Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To prepare and conduct a variety of moderately complex to complex organic chemical tests on a variety of sample types and report results in support of environmental programs, special studies, emergency response or litigation. To maintain and troubleshoot analytical systems.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Under the general supervision of the section manager, in an automated analytical laboratory performing moderately complex to complex analysis of toxic organic compounds in environmental samples including the exposure to potentially harmful samples and chemicals, carries out well-defined and documented procedures for specified parameters in a variety of sample types with rotation or temporary assignments based on workload and section objectives including:

1) Preparing a variety of environmental sample types (e.g. air filters, water, soil, vegetation and mixed phase samples) via a variety of techniques (e.g. grinding, sieving, digesting, extracting, concentrating and cleanup) for chemical testing; recording details of sample preparation;

2) Conducting chemical testing for specified parameters on a variety of sample types using manual and automated laboratory equipment, e.g. pH meters, rotary evaporators, UV/visible spectrophotometers, gas chromatographs (GC) with various inlets (e.g. purge-and-trap (PT), thermal desorber (TD)) and detectors (e.g. TCD, TSD, FID, NPD, ECD, MS)), liquid chromatographs (LC) with various detectors (e.g. photodiode array (PDA), fluorescence (FL), MS) and analytical, semi-micro and microbalances and other laboratory equipment; recording details of testing procedures used in accordance with established branch, section and unit policies and procedures;

3) Using the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and/or microcomputer controlled systems (e.g. Windows NT or XP), specialized instrument software, customized statistical software (ie. QC Analyst) and spreadsheet programs (e.g. MS Office) to list and organize the data, to carry out calculations, interpretation of the data (ie. target compound identification),data verification (e.g. documenting QC/QA and ensuring conformance) and to report the results to LIMS approval level APP1;

4) Preparing reagents, calibration and quality control standards; documenting the preparation in accordance with branch, section and unit policies and procedures; following branch, section and unit policies and procedures for quality control and quality assurance including control charting, recalculation of limits, documenting non conformances and corrective actions taken, analysis of PE samples, calculation of statistics and proficiency testing documentation;

5) Carrying out equipment calibration and quality control functions; monitoring the operating equipment and conditions; basic troubleshooting, preventative maintenance and making appropriate adjustments and repairs; recording equipment calibration, adjustments and maintenance done;

6) Assisting the manager or senior staff with workload pressures in other areas, method review (e.g. method updates and audit preparation) and training students and ministry analysts in routine methods and SOPs;

7) Notifying clients and the manager of exceedances of objectives, guidelines and standards [e.g. Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standards (ODWQS)] following current protocols and SOPs; preparation of required paperwork for the reporting of an exceedance;

8) Complying with occupational health and safety legislation and current OPS, ministry, and branch policies and procedures ; reporting all unsafe conditions to the manager; performing all work following documented OPS, ministry, branch, section and unit policies and procedures;

9) Maintaining adequate supplies for chemical testing by following applicable OPS, ministry and branch procurement policies and procedures including stores requisitions, IFIS purchases, Pcard purchases and statement reconciliations;

10) Other duties as assigned.

Staffing and Licencing :

N/A

Knowledge :

Job requires knowledge of the scientific principles and practices of analytical, organic chemistry. Job requires knowledge of and experience with established laboratory test protocols, procedures, methods including basic chemistry techniques, sample preparation and instrumental analysis techniques applicable to a variety of sample types in order to analyze samples, report data and ensure quality results. Job requires knowledge of/experience with the operation and capabilities of manual and automated laboratory equipment, e.g. pH meters, rotary evaporators, UV/visible spectrophotometers, GC with various inlets (PT, TD) and detectors (e.g TCD, TSD, FID, NPD, ECD, MS), LC with various detectors (e.g. PDA, FL, MS), analytical, semi-micro and microbalances, to perform chemical tests and basic troubleshooting of procedures and equipment. Job requires knowledge of MS Office Suite, Windows (e.g. NT or XP) based software applications (e.g., Agilent ChemStation) to acquire and process data and laboratory information management systems (LIMS) to report data. Job requires knowledge of the principle and practices of quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC), including ISO/IEC 17025, to ensure data are assessed according to defined criteria and accepted statistical principles. Job requires knowledge of applicable ministry regulations/guidelines [e.g. Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)] and exceedance reporting protocols. Job requires knowledge of applicable occupational health and safety legislation and current practices, roles and responsibilities (e.g. Workplace Hazardous Information Materials System (WHMIS) and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)).

Skills :

Job requires analytical and technical skills to conduct a variety of moderately complex tests (e.g. pesticide analysis by LC-UV/visible spectrophotometry) to complex tests (e.g. volatile organic compounds by purge-and-trap GC-MS) and to determine results from established procedures. Job requires diagnostic and evaluative skills to confirm results when comparing expected versus actual output including implications (e.g. processing legal samples) using quality control procedures to resolve problems arising out of testing and results interpretation. Job requires basic reasoning and evaluating ability to diagnose minor repairs and upkeep of equipment. Job requires written communication skills to record data on test findings and testing methods used. Job requires oral communication skills to respond to requests for tests and to report detailed test findings. Job requires organizational skills to plan and organize daily workload. Job requires interpersonal skills to work as a member of a team and to participate in intra-laboratory activities (e.g. quality initiatives). Job requires ability to adapt to changing priorities (e.g. high priority and emergency samples).

Freedom of Action :

Job requires working in accordance with equipment manuals, ministry regulatory acts, library reference materials, historical laboratory documentation and established precedents. Job requires applying scientific and technical principles to test results requiring varying levels of interpretation to complete assignments. Job requires selecting from available quality control and assurance techniques to interpret quality control data against predefined criteria and within a range of guidelines. Job requires making decisions in the selection of alternatives to standard testing procedures (e.g. retesting using same/different method). Job requires establishing own work schedules and priorities to complete a variety of tasks (e.g. drinking water, legal, high priority or emergency testing) to be integrated with regular work assignments. Job requires performing initial data approval function (review for transcription errors) prior to final approval by the manager. Job requires discussing problems beyond job experience or written precedents (e.g. critical equipment failures, difficult samples, priority/health risk samples, anomalous/unusual results) with senior staff or the manager. Work output in a specific assignment is reviewed for progress and alternative approaches by senior staff or the manager.