Chemist

This recruitment is open only to current Department of Ecology employees, including those on temporary or project assignments, and Ecology's Washington Conservation Corps members.

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Chemist 3 within the Environmental Assessment Program.

• Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the selected duty station.

• Manchester Environmental Laboratory near Port Orchard, WA.

• This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.

• A minimum of 3-5 days per week is required in the office. Some telework is available to do data management and data reviews.

• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

• Apply by September 27, 2026

• Applications submitted after the date above may not be reviewed unless additional qualified applicants are needed.

As a member of Manchester Environmental Laboratory within the Environmental Assessment Program, you will perform chemical analysis for organic parameters on water, soil, tissue, and consumer products to generate legally defensible analytical data for environmental clients.

• Perform chemical analysis on water, soil, tissue and consumer product samples for the determination of pesticides, PCBs, fuels, volatile organic compounds, and other organic compounds by GC-ECD, GC-FID, GC-MS, and other analytical techniques.
• Ensure analytical data meets QC criteria or take appropriate corrective actions.
• Review analytical data packages of other chemists for completeness and accuracy.
• Troubleshoot analytical and preparation issues as needed.
• Serve as a backup chemist for analyses as needed.
• Ensure optimal performance of instruments and perform routine maintenance.

For detailed information on how we calculate experience and responses to other frequently asked questions, please visit our Recruitment website.

8 years of experience
and/or education related to the duties of the position, which includes the following:

• Attention to Detail – Ability to review data, documents, and instrument outputs to ensure work is accurate and reliable.
• Problem Solving – Ability to identify issues, determine causes, and take effective corrective actions to maintain workflow and data quality.
• Communication – Ability to clearly share findings, document actions, and notify others of issues to support informed decision-making.
• Time & Workload Management – Ability to organize tasks and manage competing priorities to meet required timelines. Ability to monitor workload, track sample progress, and communicate status or concerns to support smooth operations.
• Quality Assurance and Data Integrity – Ability to follow QA/QC procedures and review data to ensure scientific and legal defensibility.
• Scientific Documentation and Reporting – Ability to create clear worksheets, notes, procedures, and reports that support consistent and compliant lab operations.
• Method and Process Improvement – Ability to contribute to developing, refining, or updating methods and procedures to improve efficiency or accuracy.
• Instrument Operation and Maintenance – Ability to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot laboratory instruments to ensure reliable analytical performance.
• Sample Preparation and Chemical Analysis – Ability to prepare samples and conduct analytical testing using established methods to generate high-quality results. Ability to prepare standards and perform instrument calibrations that ensure accurate quantitation.
• Data Processing and LIMS Use – Ability to evaluate instrument output, apply data flags, review QC results, and manage data in the LIMS for accurate reporting.

Education involving a major study in chemistry or a related degree…