How to work for the Environmental Protection Agency

Colloquially known as the EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency is a federal agency in the United States that works to protect citizen’s health and the environment.

Brief History and Mission of the Environmental Protection Agency

President Richard Nixon signed an executive order in 1970 that created the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Its creation was designed to address public concerns about pollution and its impact on the environment. 

Before the EPA, there were various other federal agencies like the National Air Pollution Control Administration, the Federal Water Quality Administration, and the pesticide and radiation programs of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior. The EPA consolidated these organizations. 

On their website, the EPA states their mission is to “protect human health and the environment.” 

The EPA’s main goal is to create and enforce regulations around environmental issues, like air and water pollution, hazardous waste management, chemical safety, and pesticide use. 

The EPA is the organization that dictates issue permits, conducts inspections, and enforces its standards.

To achieve its goal, the EPA does a lot of scientific research to understand the impact pollutants have on the surrounding environment and to develop solid solutions. 

Another area of focus for the EPA is emergency response and preparedness. 

They want to be able to respond effectively to environmental emergencies like oil spills, natural disasters, and chemical releases. 

The Environmental Protection Agency’s work includes many different sections and works with other federal agencies, state and local governments, industry, and public interest groups to work towards a better environment. 

What Are the Roles and Opportunities Within the Environmental Protection Agency?

Fortunately for those interested in the Department of Transportation, there are a wide variety of jobs. 

Many of these jobs deal with environmental science, policy, law, and administrative support. 

Obviously, the EPA hires a lot of environmental scientists. 

Environmental scientists work under the EPA to research and assess environmental impacts, develop sound regulations, and give advice on environmental challenges. 

These scientists will specialize in areas like air quality, water quality, ecology, toxicology, climate change, or similar subjects. 

Policy analysts are also a significant position at the EPA. 

Policy analysts help examine environmental legislation and predict the impact of proposed policies. 

They do a lot of cost-benefit analyses and provide their expert recommendations. 

Air quality specialists are also crucial at the EPA. They work to monitor and improve air quality. 

Much of their time is spent researching and implementing strategies to prevent and reduce air pollution. 

They also analyze air pollution data and evaluate compliance with the existing air quality standards. 

Naturally, there are many other positions available within the EPA. 

The agency needs plenty of employees in the fields of legal counsel, public affairs, information technology, administrative support, and more. 

Application Process for the Environmental Protection Agency

Applicants who are excited to apply for the Environmental Protection Agency should be happy because it is a fairly painless process. 

It begins with two easy steps. Individuals must make an account with login.gov and then make an account with USAJOBS.gov. 

USAJOBS.gov is an official federal website with all the jobs that the United States government needs filled urgently. 

This is the website applicants will use while they are looking for open positions. 

The search function on this website can filter positions by agencies, so that only jobs with the Environmental Protection Agency display. 

Right now, as of June 2nd, 2023, there are not too many open positions. 

There are exactly 65 different jobs working with the EPA. One position is open for a Budget Analyst with a yearly salary of $85,508.

It’s crucial to note that many Environmental Protection Agency listings are open so that anyone who is a United States citizen or national can apply. 

However, some listings ask that only current federal employees of that agency apply. 

To apply, individuals need to click on the listing and then click on the “Apply” button and fill out all required information. 

Any documentation can be submitted and uploaded with the USA JOBS portal. 

What Employee Benefits Does the Environmental Protection Agency Offer?

The Environmental Protection Agency is a federal agency, and so workers get standard federal benefits. 

The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program has a variety of health insurance plans for medical, dental, and vision coverage to choose from, with options for individuals and families. 

Eligible dependents of workers also benefit from this coverage. 

As for retirement savings and investment plans, employees working at the EPA get access to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). 

The TSP is a retirement savings and investment plan that lets employees contribute some of their salary on a pre-tax basis and invest it. 

The government will typically provide matching contributions.

Naturally, federal employees also receive paid vacation leave, sick leave, and federal holidays. 

An individual worker’s benefits depend on how long the employee has worked and other factors. 

Employees should go through official channels like Human Resources to know their specific benefits. 

Applicants who want to contribute to the preservation and protection of the environment should apply today!

There are just 65 job opportunities currently on USAJOBS.gov.