Immediate Office

The National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory headquarters is located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The Laboratory is under the supervision of the National Laboratory Director and the Deputy Director for Management, along with a support staff for planning, resource management, information technology, and communications. The Senior Science Advisor reports directly to the Laboratory Director and serves as the Director's liaison in carrying out the strategic science goals of the Lab. The Laboratory Director reports to the EPA's Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development, which is headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Immediate Office oversees the formulation and implementation of a comprehensive research program to investigate the effects of environmental pollutants and other anthropogenic stresses on human health and the ecosystems in which we live.

The Laboratory Director is responsible for planning and coordinating the short- and long-term research strategies of the Lab. The long-term research components of the Lab are designed to address the more intractable, critical gaps and uncertainties that may hinder sound decision making. The long-term research program enables scientists to anticipate the future needs of the Agency and the public, and thus enables the Office of Research and Development to provide leadership in protecting human health and the environment. More immediate legislative mandates and the regulatory needs of the Agency shape the Director's short-term strategies for the Lab.

The Deputy Director for Management reports to the Laboratory Director and has delegated authority to act for the Director on management and operational issues. The Deputy Director is responsible for the direction and management of administrative management and resources for the entire National Laboratory, including: financial management, extramural resource management involving contracts, grants, loans, and cooperative and interagency agreements, operational policy and guidance, information technology, management controls, and communications.

Three staff organizations within the Immediate Office provide planning and support functions for the National Lab. The Research Planning & Coordination Staff is responsible for strategic planning of both short-term and long-term research in the programmatic dimension and at regional, national, and international levels. The NHEERL Program Operations Staff, reporting to the Deputy Director for Management, is responsible for managing, providing guidance for, and providing oversight of the business operations of the laboratory. This includes developing, managing and controlling the overall NHEERL budget, administering its execution, and directing other related special projects related to expenditures of resources. Responsibilities also include providing management, oversight and guidance in the areas of extramural management, facilities, information management/technology, safety, health and environmental compliance, quality assurance, human resources as well as others.

The Senior Science Advisor, reporting to the Laboratory Director, advises the Director on ecological and human health issues that cut across the specialized Divisions at the Laboratory. The Senior Science Advisor also provides input on strategic issues that help guide and implement the Laboratory's research programs.