Utility Lead Chemist

City of El Paso•Various Locations within the City of El Paso, TX

23h•Onsite

About The Position

Under general direction, this role supervises and supports laboratory operations, staff, and quality programs. The position oversees chemical and bacteriological testing, ensures regulatory compliance and data integrity, leads method development and process improvement, and administers personnel development, safety, and performance initiatives in accordance with federal, state, and industry standards.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree or higher in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Microbiology, Virology, Parasitology, or related field.
Three (3) years of professional laboratory experience.
One (1) year of operating advanced spectrophotometry, chromatography, or other comparable instrumentation.
One (1) year of lead or supervisory experience.
Valid Texas Class "C" Driver's License or equivalent license issued by another state by date of appointment.

Responsibilities

Responsible for chemical and bacteriological analyses of water and wastewater samples.
Review reports and laboratory records, ensure data quality, conduct internal audits, and implement corrective actions.
Evaluate testing procedures, safety programs, and training protocols.
Establish timelines, monitor progress, research and develop methods to meet the growing needs of water regulatory parameters, and study and recommend the purchase of new instrumentation.
Keep up to date with the instrument’s preventive maintenance.
Supervise the development method of various analyses, along with the maintenance and repair of laboratory equipment.
Request quotes for instruments, supplies, equipment, software, and services.
Assist in maintaining the inventory of lab supplies and equipment.
Assist in maintaining laboratory safety and hazardous waste programs.
Maintain records and prepare reports.
Assist with maintaining the laboratory deionized water system and in creating and managing operational manuals for the laboratory.
Manage special and routine projects, ensuring all data has been received, reviewed, and reported.
Assist in developing and revising the laboratory standard operating procedures and stay abreast of current policies and procedures.
Identifying opportunities for improving laboratory processes and procedures while still adhering to The NELAC Institute (TNI), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Standard Methods operating procedures.
Responsible for ensuring that staff adhere to the laboratory quality manual, procedures, and forms.
Review Water Distribution System Sampling programs to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal requirements.
Maintain current knowledge of chemical testing equipment and procedures and federal, state, and local legislation on water quality testing regulations and standards.
Assist the assistant manager in updating and maintaining laboratory KPIs, including the installation of new KPI’s needed for the continued improvement of the laboratory.
Serve as the point of contact for water and wastewater treatment facilities, industrial pretreatment, water distribution management, and other public water systems.
Schedule routine and special analyses and collections, provide reports to section heads, assist with meeting permit requirements set by TCEQ, aid with requests for instrument calibrations and sampling containers, and maintain chain of custody templates for multiple facilities and points of collection.
Answer and investigate customer water quality complaints.
Assist in administering Quality Assurance/Quality Control Programs to include research, development, implementation, and maintain QA/QC and standard operating procedures.
Maintains updates and creates analytical bench sheets in Microsoft Excel, troubleshoots and corrects issues with analytical bench sheets functionality.
Review and assist with data entry of external laboratory reports.
Review and approve the work of other chemists.
Provide technical expertise with analytical and method requirements.
Assist in developing and managing quality control initiatives.
Conduct internal audits on analytical processes.
Ensure that follow-up corrections requested by the QC department are completed on time.
Review and interpret method and regulatory agency policies, codes, and regulations.
Assist in developing and maintaining the Quality Assurance/ Control program.
Create and update analytical requirements in Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), including but not limited to QC limits, method parameters, and analytes.
Supervise and mentor assigned staff.
Scheduling, assigning, instructing, guiding, and checking the work of subordinates.
Appraise employee performance and review evaluations performed by subordinates.
Provide for training and development; enforce personnel rules and regulations, and work behavior standards firmly and impartially.
Counsel, motivate, mentor, and maintain harmony.
Interview applicants and recommend hiring, termination, transfers, discipline, or other employee status changes.
Enforce safety rules and regulations.