EPA Fellowship on Evaluating Nitrogen Oxide Emission Inventories Using Satellite and Airborne Measurements of the NO2 Column

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and this opportunity could close before the application deadline. Click here for information about the selection process.

EPA Office/Lab and Location: A research training opportunity is available at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development (ORD), Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling (CEMM), Atmospheric & Environmental Systems Modeling Division (AESMD) located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

ORD performs science in support of the Agency’s regulatory mission. conducts research to advance EPA’s ability to characterize atmospheric and environmental processes that impact the transport, transformation, and fate of environmental contaminants in the air and the multimedia linkages of air pollutant emissions in support of the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.

Research Project: This research training opportunity will use state-of-the-art airborne and satellite-based remote sensing measurements of NO2 in combination with ground-based measurements and gridded meteorological wind products to improve knowledge of sources of NOx emissions affecting air quality upwind, over and downwind of New York City. The spatial detail of the measurements available will enable knowledge to be gained at scales far finer than available in conventional emissions estimating techniques. The results will directly inform emission inventory development, improve baseline data for more accurate ozone attainment modeling, and of greatest import, support state and federal efforts to implement emission controls that are needed for New York City nonattainment region to attain the federal ozone standard. The research participant will develop, refine and apply an existing observational analysis technique to a rich and complex dataset as part of an ongoing collaboration between EPA, NASA, and multiple state agencies seeking to better use remote sensing data to improve our knowledge of factors driving air pollution. 

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, the research participant will be involved in the following research activities:

• Collaborating with a team of scientists from EPA and other government agencies to refine and enhance data analysis techniques related to state of the science remote sensing products (e.g., NASA Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring POllution)
• Interacting with relevant scientific and air quality management work groups to complement ongoing projects.
• Modifying, applying, and evaluating  observational data sets (e.g. satellite-based and airborne remote sensing data)  through a range of numerical techniques; and developing and applying analytical tools to investigate fine scale (~1 square kilometer) air quality issues.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Lukas Valin (valin.lukas@epa.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: November 1, 2023.  All start dates are flexible and vary depending on numerous factors. Click here for detailed information about start dates.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year but shorter appointments may be considered. The appointment may be renewed upon EPA recommendation and subject to availability of funding.

Level of Participation: The appointment is full-time.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Click here for detailed information about full-time stipends.

EPA Security Clearance: Completion of a successful background investigation by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is required for an applicant to be on-boarded at EPA.

ORISE Information: This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and EPA. Participants do not become employees of EPA, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.

ORISE offers all ORISE EPA graduate students and Postdocs a free 5 year membership to the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA).

The successful applicant(s) will be required to comply with Environmental, Safety and Health (ES&H) requirements of the hosting facility, including but not limited to, COVID-19 requirements (e.g. facial covering, physical distancing, testing, vaccination).

Questions: Please see the FAQ section of our website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process please email ORISE.EPA.ORD@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate must have received or be currently pursuing a master's or doctoral degree in one of the relevant disciplines. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.

Preferred skills:

• Experience developing and applying computer based data analysis techniques to large geophysical data sets which include emissions inventories, remote sensing, and meteorological data.
• Coding experience in Python, Matlab and UNIX shell scripting and familiarity working with diverse file formats (e.g. netCDF, IOAPI)