into databases.  In addition, the intern will participate as a team member conducting NPDES Compliance Monitoring Inspections.

18.   Division of Environmental Science & Assessment – Monitoring & Assessment Branch (3) – Edison, NJ

The intern will be involved in several activities which can be tailored to fit the intern's abilities/interests: (1) Planning and field work to deploy and retrieve an autonomous underwater vehicle or ocean glider to collect dissolved oxygen throughout the coastal zone of NJ; (2) Data analysis/interpretation for the 2011/2012 glider results; and/or (3) Assist in the collection of data to validate freshwater bioassessment protocols that are used to support EPA Water Monitoring Programs.  Additional duties may involve data analysis/interpretation, and publication for a Post-Super Storm Sandy sediment chemistry/biological survey.  The intern will may also participate as a team member conducting NPDES Compliance Monitoring Inspections.

19.   Division of Environmental Science & Assessment – Hazardous Waste Support Branch – Edison, NJ

The intern will assist staff in various tasks supporting the Superfund Program.  The intern will be responsible for entry of data into databases, quality control of environmental criteria and/or data tables, preparing plots/graphs of environmental data, and developing data management templates and/or programs in MS Excel and/or MS Access. The intern will also assist with groundwater sampling pumps and other environmental sampling equipment decontamination.  In addition, the intern will participate as a team member conducting equipment inventories and inspections plus other site mobilization activities.  A strong background in MS Excel and Access is preferred.

20.   Clean Air & Sustainability Division – Mobile Source Section – New York, NY

Students pursuing a degree in Environmental Science, Policy, Public Heath, and/or Engineering are encouraged to apply.  The intern will undertake investigative work through the identification of innovative air emission reduction opportunities from various mobile source sectors by reviewing, verifying, and analyzing existing data sources and grant proposals managed by EPA, our states, as well as other public and private entities. This work will include interaction with a variety of stakeholders at various levels of government, environmental organizations and private entities to foster existing and create new partnerships to achieve measurable air quality benefits through activities such as the application of clean diesel technologies to existing vehicles and engines.  The intern will have the opportunity to learn about 1) the types and magnitude of air pollution resulting from mobile sources; 2) the various mobile source sectors (light-duty and heavy-duty on-road vehicles, construction equipment, airport ground support equipment and marine vessels, locomotives, etc.); and, 3) the technologies and policies being implemented for the reduction of air pollution from mobile sources. Program activities will focus on EPA’s partnership programs and also on the reduction of mobile source air pollution through Federal, state, and local regulatory measures.

21.   Clean Air & Sustainability Division – Air Planning Section – New York, NY

The intern will: 1) Assess the impact of carbon pollution regulation on power plants in Region 2.  This would include an assessment of what and how sources would be impacted by the proposal for existing power plants; 2) Acquire weather map data from NOAA’s reanalysis site and compare with seasonal ozone data to determine link between seasonal weather patterns and year-to-year variability of ozone in the NYC and Philadelphia metro areas; 3) Tabulate Newark Airport hourly weather data by visibility, relative humidity, and rainfall to find number of hours when aviation is restricted due to haze; and 4) Compile regional haze data from the VIEWS web site for Virgin Islands to expand the visibility trends analysis.

22.   Clean Air & Sustainability Division – Pollution Prevention & Climate Change Section – New York, NY

Students pursuing a degree in environmental science and/or engineering (e.g., environmental, chemical, civil, mechanical) are encouraged to apply.  The intern will work on an Urban Toxics Mitigation and Reduction project.  This project focuses on the greening of small businesses located in areas threatened by extreme weather events (e.g., flooding), through a combination of better management practices (e.g., inventory control, storage) and process modifications (e.g., substitution of raw material inputs by safer alternatives). 

23.   Clean Air & Sustainability Division – Sustainable Materials Management Section – New York, NY

The intern will assist in implementing the Solid Waste and Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) programs. This will include support for our efforts to partner with states, industry, schools, municipalities and other organizations to find smarter, faster ways of reducing waste, encouraging reuse and recycling, reducing toxic chemicals in the waste stream and building more sustainable communities. This internship offers the opportunity to develop and implement outreach for WasteWise, SMM and Sustainability programs as well as tracking and evaluating the effectiveness of outreach for SMM and Sustainability programs.

24.   Clean Air & Sustainability Division – Radiation & Indoor Air Branch – New York, NY

The Intern’s work could be in either the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Radon/Asthma, or Radiation areas, depending on their interest.  Indoor Air work might include grant oversight, response to citizen inquiries on radon, mold, and other IAQ topical areas.  Setup and maintenance of display tables and distribution of publications at public events is another possible area for assignments. In the Radiation area, the intern might research and assemble Regional and/or national RadNet monitoring data to provide a “user-friendly” document showing results and trend for various geographic areas and suitable for public distribution.  Assistance in summarizing instrument monitoring data from site work measurements is also possible. 

25.   Clean Air & Sustainability Division – Hazardous Waste Programs Branch – New York, NY

The intern would mainly be working on studying Perflourinated Compounds (PFCs).  The study will include compiling analyzing existing researches, coordinating with the New Jersey State counterparts, and performing human health risk assessments from lifetime exposure to PFCs (PFOA, PFNA, and PFOS) via ingestion of drinking water.   The intern can also assist in coordinating with the project managers to compile the status of the Environmental Indicators within New York and New Jersey.

26.   Public Affairs Division – Intergovernmental and Community Affairs Branch – New York, NY:

The Public Affairs Division (PAD) is the main communications hub for the region, handling media relations, community involvement, social media, the regional website, international relations, intergovernmental affairs, environmental education and Freedom of Information Act response and coordination. The intern will provide communications support in all of these areas and provide assistance in using traditional and non-traditional public affairs tools such as blog posts, tweets, press releases, opinion pieces, fact sheets, community updates and Web pages. The intern will also assist the division with efforts to expand our engagement around climate change and other pressing environmental issues with a broad and diverse group of stakeholders.  PAD supports all of the programs of the region, including those associated with sustainability, and the intern will participate in a diversified group of support activities.