Environmental Lab Scientist- Field

Summary

This is a great opportunity for an energetic and enthusiastic person with excellent scientific and technical skills to join our team. The Field Science Unit is a group of active and innovative scientists. We are looking for an Environmental Laboratory Scientist, someone excited about science and the health of our region’s people and ecosystems. If you are interested in a position that combines your technical talents with an opportunity to support efforts to protect our environment actively, this job may be for you!

The Field Science Unit (FSU) provides outstanding sampling and data collection services for King County’s Water and Land Resources, the Wastewater Treatment Division, other King County agencies and regional partners. FSU works within King County and beyond, utilizing vehicles and vessels to conduct operations on land and water. This is a demanding but rewarding in‑person job. Environmental sampling is conducted outdoors and in all types of weather.

There is a lot of variety in the day‑to‑day work. FSU scientists spend a large amount of time in the field using state‑of‑the‑art equipment to collect samples and data. Responsibilities include in‑lab tasks as well as field assignments. Each team member participates in most routine projects, which include frequent scheduled samplings of marine and freshwater bodies. We also do monitoring in King County sewage and stormwater facilities.

Each person in FSU coordinates field aspects of specific projects. Our work includes developing sampling plans, preparing bottle kits, scheduling work and processing field data. Each team member spends time using and maintaining field instruments and equipment. We communicate and coordinate with other lab units, the project managers, people in other King County Departments, and sometimes regulatory agencies or educational institutions.

The person hired into this position will be responsible for maintaining the Field Science Unit’s fleet of Sea‑Bird instruments and equipment and participate in managing and maintaining remote monitoring buoys and moorings. This will include managing data produced by the Sea‑Bird and associated instruments.

• Perform environmental sampling and data acquisition using a variety of equipment, instrumentation and methods. Follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Sampling and Analysis Plans (SAPs) and Quality Assurance Plans (QAPs).
• Function as a deck hand/scientist/technician on research vessels (e.g., R/V Sound Guardian); safely trailer and operate smaller boats; safely operate motor vehicles.
• Calibrate, operate, deploy, maintain and troubleshoot field instrumentation; perform and document associated QC tasks.
• Work collaboratively with Field Science Unit team, lab personnel and project planners/customers to accomplish sampling and data quality objectives.
• Follow safety requirements and guidelines, maintain situational awareness in a fast‑changing outside‑of‑lab environment; recognize and react appropriately to potential hazards; identify and utilize appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Perform in‑lab tasks such as preparing instruments/equipment, prepare field sampling kits, enter field data to Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), schedule sampling events, collaborate on project planning and management tasks.

• Experience and proficiency collecting environmental samples and data following Standard Operating Procedures, QA/QC protocol, Sampling and Analysis Plans, etc.
• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Chemistry, Biology or similar scientific discipline or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
• Experience and proficiency with using water quality and other types of field instrumentation and equipment aboard scientific vessels. Experience and skill in calibrating, operating and troubleshooting of scientific equipment including Sea‑Bird Scientific instruments such as Conductivity/Temperature/Depth instrument packages and Hydro‑Cat Eps.
• Experience generating, processing and reviewing large datasets generated by Conductivity/Temperature/Depth instrument packages,…