Laboratory Chemist
2742 - Wastewater Laboratory Chemist
This position is located at the Pima County Wastewater Reclamation's Water Campus at I-10 and Ruthrauff. Some weekends and holidays may be required. There are positions open in different laboratory units. The working schedule will vary based on staffing needs and could be 10 or 8-hour days. This position is in the Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department.
OPEN UNTIL FILLED
Salary Grade: 50
Salary: $24.23 Hourly
Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department is seeking talented people with a keen eye for details to become part of our Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Office (CRAO) Laboratory team. If you care about public health and the environment and have experience in laboratory water analysis, microbiological testing, or nutrient and metals analysis, we can use your skills to assist us as a Wastewater Laboratory Chemist. Typical work assignments include laboratory analysis, sampling, data entry, new method development, chemical handling, and accurately making standards and reagents. The CRAO Laboratory is a state of the art environmental laboratory with a staff of 31 that provides data with integrity for regulatory compliance purposes.
Duties/Responsibilities
(Work assignments may vary depending on the department's needs and will be communicated to the applicant or incumbent by the supervisor.)
- Performs sophisticated chemical and microbial analysis by obtaining water samples, operating field instrumentation and recording results;
- Prepares samples for testing using complex chemical extraction and digestion techniques;
- Monitors laboratory data of technicians to validate the accuracy and precision of analytical results;
- Maintains manual and automated records and logbooks, interprets data and prepares reports;
- Operates complicated analytical instrumentation such as flow injection analyzers (FIAS), ion chromatography (IC), atomic absorption and atomic fluorescence analyzers, gas chromatograph/mass spectrometers (GC/MS), inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometers (ICP/MS) and inductively coupled plasma/atomic absorption spectrometers (ICP/AAS);
- Prepares, maintains and disposes of various chemical standards, solvents and reagents, test solutions and bacteriological media;
- Maintains facilities and equipment in accordance with departmental and professional standards;
- Adheres to safety procedures in accordance with laboratory and chemical plan;
- Assists Wastewater Laboratory Chemist Specialists in writing standardized operating procedures and laboratory audit procedures;
- Maintains manual and automated laboratory records and logbooks on testing and quality control measures as required by regulatory standards;
- Records test results in spreadsheets and automated information management systems for analyses and records maintenance;
- Prepares purchase requisitions for laboratory chemicals, supplies and parts for maintenance of analytical instrumentation;
- Assists Wastewater Laboratory Chemist Specialists in training Wastewater Laboratory Technicians;
- Performs routine Quality Assurance/Quality Control procedures and documentations in order to comply with licensure requirements with the Arizona Department Health Services;
- Participates in annual state audit and performance evaluation study.
KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:
Knowledge of:
- principles and practices of organic and inorganic chemistry, effluent toxicity testing, wastewater process control and microbiological testing;
- standard laboratory practices and techniques such as performing titrations, dilutions, concentrations, extractions and digestions;
- operation and maintenance of specialized laboratory equipment and instrumentation;
- wastewater treatment and test procedures used for process control;
- federal, state and local requirements for compliance testing of wastewater, ground water, storm water, surface water and solid waste samples;
- EPA approved test methods for analyzing wastewater, groundwater and solid waste samples;
- permit and monitoring requirements;
- computer applications for water testing and analysis procedures;
- federal (OSHA) regulations and local policies regarding safe work practices and safe laboratory policies and procedures.
Skill in:
- performing specialized laboratory testing;
- using routine and sophisticated laboratory equipment and analytical instruments;
- communicating effectively and following written and verbal instructions;
- interpreting test results and preparing analytical reports;
- preparing chemical standard solutions and microbiological media using volumetric glassware and analytical balances;
- safely handling hazardous and carcinogenic chemicals;
- use of automated information systems for acquiring data and report generation.
Minimum Qualifications
(1) A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in chemistry, microbiology, biology or other closely related science as defined by the appointing authority at the time of recruitment and two years of experience performing chemical or microbiological analysis in a laboratory setting.
(Additional relevant education from an accredited college or university or experience may be substituted.)
OR:
(2) Two years with Pima County as a Wastewater Laboratory Technician.
Qualifying education and experience must be clearly documented in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of the application. Do not substitute a resume for your application or write "see resume" on your application.
Preferred Qualifications: (Be specific in describing your experience in your application. Ensure the descriptions provided illustrate your competencies, specifically addressing the required and preferred qualifications.):
- Experience, within the last five (5) years, performing standard laboratory tests or instrumental laboratory analyses on water, wastewater, and solid samples.
- Experience, within the last five (5) years, utilizing analytical laboratory instruments (e.g. IC, ICP, LC, GC, FIA, UV-VIS, HPLC).
- Experience, within the last five (5) years, performing microbiological analyses and laboratory techniques (e.g. Total Coliform, Fecal Coliform, E. Coli, aseptic technique, use of an autoclave).
- Experience, within the last five (5) years, utilizing an analytical laboratory balance.
- Experience, within the last five (5) years, utilizing pH, DO, or other ISE meters.
- Experience handling and working with hazardous chemicals.
- Experience with peer reviewing data or reviewing/updating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Experience with Laboratory Information Management Systems.
- Experience with Microsoft Outlook, Word, & Excel.