Postdoctoral Pesticide Fellowship

Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit leader in research, public education, policy, and advocacy in the field of environmental health, invites researchers with a doctorate degree to apply for a postdoctoral research and policy fellowship position with our organization. The fellowship will focus on the health impacts of paraquat pesticide usage, specifically investigating its harms to neurological development, including the link to Parkinson’s Disease. The ideal candidate will have researched neurological outcomes and completed doctoral or post-doctoral training in an environmental health relevant discipline such as exposure assessment, toxicology, epidemiology, biology or chemistry. This role will involve the analysis of large datasets and will have a unique opportunity to inform and shape public health policy in the heart of Washington, DC. The fellowship position is offered for 1 year, with an option for subsequent extension. 

EWG’s Science team has published groundbreaking research on drinking water contaminants, pesticides, chemical policy and regulations, and chemicals in consumer products. EWG is nationally known for its comprehensive and interactive databases, compiled and built over many years, such as EWG’s national Tap Water Database, the largest publicly accessible data repository on tap water contaminant occurrence in the United States; Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce; PFAS contamination map; and the Skin Deep® database of  personal care products. 

Duties:

• Investigate research topics of public health relevance using literature reviews, test results, and large health and environmental datasets
• Complete scientific research analysis in support of health protective policy goals
• Collaborate with the Senior Campaign Director and the Government Affairs team to integrate research findings into policy and advocacy strategies.
• Author scientific articles and reports for EWG’s website, draft comment letters on policy and regulatory matters, and collaborate on peer-reviewed research
• Support EWG’s database projects
• Represent EWG’s at conferences, public events, and in government testimony
• Serve as a scientific expert for the media, digital communications and government affairs

Qualifications:

• A doctorate degree in public health, environmental health, occupational health, medicine, toxicology, nutrition science, biology, chemistry or related fields 
• Interest and commitment to policy relevant research and science communication
• Strong written and oral communications skills
• Track record of publications in peer reviewed scientific journals
• Experience with data visualization programs (preferred)
• Experience with R programming language for data analysis or another programming language (preferred)

Examples of EWG research projects:

• A study of the racial and social disparities in pesticide exposure in California
• Epidemiological and economic analysis of adverse health impacts associated with drinking water contaminants
• Review of the use of animal toxicology data  and the development of alternative test methods in risk assessment

Location:  Washington, DC office.  Full-time remote work is not possible for this position.
Compensation: Annual salary range of  $80,000 – $100,000.  Salary is commensurate with experience.

Total Rewards
In addition to competitive pay, EWG employees enjoy a robust total rewards package that includes: 

• Affordable, comprehensive health care that includes medical, dental and vision benefits.
• Generous paid annual leave plan.
• Generous paid sick leave.
• Employer-paid disability, life insurance and paid family leave plans.
• Flexibility to telework.