Technologist (Organic)

**Job Number:**4193
**Job Type:**Full-Time
**Vacancy Reason:**Backfill
**Location:**80 Maple Grove Rd - Laboratory
**Job Category:**Environmental
**Number of Positions:**1
**Department:**Analytical Chemistry
**Division:**Engineering and Environmental Services
**Hours of Work:**35
**Union:**CUPE 1883
**Grade:**CUPE 1883 Grade 014
Salary Range:$44.59 - $50.52 per hour
Posting Date:

About Us!

The Region of Waterloo is a thriving, diverse community committed to fostering opportunities for current and future generations. Waterloo Region is part of the Dish with One Spoon wampum, a treaty guiding our commitment to:

• Taking only what we need
• Leaving some for others
• Keeping the dish clean

This agreement underpins our vision, mission, and core value, and reinforces our dedication to meaningful reconciliation and equity.

Waterloo Region is home to over 674,000 residents and expected to grow to nearly one million by 2051. Guided by our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan, “Growing with Care,” we prioritize homes for all, climate aligned growth, equitable services and opportunities and a resilient and future ready organization. Our mission is to provide essential services that enhance the quality of life for all residents, while our core value emphasizes caring for people and the land we share. Join us and be part of a team dedicated to making a meaningful difference in our community.

The Role

Provides technical support in the research, development, and validation of analytical chemistry methods and instruments, and related training of staff. Performs chemical analysis to ensure compliance with provincial drinking water legislation, the Environmental Enforcement and Laboratory Services (EE&LS) laboratory testing license, and quality management system.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Assists to coordinate workflow for the Organic Section. This includes assigning and prioritizing technicians’ work, ensuring turnaround times are met, and ensuring compliance with protocols and procedures. Acts as a lead to technicians, students, and other staff assisting in the Section. Reviews work and provides training, technical assistance, problem solving, and troubleshooting.
• Develops and demonstrates methods, describes work processes, performs quality control investigations.
• Researches, develops, and assists to validate new analytical chemistry methods and/or the performance of new analytical instruments.
• Analyses drinking water, ground water, wastewater, surface water, and biosolids to ensure compliance with applicable legislation, by-laws, and internal requirements to maintain the laboratory’s testing license and quality management system.
• Reviews and interprets analytical results. Notifies clients of non-conforming test data and proposes options for their consideration.
• Enters and reviews analytical data in the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).
• Initiates non-conformance reports for the Section. Participates in investigations and implements corrective/preventive actions as a result.
• Immediately reports adverse or abnormal drinking water results per strict protocols and legislative requirements. Requests resampling due to adverse, analytical, or client requests as needed.
• Participates in audits performed by external accreditation bodies and internal auditors. Analyzes performance evaluation samples as part of maintaining the Section’s quality system accreditation.
• Maintains and provides input into technical procedures and controlled documents. Prepares detailed analytical records during the sample testing process. Reviews and revises laboratory procedures to meet quality system requirements.
• Troubleshoots, calibrates, schedules, and performs routine maintenance and minor technical servicing on analytical instruments and laboratory equipment. Ensures laboratory assets are in good working condition and operated safely by technicians.
• Treats and disposes of lab chemical wastes generated during analyses, per procedures and legislation.
• Maintains (and has a p-card to purchase) an inventory of equipment, chemicals, reagents, and supplies. Provides input for purchasing new equipment.
• Communicates with wastewater treatment plant staff (Ontario Clean Water Agency), municipal contacts, and public health staff to discuss or clarify analytical results or respond to technical questions related to analysis. May contact technical experts at scientific institutions (Ministries, universities, Environmental Protection Agency, private laboratories) to exchange information and discuss subcontracted analytical work. Participates in Ministry laboratory inspections as required.
• Organizes, plans, and prioritizes own work and others’ work per priorities established by management, client requests, and legislated requirements. Exercises judgment, independence, and problem solving when performing method validation and sample analysis, and determining whether analytical results are accurate.
• Refers to management for issues involving health and safety, program changes, quality issues, and staffing and equipment needs. Work is evaluated through audits, inspections, method validation data, quality documentation, and analytical results.
• Backs up some of the duties of the supervisor in their absence or as delegated.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge and skills are acquired through a 4-year degree in Chemistry or a related discipline, plus 3 years of directly related experience.
• Must have membership with the Association of the Chemical Profession of Ontario (ACPO) as a Full Member (Chartered Chemist) or Chemist in Training Member, or obtain within 6 months of hire.
• Theoretical and practical knowledge in analytical chemistry, including chromatography, spectroscopy, spectrophotometry, mass spectrometry, chemiluminescence, and electrochemical methods of analysis.
• Knowledge and skill in the operation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and minor technical servicing of analytical instruments.
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies and procedures, the sewer use by-law, and applicable legislation (e.g., Safe Drinking Water Act, Environmental Protection Act, Clean Water Act, health and safety).
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with quality control procedures, analytical parameter measurements, quality system and ISO17025 requirements, and strict adverse reporting procedures.
• Organization, problem solving, and time management skills to support laboratory operations, meet inflexible deadlines, and fulfill program/client requirements.
• Ability to review data, coordinate and assist with staff workload and coverage, and provide input to management on resource requirements, training needs, and workflow efficiencies to ensure compliance with the quality management system.
• Analytical and research skills to interpret and evaluate data and develop new methods.
• Human relations and communication skills to provide training and guidance to technicians; communicate technical information, describe corrective actions, provide detailed explanations and advice to staff and clients; respond to client inquiries and concerns; and participate as an effective team member.
• Ability to interpret and apply scientific and technical information, legislation, reports, analytical procedures, health and safety manuals, safety data sheets, instrument manuals, and quality system documents.
• Ability to create and maintain organized, accurate and detailed records, analytical methods, standard operating procedures, overtime summaries, and quality system corrective action reports using specialized technical terminology.
• Computer skills with ability to use databases, Microsoft Office, analytical software, and a laboratory information management system (LIMS)
• Ability to flex/alter working hours when urgent analysis is required.
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.

Region of Waterloo is committed to building a workforce through fair, equitable, and accessible hiring practices that allow us to hire qualified staff who reflect the diversity of the community we serve and to promote a respectful, inclusive, and equitable workplace.

We invite all interested individuals to apply and actively encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity, including, but not limited to:

• First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, and all other Indigenous peoples;
• members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin;
• persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities;
• persons who identify as women; and persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions

For questions or to request accommodations during your recruitment, onboarding or employment, please contact talentmanagement@regionofwaterloo.ca, or by calling our Service First Contact Centre at phone number (519) 575-4400.

**Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Hiring Process:**Region of Waterloo may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to enhance efficiency during the recruitment process. However, applications will also be reviewed by a member of our Talent Acquisition team to ensure a fair and thorough assessment. AI does not make final hiring decisions.

Please note: candidates will be provided an update on their application. Please check your spam or junk folder occasionally as some candidates have noticed our emails in those folders (Gmail and Hotmail in particular).