Opportunities at Silent Spring Institute
We are always seeking applications from exceptional individuals who want to be part of our team.
Positions
Silent Spring Institute is a non-profit research organization dedicated to identifying—and changing—the links between the environment and women's health, especially breast cancer. We are a multi-disciplinary team with expertise in epidemiology, toxicology, chemistry, GIS, community-based research, and communications. Annual budget of approximately $1.8 million supports a staff of 13, working with collaborating investigators at Harvard, Brown, UC Berkeley etc., and activists at Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, Hurricane Voices, Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow and nationally. Research focuses on breast cancer and environmental pollutants, especially endocrine disrupting compounds and animal mammary gland carcinogens, and path-breaking studies of household exposures. This is an opportunity to be part of a nationally recognized, innovative, mission-driven team.
Research Assistant or Project Director: Social and ethical context of environmental research
This position involves substantial responsibility for NIH-funded research on the social and ethical context of environmental health research. We are investigating how people respond to learning their own environmental exposure data and their views about sharing personal data online. Other job responsibilities include communicating scientific work to the public and building relationships with advocacy organizations and science collaborators.
Our multidisciplinary team incorporates expertise in social science, exposure science, toxicology, computer science, and communications. Collaborating investigators are at Harvard, Northeastern, UC Berkeley, etc.
We seek applicants with outstanding academic and communications skills and interests in applying social science to environmental health issues. Science journalists welcomed to apply.
Responsibilities:
This position requires great versatility in support of the Institute’s research and public communications. It reports to the executive director and affords a bird’s-eye-view of community engaged research, and breast cancer and environment issues.
Examples of activities:
- Working with the principal investigator, manage NIEHS-funded study of how people respond to communications about their personal exposure to pollutants and design a novel digital reporting system.
- Coordinate a multi-institution research team with Silent Spring, Northeastern (SSEHRI), Harvard (SEAS and HSPH), and UC Berkeley
- Schedule and conduct interviews with study participants, researchers, and ethics officials
- Code and analyze interview data using systematic qualitative methods
- Help design a digital exposure reporting system
- Opportunities to author peer-reviewed articles
- Contribute to a study of ethical, effective methods for online data-sharing in environmental science
- Recruit for and conduct interviews with people who have shared genetic data online
- Coordinate a workshop on environmental data sharing and privacy issues.
- Represent the Institute in relationships with environmental health advocacy organizations
- Support proposal preparation for federal and foundation grants.
- Some travel. Some evening and weekend responsibilities at public events.
Additional requirements: Applicants with a bachelors or graduate-level degree will be considered. Excellent academic record; social science, environmental science, and communications coursework an asset. Technology and social-media savvy a plus. Relevant work experience preferred. High energy, creativity, attention to accuracy, ability to work independently within a multidisciplinary team. Commitment to careful and impartial research in a context of partnership between scientists and the public.
To apply, send cover letter describing your interests and experience related to this job, resume, writing sample, and copy of academic transcript (photocopy is fine) to Anna Claeys, HR/IT/Research Associate, Silent Spring Institute, 29 Crafts Street, Newton, MA 02458 or email careers@silentspring.org with 'Research Position’ in the subject line.
Research Assistant: Digital Technology and Environmental Health
We seek a research assistant or staff scientist with experience in computer science, data analysis, or mathematics and an interest in applying these skills to environmental health research. The new researcher will work on projects that combine technology, environmental health science, and social science. For example, researchers nationally are struggling to develop meaningful ways to report to study participants on the levels of emerging contaminants detected in their own body or home. Our unique team of environmental health scientists, social scientists, and human-computer interaction experts is designing a digital interface that we expect will become the standard for reporting results in biomonitoring and exposure studies. We will first develop and test the interface for reporting personal pesticide exposures to residents of Boston public housing.
Responsibilities: This position requires versatility in support of the Institute’s transdisciplinary research. It reports to the executive director and affords a bird’s-eye-view of research in human computer interaction, environmental health science, and community engaged research.
Examples of activities:
- Help design an interactive digital reporting system for personal environmental exposures.
- Conduct data management and statistical analyses using R.
- Help create computational systems to assess privacy risks in environmental health data.
- Develop an Android app to tell shoppers about health-related chemicals in cleaners and personal care products.
- Opportunities to author peer-reviewed articles.
- Support proposal preparation for federal and foundation grants.
- Help research team keep apprised of new technology, research news and policy developments.
- Some travel. Some evening and weekend responsibilities at public events.
Requirements: We seek applicants with outstanding academic and technical skills and commitment to advancing environmental public health. Applicants with a bachelors or graduate-level degree will be considered. Excellent academic record; computer science, mathematics, biochemistry/biology, and social science coursework an asset. Programming experience, especially in R or Java, and relevant work experience preferred. Creativity, attention to accuracy, ability to work independently within a multidisciplinary team. Commitment to careful and impartial research in a context of partnership between scientists and the public. For more information, visit our web site at www.silentspring.org.
To apply: send cover letter describing your interests and experience related to this job, resume, writing sample, and copy of academic transcript (photocopy is fine) to Diane Czwakiel, Administrative Manager, Silent Spring Institute, 29 Crafts Street, Newton, MA 02458 or email careers@silentspring.org with 'Technology Research Assistant' in the subject line.
Research Assistant or Staff Scientist
Responsibilities: This position requires great versatility in support of the Institute’s transdisciplinary research, public communications, and proposal development. It reports to the executive director and affords a bird’s-eye-view of community engaged research and environmental health research and policy. Research positions are tailored to the particular qualifications of each individual. Examples of activities:
- Provide research support, including literature review, assistance in preparation of presentations and manuscripts, for the Institute’s ongoing research.
- Schedule and conduct interviews with study participants, researchers, and ethics officials; code and analyze interview data
- Conduct data management and quantitative analysis for environmental exposure data
- Identify sources of environmental, health and other data that may pose privacy risks in data-sharing.
- Opportunities to author peer-reviewed articles.
- Speak about environmental health issues with community organizations.
- Support proposal preparation for federal and foundation grants.
- Help research team keep apprised of research news and policy developments and activist campaigns.
- Some travel. Some evening and weekend responsibilities at public events.
Additional requirements: Applicants with a bachelors or graduate-level degree will be considered. Excellent academic record; social science, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, and statistics coursework an asset. R programming an asset. Relevant work experience preferred. High energy, creativity, attention to accuracy, ability to work independently within a multidisciplinary team. Commitment to careful and impartial research in a context of partnership between scientists and the public. For more information, visit our web site at www.silentspring.org.
To apply, send cover letter describing your interests and experience related to this job, resume, writing sample, and copy of academic transcript (photocopy is fine) to Diane Czwakiel, Administrative Manager, Silent Spring Institute, 29 Crafts Street, Newton, MA 02458 or email careers@silentspring.org with 'Research Assistant or Staff Scientist' in the subject line.
Internships
We seek applicants with skills and interests in environmental health science and policy and non-profit management.
Responsibilities will be tailored to the skills and interests of the applicant. Each intern will work directly as an assistant to a supervising staff member, and interns are encouraged to develop an independent project to be completed during the internship as well. Responsibilities may include literature searches, interviewing, environmental sampling, data management, and writing, among other possibilities. Undergraduate and masters level interns are expected to spend approximately 20% of their time on office support tasks (telephones, etc.). Interns are expected to maintain regular work hours, with some flexibility to accommodate major assignments and exams.
Examples of previous and projected intern activities:
- Identify from chemical engineering references the consumer products that are likely sources of exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds
- Using GIS, map likely air pollutant exposures on Cape Cod
- Assist in developing web site capabilities and content
- Help maintain and expand the Institute’s 6,000-item special library
- Using interviews and published literature, identify the best models of community based participatory research
- Interview breast cancer activists about environmental attitudes
Requirements: Excellent academic record. Chemistry, biology, statistics coursework an asset for research interns. Energetic, flexible, constructive outlook. Excellent attention to accuracy, ability to work independently within a multidisciplinary team. Commitment to careful and impartial research in a context of partnership between scientists and the public.
To apply, send cover letter describing your interests and experience related to this internship, resume, writing sample, and copy of academic transcript (photocopy is fine) to Diane Czwakiel, Administrative Manager, Silent Spring Institute, 29 Crafts Street, Newton, MA 02458, or email to careers@silentspring.org with 'Internships' in the subject line. Please designate the time period you are interested in.
Senior Scientist
Senior scientist applicants should expect to develop and lead an independent research program within our mission. Our scientists publish in high-impact scientific journals, compete for federal grants, and participate in scientific conferences. We collaborate with researchers at Brown, Harvard, and Tufts, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, University of Southern California, USGS, and CDC. Senior scientists are supported by outstanding research assistants and access to funds for pilot studies and proposal development. Click here for publications by Silent Spring Institute researchers.
Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition/Silent Spring Institute
Lead Intern in Special Events and Outreach
This position assists with oversight of other interns and projects for each of the organizations. Publicizing and preparing for the annual Against the Tide fundraising event will be the main task involving MBCC. Engaging in additional projects and supporting the two organizations will also be part of the internship. This position involves frequent communication with Cheryl Osimo, MBCC/SSI Event and Outreach Coordinator. Responsibilities include contacting media outlets throughout Massachusetts with press releases and feature news stories covering the Against the Tide events.
Tasks can be completed from school or home, as Internet and telephone will be the primary communication tools needed for assignments. Thus, the flexibility of the position is substantial, with minimal travel except for on-site assistance required the day before and day of the 2013 Against the Tide Swim/Walk/Run/Kayak events held in June at DCR's Hopkinton State Park in Hopkinton, MA, and in August at DCR's Nickerson State Park in Brewster, MA. It may be necessary to attend other events that are not yet on our calendar. Interested students must commit to one of the two intern opportunities: 1. February 2013 - July 2013, or 2. May 2013 - September 2013. While the position is unpaid, many institutions offer students credit or stipends to cover expenses.
Job Responsibilities May Include:
- Assisting Cheryl Osimo with oversight of other interns.
- Interviewing Against the Tide event participants. This responsibility requires phone and/or email contact with those who have been touched by breast cancer. Phone interviews are critical for obtaining information used in press releases and media coverage. In some instances it will be necessary to interview participants in person.
- Preparing press releases for newspaper, radio, and television coverage, as appropriate, and emailing and/or faxing to media outlets. This includes follow-up calls and providing additional information when necessary.
- Initiating contact with local community businesses, health facilities, and individuals to encourage community sponsorship and individual and team participation.
- Posting event materials including posters and mailers in various locations. This responsibility includes targeting high traffic locations that will increase event participation.
- Assisting with preparation the day before and the day of an event. This may include inflating buoys, marking the walk trail, contacting event vendors, and various other duties.
- Promoting various events via social media outlets: Facebook, Blog, Twitter and LinkedIn.
- Assisting with programs not yet on our calendar.
This position requires access to a computer and telephone. Critical skills include ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks, excellent communication skills, concise and clear writing abilities, and proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel document preparation. Organizational skills are necessary to manage a high volume of emails, documents, event information, and contacts. The position also necessitates an ability to conduct interviews with compassion, sensitivity, and tact.
For more information, please contact Cheryl Osimo, MBCC/SSI Event and Outreach Coordinator, at 508-246-3047 or cherylosimo@comcast.net. Please state which time frame you are interested in along with a cover letter and resume.