Student Intern; Environmental Laboratory - Microbiology

Description

What do you value in your next job?

At the Orange County Sanitation District our Core Values form the framework of our organization and reinforce our professional work ethic. If the following values ring true with you, we'd love to invite you to explore our career opportunities further.

Integrity, Inclusion, Honesty, and Respect

We aspire to the highest degree of integrity, inclusion, honesty, and respect in our interaction with each other, our suppliers, our customers, and our community. We strive to demonstrate these values in our actions, commitments, and service.

Leadership, Teamwork, and Problem Solving

We lead by example, acknowledging the value of our resources and using them wisely to achieve our mission. We strive to reach OC San goals through cooperative efforts and collaboration with each other and our constituencies. We work to solve problems in a creative, cost-effective, and safe manner, and we acknowledge team and individual efforts.

Customer Service, Transparency, and Accountability

We are committed to acting in a timely, accurate, accessible, and transparent manner through excellent customer service. We are committed to act in the best interest of our internal and external stakeholders.

Resiliency, Innovation, and Learning

We continuously develop ourselves, enhancing our talents, skills, and abilities. We recognize that only through personal growth and development will we progress as an agency and as individuals.

Safety

We are committed to providing a safe work environment. We will demonstrate leadership, promote individual accountability, and participate actively in the advancement of our health and safety practices.

OC San is currently looking to fill the role of a Student Intern (Environmental Laboratory - Microbiology).

Under close supervision, the selected candidate will perform a variety of duties throughout the Laboratory within the General Chemistry, Microbiology, and Sampling section.

Specifically, duties will be mainly to support microbiology including our regional monitoring program where water and shellfish samples from beaches and rivers are analyzed by both culture-based and DNA/RNA-based technology for fecal indicator bacteria, genetic fecal markers, and pathogens. Duties may include assisting with membrane filtration, IDEXX set up, plate incubation, collecting and recording QA/QC data, cleaning glassware, preparing reagents, receiving and logging samples, molecular lab upkeep, performing culture-based or DNA/RNA-based analysis of environmental samples (water filter and/or shellfish tissues samples), and working with analytical data.

Other duties may include preparation and extraction of wastewater, shellfish using total nucleic acid spin columns or automated DNA/RNA extractor, sample preservation, reagent preparation, collecting, entering, tabulating, and analyzing data, general housekeeping, and performing other duties as required.

The selected candidate may be required to work with environmental, laboratory, or water samples and will have the ability to write clearly and concisely, complete tasks in an organized, accurate manner, show initiative when given assignments, work independently, and follow OC San safety guidelines.

Required:

Desired:

• A working knowledge of standard laboratory practices.
• Working knowledge and hands-on experience of basic microbiology and molecular laboratory techniques, including fecal indicator bacteria quantification by culture-based methods, water filtration. Examples include DNA/RNA extraction using spin columns or automated extractors, PCR, quantitative PCR or digital PCR; data compilation and analysis in Excel and/or statistical software such as R, as well as general housekeeping and laboratory safety.
• Completion of some molecular microbiology/biology or genetics courses, including lab courses.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel).
• E…