Scientist Water Ecologist

As per civil service Rule 3.2.11 candidates must live outside the five (5) boroughs or be permanent in the civil service title listed in order to be considered for appointment.

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing 1.1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. DEP's water supply system is comprised of 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes throughout the system’s 2,000 square mile watershed that extends 125 miles north and west of the City.

The Bureau of Water Supply seeks to hire a Scientist (Water Ecology) III for a position within the Water Quality, Drinking Water Operations Directorate, for a position located in Valhalla, New York. As per civil service Rule 3.2.11 candidates must live outside the five (5) boroughs or be permanent in the civil service title listed in order to be considered for appointment.

The function of this position is monitoring water quality in the City’s water supply system. Major responsibilities are to operate a network of monitoring stations in the watershed and to ensure water quality instrumentation operates continuously, with accuracy and precision, following a quality assurance program for preventative maintenance, corrective maintenance, system updates, record keeping, and data management. A major responsibility for this position will be to oversee operation of the group’s biomonitoring program.

Additionally, the candidate will be responsible for purchasing and maintenance of supplies and equipment, maintaining and preparing field data and records, perform Quality assurance, Quality control (QAQC) tests and assist others in same, and contribute to the production of operational, compliance and special investigation reports. Under the Section Chief, with wide latitude for independent initiative and judgment. Candidate may be required to train personnel to analyze water quality samples and to operate instrumentation.

Specific duties include:

• Service, calibrates, and maintains laboratory instrumentation, field instrumentation, biomonitoring systems, and telemetry.
• Performs sample collection and field analyses in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures SOP’s
• Installs and upgrades monitoring equipment, instrumentation, and biomonitoring systems at water supply facilities.
• Diagnose and repair monitoring station equipment, instrumentation, and associated telemetry systems.
• Coordinates the group’s procurement activities.
• Oversees quality control procedures, maintains accurate records, and reports on QC data.
• Responds to Water Quality Emergencies. Respond to water quality alarms, special investigations, etc., outside of normal working hours to collect water samples, troubleshoot instrumentation, and assist in field investigations.
• Adhere to Agency & Bureau Policies and Procedures.
• Conduct water quality sampling and electronic data collections using a variety of techniques to sample flowing water, reservoirs, and reservoir entry and exit points throughout the watershed.
• Modify upgrade water quality monitoring instrumentation, equipment to optimize ongoing needs and goals.
• Promptly performs data logger downloads on schedule and/or as needed.
• Routinely and systematically records and archives data records in paper and electronic format.
• Adhere to the Data Integrity Policy and Procedures Manual.
• Participate in meetings concerning analytical problems, quality assurance, methods development, efficiency goals, performance metrics and reporting, and other projects as…