Chemist II

Join the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory’s Metals Section as a Chemist II and help protect the health and environment of South Carolina. Working within the Bureau of Regional and Laboratory Services, you will prepare and process samples, conduct quality control tasks, maintain instrumentation, and ensure the delivery of accurate analytical data in accordance with approved methods and protocols. Your work supports reliable, defensible results essential to environmental monitoring and regulatory compliance across South Carolina.

• Operate and maintain analytical instrumentation to include analyses of various sample matrices for metals by Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Participate in peer review of data generated in the Metals laboratory.
• Perform maintenance on all instruments that the analyst is responsible for and assist other analysts as needed with shared duties, including but not limited to, morning and afternoon temperature checks, daily balance checks, routine maintenance on deionized water systems and dishwasher systems, and the preparation of wash and preservative acids.
• Perform the preparative and interpretative phases of the analysis process to include, but not limited to, preparing calibration standards, spike solutions, reagents, and cleaning the laboratory. Interpret, calculate, and record data. Ensure supportive QC functions are performed.
• Digest metals samples in preparation for analysis; check pH of samples and perform turbidity screening upon receipt; discard expired samples according to the section's waste management plan.
• Serve as backup as needed for Mercury section.
• Review SCDES Standard Operating Procedures and its reference methods annually, updating SOPs as needed.
• Prepare for and participate in emergency response as required.
• Ensure safe work practices by attending all safety meetings, completing annual review of the safety manual, and adhering to the safety policies as prescribed by the Building Safety Manual and the Agency.
• Perform other duties as required, including attending periodic staff meetings and participating in training.

As a state employee, you’ll enjoy:

• Job Stability & Purposeful Work
  :
  Make an impact on your community as you contribute to protecting SC'S environment
• Great Benefits:Including paid holidays, 30 total days of leave per year, insurance options for you and your family and retirement benefit choices.
• Career Growth
  :
  Ongoing training, professional development, and a clear path for advancement.
• Work-Life Balance
  : A career that lets you enjoy South Carolina, inside and outside of your job.

Institutions of Higher Learning must be recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Applicants indicating college credit or degree(s) on the application are encouraged to upload an unofficial copy of the transcript as an attachment to the application. Please note that the agency may require an official, certified copy of the transcript or diploma prior to hiring.

• A master’s degree in chemistry;
  OR
• A bachelor’s degree in chemistry and one (1) year of chemistry experience;
  OR
• A bachelor’s degree in the natural or physical sciences with 16 semester hours in chemistry and two (2) years of laboratory experience.
  • Relevant degree fields include but are not limited to branches relating to Physics, Chemistry, Biology, etc.

• Experience in a laboratory setting related to the area of employment, including experience in operating, maintaining, and interpreting results from advanced analytical instrumentation such as gas or liquid chromatographs and…