Chemist 4

State of Alaska; Anchorage (AK); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid telework options

12 paid holidays

Personal leave that grows with service

Excellent insurance coverage

Job summary

The State of Alaska seeks a Chemist 4 for the Anchorage Public Health Laboratory to perform high-level chemical analyses in support of clinical partners and the LRNC program. The role requires CLIA-qualified testing and a strong foundation in environmental/biochemical chemistry.

Responsibilities include mastering GC-MS family instruments, collaborating on method development, and coordinating with diverse partners to ensure rapid, accurate results for public health matters in Alaska.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in chemistry or related physical or natural science.
• CLIA ’88 regs awareness for moderate/high complexity testing.
• Education/experience providing competency in analytical lab procedures.
• Equivalent education/experience with instrumental analysis (e.g., mass spec).

Responsibilities

• Developing competency with GC-MS, GC-MS/MS, ICP-MS, LC-MS/MS.
• Performing testing for clinical partners and LRN-C program.
• Collaborating to improve testing methods for public health importance.
• Coordinating with local, state, and federal partners for exercises and live events.
• Contributing to monitoring and protecting Alaskan public health.

Skills

Oral Communication

Analytical Thinking

Quality Management

Education

BS in Chemistry or related field

Tools

GC-MS

GC-MS/MS

ICP-MS

LC-MS/MS

Job description

Chemist 4 (PCN 061965)

This position is open to Alaskan Residents only. Please check out the residency definition to determine if you qualify.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

In addition to meeting the listed minimum qualification competencies below, this position requires that the successful applicant meet the minimum qualifications specified in CLIA ´88 regulations, 42CFR Subpart M - Personnel for Moderate Complexity (Including the Subcategory) and High Complexity Testing, section 493.1489 Testing Personnel Qualifications.

What you will be doing

Performing at this level in the public health lab has many responsibilities, including, but not limited to:

• Developing competency with several instruments (GC-MS, GC-MS/MS, ICP-MS, LC-MS/MS) in pursuit of the public health lab’s mission.
• Performing testing for both clinical partners and the Laboratory Response Network for Chemical Threats (LRN-C) program.
• Regularly impacting the health of Alaskans through the child in need of aid (CINA) program and other poison cases.
• Collaborating to develop and improve testing methods related to agents of public health importance.
• Coordinating with the local, state, and federal partners to participate in emergency preparedness exercises and live events.

Our organization, mission, and culture

The mission of the Division of Public Health is to protect and promote the health and well-being of all Alaskans.

Our core values guide everything we do:

• Accountability – We use human, financial, and environmental resources responsibly.
• Respect – We provide services to all Alaskans without discrimination or judgment.
• Potential – We believe in helping every Alaskan reach their full potential for health and in building strong, healthy communities.
• Integrity – We act with honesty and ethics in all that we do.
• Scientific Excellence – We are dedicated to advancing scientific knowledge and using the best available data to inform public health policy.

The benefits of joining our team

When you join the Public Health Laboratory team, you’ll be part of a fun, supportive, and collaborative group dedicated to making Alaska an even better place to live, work, and play. Be part of our mission and help drive positive changes across the state!

We’re proud to offer a generous benefits package that includes 12 paid holidays each year, personal leave that grows with your service, hybrid telework options, flexible scheduling, and excellent insurance coverage.

To learn more, check out the "Benefits" tab on this posting!

The working environment you can expect

The Anchorage State Public Health Laboratory is surrounded by six beautiful mountain ranges and is near the city trail system for walking, running, biking, and skiing. Options for dining out for lunch are plentiful and diverse in Alaska’s largest city.

This position is part of a collaborative work group of professional staff working together to protect and improve the health and well-being of Alaskans. The Division of Public Health includes a large and broad range of experienced, dedicated, and supportive staff. We enjoy working through the challenges of our work and value each employee's contributions. We view public health as a critical piece of homeland security, and we remain committed to collaborating with internal and external partners across Alaska and the United States to protect the overall health of our population.

Who we are looking for

The ideal candidate will possess some or all of the following position-specific competencies in addition to the minimum qualifications listed below:

• Oral and Written Communication – Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral and written presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Analytical Thinking/Problem Solving – Uses a logical, systematic, sequential approach to address problems or opportunities or manage a situation by drawing on one’s knowledge and experience base and calling on other references and resources as necessary.
• Quality Management – Knowledge of the principles, methods, and tools of quality assurance, quality control, and reliability used to ensure that a project, system, or product fulfills requirements and standards.

Special Notice

• The incumbent must meet all minimum qualifications and applicable regulatory requirements necessary to perform high-complexity clinical, forensic, toxicological, and public health analytical testing within the State Public Health Laboratory.

• The position must meet personnel qualification standards established under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), specifically:

  • 42 CFR Part 493, Subpart M – Personnel for Moderate and High Complexity Testing
  • 42 CFR §493.1489 – Testing Personnel Qualifications (High Complexity Testing)

  These regulations require individuals performing high-complexity laboratory testing to have an appropriate educational background, training, and documented competency in analytical laboratory procedures.

  A bachelor’s degree or higher in chemistry from an accredited college or university satisfies the CLIA educational requirement for high-complexity testing personnel qualification under this classification.

To view the general description and example of duties for this job class, please go to the following link and search for Chemist 4: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/Alaska/classspecs

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited college in chemistry, chemical or biomolecular engineering, forensic chemistry, biochemistry, biophysical chemistry, geochemistry, environmental chemistry, environmental engineering, molecular biology or other physical or natural science.

AND

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in:

• Chemistry – Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of the composition, structure, and properties of substances, and of the chemical processes and transformations, including uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signals, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Decision Making – Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
• Project Management – Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing projects and resources, including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance.
• Scientific Research – Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of scientific principles related to environmental, ecological, biological, or physical science and the methods, and processes used to conduct a systematic and objective inquiry; including study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; and the reporting of results.
• Technical Credibility – Understands and appropriately applies principles, procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise.

Equivalent to those typically gained by

Education from an accredited college in chemistry, chemical or biomolecular engineering, forensic chemistry, biochemistry, biophysical chemistry, geochemistry, environmental chemistry, environmental engineering, molecular biology or other physical or natural science.

AND

Graduate level research or progressively responsible professional experience independently performing a broad variety of analytical methods, tests and procedures that includes assessing, adapting, and validating a variety of chemical tests, methods and procedures and operation of more than one form of instrumental analysis (e.g., mass spectrometry, gas chromatography).

Special Note

"Competencies" means a combination of interrelated knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that enable a person to act effectively in a job or situation.

"Typically gained by" means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.

"Training" and "education" in this guidance are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, on-line, self-study, and on-the-job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and long-duration (such as a post-secondary degree) and short-duration (such as a seminar) programs.

"Professional experience" means work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgment.

"Progressively responsible" means indicating growth and/or advancement in complexity, difficulty, or level of responsibility.

EEO Statement

The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities who require accommodations, auxiliary aids, or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal-opportunity employer.

Contact Information

For specific information in reference to the position, feel free to contact the hiring manager at: Jayme Parker/Chief, Public Health Laboratories. Phone: [phone]. Email: [e-mail]

Phone [phone] (Statewide toll-free number)

[phone] (Juneau and out-of-state callers)