Data Specialist
The EPA Environmental Research and Business Support Program has an immediate opening for a full-time Data Specialist position with the EPA facility in Research Triangle Park, NC.
What the EPA project is about
The Health and Environmental Research Online (HERO) database provides an easy way to access and influence the scientific literature behind EPA science assessments. The database includes more than 3 million scientific references and data from the peer-reviewed literature used by EPA to develop its regulations for the following: Integrated Science Assessments (ISA) that feed into the NAAQS review, Provisional Peer Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTV) that represent human health toxicity values for the Superfund, and the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), a database that supports critical agency policymaking for chemical regulation. These assessments supported by HERO characterize the nature and magnitude of health risks to humans and the ecosystem from pollutants and chemicals in the environment.
What you will be doing
The team member provide data curation, document acquisition, and general project support to the HERO project. The required skills include but are not limited to assisting with file management, data curation, and quality control. The participant shall be a member of a team of librarians and data specialists, and will be trained to support the development and operation of HERO.
Required skills
- A working knowledge of relational databases
- Strong written, oral and electronic communication skills
- The ability to work well as a part of a team
Desired skills
- Experience with ColdFusion, Endnote, SQL, Python, Java or Mongo is strongly desired.
How you will apply your skills
Data curation includes but is not limited to:
- Quality control of HERO metadata (entered by third parties and imported directly from bibliographic databases) ensuring consistent quality, formatting and presentation
- Resolution of duplicated citations into a single HERO record
- Verification of data to ensure correctness and completeness
Document acquisition includes but is not limited to:
- Locate and archive digital copies of original full-text articles relevant to the assessment, using agency provided resources and in accordance with copyright law
- Digitization and storage of relevant hard copy articles in the HERO database
General project support includes but is not limited to:
- Testing new interfaces and tools for HERO
- Creating new project pages and hierarchies of organizational tags to meet the needs of the scientists working on each project
- Providing basic assistance, training and support to agency and contractor users of HERO
Location: This job will be located EPA’s Research Triangle facility in Raleigh-Durham, NC.
Salary: Selected applicants will become temporary employees of ORAU and will receive an hourly wage of $21.59 for hours worked.
Hours: Full time
Travel:
Expected start date: The position is full time and expected to begin August 2019. The initial project is through May 14, 2020, with potential options periods.
Working conditions: You will be supervised by a mentor who will provide day-to-day direction, as well as coach, advise, counsel and review your work. The position will involve work in an administrative setting and is not expected to involve exposure to hazardous elements
Qualifications
- Be at least 18 years of age and
- Have Bachelor’s degree in environmental risk assessment, ecology, toxicology, environmental science, epidemiology, computer or information science or a closely related field of study from an accredited university or college within the last 24 months and
- Be a citizen of the United States of America or a Legal Permanent Resident.
EPA ORD employees, their spouses, and children are not eligible to participate in this program.