Why Work at EPA?
-
You can make a difference at EPA: Our challenging work affects your local air, water and land, as well as the environment around the nation. Our mission is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment – the air, water, and land upon which life depends.
For more than 40 years, we have been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people -- eliminating lead from gasoline and the air, reducing acid rain, banning the widespread use of DDT and cancer-causing pesticides, cleaning up contaminated sites and emissions from cars, protecting wetlands and the ozone layer, and more. Nowhere else can you have such a positive impact: the number of people you affect can span the entire country or even reach international communities. More information:
- You’ll be working with top people in their field: EPA employees have been recognized with presidential awards; have patented new technologies; and have won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals:
Over a dozen employees have been honored to receive Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals ("Sammies"): To view all past and current EPA finalists and winners, please visit the Sammies Archive to learn more about these amazing projects.
Arthur S. Flemming Award:
Established in 1948, the Flemming Awards honor outstanding federal employees. Recognized by the president of the United States, agency heads, and the private sector, the winners are selected from all areas of the federal service. In 2015, two EPA employees were named as recipients of this award:
- Dr. Gayle Hagler, an Environmental Engineer in the Office of Research and Development’s National Risk Management Research Lab received an award for her leadership of the Village Green Project.
- Elliott B. Zenick, an Attorney Advisor, in the Office of the General Counsel is being recognized for leading the EPA’s legal team that is focused on the Clean Power Plan.
Patents for environmental technologies:
The work of EPA scientists and engineers has resulted EPA receiving dozens of patents for environmental technologies that range from methods to detect coliforms and e. coli, to reporting systems for automotive emissions testing. Learn more about patented EPA technologies.
Nobel Peace Prize:
In 2007, 30 EPA employees shared the Nobel Peace Prize for their work with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Read the IPCC's statement about the prize (PDF)
Washington Post Federal Players of the Week:
The Washington Post regularly posts articles about federal workers who are making a difference. Here are three:
-
You’ll be serving at the leading federal government environmental agency on the planet: EPA is a world-renowned environment organization with decades of experience in addressing domestic public health and environmental challenges. EPA collaborates through the United Nations and with other multilateral programs to protect human health and the environment. More information:
- You’ll receive outstanding benefits: EPA and other federal government agencies offer generous retirement and health benefits, life and long-term care insurance, flexible work schedules, competitive salaries and more. Learn more about the benefits of working at EPA.
- You’ll be working at an agency committed to reducing its “environmental footprint”: To ensure that EPA's practices reflect our mission, we use a range of strategies to reduce the environmental impact of our facilities and operations, from conserving water, to improving the environmental performance of the buildings we lease, to increasing our use of alternative fuel vehicles. We are one of the largest purchasers of green power in the federal government, and were the first agency to choose 100% green power as a percentage of our total electricity use. More information:
- You’ll have the opportunity to volunteer in your community through EPA: At EPA, we help touch people's lives through our environmental work every day. Many of us also support local and national charities by participating in federal-government-sponsored programs like the annual Combined Federal Campaign, Toys for Tots , and Feds Feed Families.