Chemist 3

State of Washington•Kitsap County – Manchester, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Washington State Department of Ecology is hiring a Chemist 3 in the Environmental Assessment Program at the Manchester Environmental Laboratory near Port Orchard, Washington. The laboratory produces scientifically and legally defensible data supporting environmental protection, regulatory enforcement, and natural resource management. The position performs organic chemical analyses on water, soil, tissue, and consumer product samples for environmental clients. The role is eligible for telework and flexible scheduling, but requires working in the office at least 3–5 days per week. Employees must live within a commutable distance of the selected duty station and obtain and maintain federal security clearance for access to the laboratory’s federal facility.

Requirements

Eight years of experience and/or education related to the position duties, in combinations described in the posting: 8 years of experience; 7 years plus 30–59 semester or 45–89 quarter college credits; 6 years plus 60–89 semester or 90–134 quarter credits; 5 years plus 90–119 semester or 135–179 quarter credits; 4 years plus a bachelor’s degree; 2 years plus a master’s degree; or 1 year plus a Ph.D.
Education in chemistry or a related major with at least 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of college-level chemistry.
Ability to review data, documents, and instrument outputs carefully and accurately.
Ability to identify problems, determine causes, and take corrective action.
Ability to communicate findings, document actions, and notify others of issues.
Ability to organize tasks, manage competing priorities, monitor workload and sample progress, and meet timelines.
Ability to follow QA/QC procedures and review data for scientific and legal defensibility.
Ability to create clear worksheets, notes, procedures, and reports.
Ability to contribute to method and process development or improvement.
Ability to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot laboratory instruments.
Ability to prepare samples and conduct analytical testing using established methods, prepare standards, and perform instrument calibrations.
Ability to evaluate instrument output, apply data flags, review QC results, and manage data in LIMS.
Successfully pass a federal ePASS background check to access the federal facility housing the Ecology laboratory; employees must obtain and maintain federal security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Experience analyzing and preparing samples according to EPA methodologies for organic analyses, including pesticides, PCBs, SVOCs, VOCs, fuels, PBDEs, and other organic compounds, using GC, GC-ECD, GC-FID, GC-MS, or GC-MS/MS techniques.
Knowledge of EPA Methods 8081, 8082, 8260, 8270, 1668, and 1628, and Washington State petroleum hydrocarbon methods.

Responsibilities

Analyze water, soil, tissue, and consumer product samples for pesticides, PCBs, fuels, volatile organic compounds, and other organic compounds using GC-ECD, GC-FID, GC-MS, and other analytical techniques.
Ensure analytical data meet quality-control criteria and take corrective action when needed.
Review other chemists’ analytical data packages for completeness and accuracy.
Troubleshoot analytical and sample-preparation issues.
Serve as a backup chemist for analyses as needed.
Maintain optimal instrument performance and perform routine maintenance.
Prepare samples and standards, perform instrument calibrations, and evaluate instrument output, QC results, and data flags for accurate reporting.
Manage analytical data in the laboratory information management system (LIMS).
Document work and contribute to developing, refining, or updating methods and procedures.