Lead Chemist, Chemical Incident Response Laboratory; Chemist DOH

Description

Lead Chemist, Chemical Incident Response Laboratory — Public Health Laboratories, Shoreline, WA | Onsite/In Person | NON-PERMANENT APPOINTMENT

This position supports Washington’s chemical incident response and public health preparedness work by providing specialized laboratory testing and technical leadership within the Chemical Incident Response Laboratory. As a Lead Chemist, you will perform advanced analytical testing, maintain instrument readiness, and support rapid response activities for clinical and environmental samples.

Based onsite at the Washington State Public Health Laboratories, this role plays a key part in ensuring accurate, timely testing during routine operations and emergency response events. You will help maintain continuous operational readiness, support quality and accreditation standards, and contribute technical expertise that allows the lab to respond effectively when chemical incidents occur.

• Lead chemical incident response testing for clinical and environmental samples.
• Operate, troubleshoot, and maintain advanced analytical instrumentation used in emergency response.
• Analyze samples, validate results, and prepare clear, defensible laboratory reports.
• Ensure quality, accuracy, and compliance across testing workflows and laboratory processes.
• Maintain readiness for 24/7 emergency response and participate in on-call rotations once fully trained.
• Monitor lab workflow, manage priorities, and ensure deadlines and response times are met.
• Support method validation, instrument verification, and implementation of new testing approaches.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to chemists and laboratory staff.
• Maintain laboratory supplies, reagents, and documentation needed for continuous operations.

• Your work directly supports public safety and emergency response statewide.
• You will work with cutting-edge analytical technology in a highly specialized lab environment.
• You are part of a team trusted to respond during high-stakes situations.
• You contribute to a mission that protects communities, first responders, and public health systems.

You are a calm, detail-driven scientist who thrives in complex, high-pressure environments. You enjoy hands-on laboratory work just as much as solving technical problems and improving how work gets done. You take pride in accuracy, documentation, and quality, and you understand the responsibility that comes with emergency response testing. You communicate clearly, support your teammates, and naturally step into a lead role when expertise is needed.

You are comfortable balancing routine readiness with urgent, unpredictable situations and you stay focused when the stakes are high.

We value all relevant experience (paid or unpaid) and encourage applicants from all backgrounds. You must meet at least ONE of the options provided and any additional criteria listed. Experience may have been gained through paid or unpaid activities. While “Preferred Experience” is not required, these skills or experiences can help you stand out as a candidate.

• Option 1: 6 or more years of experience in an analytical laboratory including 60 semester hours, or equivalent, from an accredited institution which includes either 30 semester hours of chemistry or biochemistry courses - OR - 30 semester hours of science courses that includes Fifteen (15) semester hours of chemistry or biochemistry, and Fifteen (15) semester hours of biology, or medical laboratory technology in any combination.
• Option 2:
  Bachelor's degree with a major in chemistry (or biochemistry) or a Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of college level chemistry (or biochemistry) AND four years of experience performing chemical analysis in an analytical laboratory
• Master's degree will substitute for two years of the required experience, or a Ph.D. degree will substitute for three years of the required experience provided a Bachelor's degree and the required college-level chemistry (or biochemistry) have been achieved.
• Option 3:
  Either two (2) years of experience as a Chemist…