Bioaerosol Engineer/Scientist
About The Position
ERG is a research and consulting firm that provides a wide range of support to federal, state, and commercial clients. ERG offers multidisciplinary teams with nationally recognized skills in engineering, science, economics, public health, informational technology, and communications. We hire people with the best minds and then provide them with a vibrant and flexible environment in which to develop their careers. The qualified individual must be highly motivated with the skills to prioritize, perform, and communicate effectively in a fast-paced environment. We are seeking a highly skilled Bioaerosol Engineer or Scientist to join our onsite team supporting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In this role, you will contribute to research, testing, evaluation, and technology development related to bioaerosols, aerosolized particles, collection efficiency, and air monitoring systems. The ideal candidate brings strong technical expertise, hands-on laboratory experience, and a desire to support mission-critical environmental and public health initiatives. This is an onsite position embedded within a federal laboratory environment, working closely with EPA scientists, engineers, and program leads. Job Description: Support research, development, and evaluation of bioaerosol sampling, detection, and characterization technologies Operate and maintain aerosol generation systems, sampling equipment, environmental chambers, and analytical instruments Assist in experimental design, execution of laboratory studies, and data collection in controlled aerosol test environments Conduct bioaerosol sample preparation, processing, culturing, and analysis using established EPA and industry protocols Perform quantitative analysis, data interpretation, and contribute to technical reports, presentations, and documentation Collaborate closely with EPA scientists and cross-functional onsite teams to support ongoing research goals and emerging program needs Follow strict biosafety, chemical hygiene, and quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures Contribute to troubleshooting of equipment, method refinement, and continuous improvement of laboratory capabilities Assist project leadership in planning and coordinating cross functional testing programs Lead individual project tasks under the direction of the project leadership team Assist in planning and facilitating stakeholder meetings Design and conduct controlled chamber experiments using surrogate challenge agents to assess efficacy of air treatment technologies under varied environmental and airflow conditions Perform air sampling to quantify challenge agents in chamber and HVAC air; capture and interpret continuous monitoring data (e.g., temperature, relative humidity, particle concentration/size distribution) Maintain operational readiness of the EPA Aerosol Test Facility (ATF), including a wind tunnel, environmental chambers, bioaerosol chamber, and associated labs Oversee instrument repair, assembly, installation, calibration, alignment, functional verification, and coordinate vendor/manufacturer maintenance
Requirements
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Microbiology, Environmental Science, or a related field
- Hands-on experience in aerosol science, bioaerosols, air sampling, or environmental microbiology
- Familiarity with aerosol generation systems, particle counters, impactors, filters, or bioaerosol capture devices.
- Proven ability to design test plans, vary environmental/airflow conditions, and interpret impacts on device performance (e.g., UV, photocatalytic, portable/ducted air cleaners)
- Hands-on expertise with air sampling, particle measurement/instrumentation (concentration & size distribution), sensor calibration, and data quality verification
- Experience authoring and maintaining SOPs, HASP, and Data Management Plans; disciplined approach to QA/QC and traceable records
- Proficiency maintaining electronic research notebooks, ensuring complete metadata capture and timely data summaries.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and documentation skills
- Ability to work onsite within a federal laboratory environment and meet security/background requirements
- Facility and instrumentation competence: installation, alignment, calibration, troubleshooting, vendor coordination, and preventive maintenance planning/documentation
- Excellent technical writing and communication skills, with a track record of reports and contributions to peer-reviewed or conference outputs
- Experience in writing scientific, technical, quality assurance, and health & safety documents
- Extensive experience in implementing organizational quality assurance plans and quality management practices
- Extensive experience in implementing client and organizational health & safety practices
- Ability to pass background checks
Responsibilities
- Support research, development, and evaluation of bioaerosol sampling, detection, and characterization technologies
- Operate and maintain aerosol generation systems, sampling equipment, environmental chambers, and analytical instruments
- Assist in experimental design, execution of laboratory studies, and data collection in controlled aerosol test environments
- Conduct bioaerosol sample preparation, processing, culturing, and analysis using established EPA and industry protocols
- Perform quantitative analysis, data interpretation, and contribute to technical reports, presentations, and documentation
- Collaborate closely with EPA scientists and cross-functional onsite teams to support ongoing research goals and emerging program needs
- Follow strict biosafety, chemical hygiene, and quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures
- Contribute to troubleshooting of equipment, method refinement, and continuous improvement of laboratory capabilities
- Assist project leadership in planning and coordinating cross functional testing programs
- Lead individual project tasks under the direction of the project leadership team
- Assist in planning and facilitating stakeholder meetings
- Design and conduct controlled chamber experiments using surrogate challenge agents to assess efficacy of air treatment technologies under varied environmental and airflow conditions
- Perform air sampling to quantify challenge agents in chamber and HVAC air; capture and interpret continuous monitoring data (e.g., temperature, relative humidity, particle concentration/size distribution)
- Maintain operational readiness of the EPA Aerosol Test Facility (ATF), including a wind tunnel, environmental chambers, bioaerosol chamber, and associated labs
- Oversee instrument repair, assembly, installation, calibration, alignment, functional verification, and coordinate vendor/manufacturer maintenance
Benefits
- health and dental insurance
- life insurance
- long-term disability
- educational benefits
- FSAs
- a generous 401k plan
- profit sharing
- an EAP
- 11-20 paid vacation days per year
- 10 paid holidays per year
- 56 hours or more of sick leave (based on the state you work in) per year (pro-rated for part-time)
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Number of Employees
251-500 employees
