Laboratory Chemist - Microbiology Division - Regional Wastewater Reclamation

Wastewater Microbiology Unit Laboratory Chemist

Pima County RWRD is seeking talented people with a keen eye for details to become part of our Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Office (CRAO) Laboratory team. If you care about public health and the environment and have experience in laboratory water analysis, field methods for water analysis, microbiological testing, or water sampling, we can use your skills to assist us as a Wastewater Microbiology Unit Laboratory Chemist.

Typical work assignments include collecting samples from Water Reclamation Facilities, chemical handling, accurately making standards and reagents, and analysis of water samples by methods including titration, spectroscopy, gravimetric analysis, and others. The CRAO Laboratory is a state-of-the-art environmental laboratory with 31 staff that provides data with integrity for regulatory compliance purposes.

This position will work four days a week with a rotating shift that may include weekends and holidays. Work hours will be 6:00 am - 4:30 pm.

Essential Functions:

• Performs sophisticated chemical and microbial analyses;
• Operates complicated analytical instrumentation such as ion chromatography (IC), atomic absorption and atomic fluorescence analyzers, gas chromatograph/mass spectrometers (GC/MS), inductively-coupled plasma/Mass spectrometers (ICP/MS) and inductively-coupled plasma/optical emissions spectra (ICP/OES);
• Obtains water samples, operates field instrumentation and records results;
• Prepares samples for testing using complex chemical extraction and digestion techniques;
• Maintains manual and automated records and logbooks, enters and interprets data and prepares reports;
• Monitors laboratory data of technicians and chemists in training to validate the accuracy and precision of analytical results;
• Assists Laboratory Supervisors in writing standardized operating procedures and laboratory audit procedures;
• Assists Laboratory Supervisors in training Laboratory Technicians and new staff;
• Performs routine Quality Assurance/Quality Control procedures and documentations to comply with licensure requirements with the Arizona Department of Health Services;
• Adheres to safety procedures in accordance with the laboratory's Quality Manual and Chemical Hygiene Plan;
• Prepares, utilizes, and properly disposes of various chemical standards, solvents, reagents and bacteriological media;
• Maintains manual and automated laboratory records and logbooks for test methods and quality control measures as required by regulatory standards;
• Maintains facilities and equipment in accordance with departmental and professional standards.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in chemistry, microbiology, environmental science, biology or other closely related science as determined by the department head AND two years of professional level, paid, non-academic, experience performing chemical or microbiological analysis in a laboratory setting.

(Relevant experience and/or education from an accredited college or university may be substituted.)

OR:

Two years with Pima County as a Laboratory Technician.

Qualifying education and experience must be clearly documented in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of the application. Do not substitute a resume for your application or write "see resume" on your application.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with in the last five (5) years performing standard laboratory tests or instrumental laboratory analyses on water, wastewater, and solid samples.
• Experience, within the last five (5) years, collecting water/wastewater samples in the field and performing field methods (pH, DO, chlorine, and temperature).
• Experience, within the last five (5) years, performing microbiological analyses and laboratory techniques (e.g. Total Coliform, Fecal Coliform,
  
  E. Coli, aseptic technique, use of an autoclave).
• Experience, within the last five (5) years, performing gravimetric residue analyses (TSS, TS, TVSS, TVS, and TDS).
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite (PowerPoint, Word, and Excel).
• Experience handling and working with hazardous chemicals.
• Experience with peer reviewing data or…