Job Stability

As my readers may be aware, since October 2003 I have been a postdoctoral fellow at EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory (I actually have been working with NOAA's Atmospheric Modeling Division, which is located at the EPA building here in RTP). This was a term appointment not to exceed four years. I had planned on starting to look for my next job in another six to twelve months. However, a permanent position came open with NOAA that seemed a good fit for me, and I applied for it and got it. It is very nice to feel a bit more confident that we (probably) won't have to pick up and move again in another couple years. (The fact that it is a promotion with a significant salary increase is also nice.)

I'll be working, at least initially, on a project studying the impact of (various predictions of) future climate change on modeled air quality. I start a week from Monday, though the transition should be very smooth since it's still the same building. I don't even know whether I'll change offices or not.