Chemist

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Chemist 2 within the Environmental Assessment Program
.

• Manchester Environmental Laboratory in Port Orchard, WA.
• Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

This position is required to work in the office five days per week and is not eligible for telework.

• Apply by March 10, 2026
• This position will remain open until filled. The agency reserves the right to make a hire at any time after application review begins. Applications received after the date above may not be considered.

In this role, you will be part of the In organics Unit at the Manchester Environmental Laboratory (MEL), a highly active production lab. You will analyze complex chemical tests on water, wastewater, sediment, tissue, and hazardous waste using advanced analytical instrumentation to create legally binding data. You will follow Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Methods, Standard Methods, and strict Quality Control (QC) protocol.

You will be responsible in managing sample workloads, data acquisition and entry, proper use and maintenance of scientific instrumentation and provide support as backup analyst. You must be detailed, organized, collaborative, communicative, and comfortable working independently and as part of a team.

• Perform complex nutrient analyses on environmental samples for total nitrogen (TPN), ammonia (NH3), and nitrate/nitrite (NO2/NO3) using flow injection analyzers (FIA), including sample preparation, calibration, analysis, troubleshooting, maintenance and documentation.
• Serve as a backup analyst for total phosphorus (TP, TPLL), orthophosphate (OP), total organic carbon and dissolved organic carbon in water (TOC/DOC), total carbon and nitrogen in soil (TOC/TN), general chemistry parameters, and microbiology as needed.
• Produce accurate, legally defensible data in compliance with all MEL Quality Assurance and Quality Control.
• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot laboratory instrumentation
  , including FIA systems, TOC/DOC analyzers, CHN analyzers, titrators, and related equipment.
• Maintain laboratory readiness
  , including ordering and managing consumables, reagents, nutrient standards and updating Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) per EPA, Ecology and manufacturer requirements.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively
  , keeping supervisors informed of issues or workload concerns, participating in unit meetings, and supporting a respectful, inclusive, team-oriented laboratory environment.

For detailed information on how we calculate experience and responses to other frequently asked questions, please visit our Recruitment website.

Experience in Chemistry or performing chemical analysis in an analytical laboratory.

Experience must include:

• Analytical Laboratory Experience Demonstrated experience performing chemical analyses on environmental samples (water, wastewater, sludge, sediment, or hazardous waste) using standard laboratory methods. Ability to collect, review, document, enter, and report analytical data accurately and within required timelines, including peer review of inorganic data and adherence to sample hold times.
• Quality Assurance and Data Integrity Knowledge of laboratory QA/QC practices and ability to produce accurate, traceable, and legally defensible data in compliance with regulatory and accreditation requirements.
• Computer and Software Proficiency Proficiency using Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, Access) and laboratory information or data management systems.
• Communication, Teamwork, and Professional Conduct Strong verbal and written communication skills in English, with the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team in a collaborative, respectful, and inclusive environment.
• Physical, Safety, and Work Environment Readiness Ability to safely work in a laboratory environment, including handling and transporting samples, performing repetitive laboratory tasks, wearing required PPE, complying with safety protocols, and…