POSITION DESCRIPTION
This is an unpaid volunteer internship at the U.S. EPA Headquarters in OAR’s Office of Air Policy and
Program Support (OAPPS).
Volunteer interns will gain valuable experience in efforts to protect public health and the environment
with an emphasis on the Clean Air Act in concert with educational and research interests. The position
requires a person with ability to analyze and coordinate international, economics, research, and science
issues; engage stakeholders with effective communication and outreach; manage program operations;
support top priorities cross-OAR policies and processes; and work independently and/or with small
teams.
The specific project will be negotiated with the selected volunteers and will be contingent on his or her
knowledge, skills, and interests. Current needs and illustrative tasks include assisting with:
• Congressional relations – perform legislative analysis, assist with hearing preparation, and track
correspondence;
• SharePoint Sites and Websites – develop, update and maintain SharePoint sites and webpages;
• Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests – track and upkeep FOIAs and develop best practices;
• Lean projects – help streamline aspects of our programs while making them more effective;
• Research efforts — analyze data and coordinate science policies;
• Rulemaking – assist rule team with tracking and facilitating rulemaking process with OP; and
• Special Emphasis Programs – support various activities that cut across OAR such as the Clean Air
Excellence Awards Program, Skills Marketplace Program, etc.
Volunteer interns may be assigned to work on one of the above projects or multiple project areas, in
addition to contributing to and obtaining insights and exposure to a host of Air Policy and Programmatic
issues. Background and majors from various disciplines are anticipated to help fulfill these needs:
physical, health and environmental sciences; engineering; business management and organizational
design; government, political science, public policy and administration; project management;
information technology and computer science; English (writing) and communications; economics; law.
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO
OAPPS is a staff office in the Immediate Office of the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and
Radiation (OAR). OAPPS provides cross-program policy and programmatic support to OAR senior
leadership and to OAR’s stationary source, mobile source, atmospheric program, and radiation/indoor
air program offices. Specific responsibilities and activities of the office are organized through six main
practice areas including: economics, science policy and research coordination, international activities,
program tracking and management, Congressional and stakeholder engagement, and priority projects of
senior OAR leadership.
ELIGIBILITY
You must be a U.S. citizen and a full-time undergraduate, graduate or Ph.D. candidate student. A
diversity of candidates and fields of study are of interest including degree candidates in the following
disciplines: sciences, economics, public policy, public health, engineering, political science, information
technology, organizational management, and international policy.
LOGISTICS
We anticipate hosting 1-2 interns this coming spring and summer. Volunteers may work full-time
(maximum of up to 40 hours per week) or part-time (minimum of 20 hours per week). Students may
elect to volunteer in the spring or summer:
• Spring internships start in January/February and end in May/June.
• Summer internships start in late May/early June and end in August.
We recognize, however, that this timeframe may vary due to class schedules, e.g., semester vs. quarters,
and will work with individual candidates to refine the timing and duration of an internship as needed.
There may be opportunities for tenures to be extended for those local to U.S. EPA Headquarters in the
Washington D.C. Metropolitan area or interns participating in local area semester study programs.
Our offices are not able to provide financial compensation to its volunteers; however, some students are
able to find stipends or grants from outside sources or obtain course credit from their school.
HOW TO APPLY
To be considered, you must submit the following information by email as a single Word or PDF file to:
Joseph Morris (Morris.Joseph@epa.gov) and Mary Resendez (Resendez.Mary@epa.gov) by December 7,
2018 for spring internships or January 9, 2019 for summer internships. Please indicate your preference
for the spring or summer internship in your cover letter.
1) Cover letter (briefly summarizing your interest in the position, desired timing of internship (spring or
summer) and qualifications); and
2) Resume
Please do not send writing samples, references or transcripts at this time. If these materials are deemed
necessary once applications are received, they will be specifically requested. We will contact you if you
are selected for an interview. Interviews will be held in person, via teleconference or Skype in December
or January.
Upon acceptance of an internship offer, volunteers will 1) sign a volunteer agreement that includes
proof of enrollment or admittance to a qualifying educational institution; 2) demonstrate that the
volunteer experience relates to the student’s educational goals; and 3) have the opportunity to apply for
transit subsidy (cost of local public transportation during the internship).
Questions may be directed to: Catrice Jefferson at Jefferson.Catrice@epa.gov or (202) 564-1668.
Thank you for your interest in joining our work to improve the environment and protect public health.
