Chemistry Specialist

Internal Service Fund; United States; On-site; USD 126,000 - 158,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement benefits

Health insurance

Paid holidays

Job summary

Energy Northwest seeks a Chemistry Specialist IV to lead technical efforts across laboratory instrumentation, process monitors, and radwaste operations. You will interpret data, guide less experienced staff, and prepare technical reports with significant independent judgment.

The role requires coordinating maintenance, improving procedures, and ensuring compliance with station and regulatory standards, with on-site duties in Richland, WA.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree plus 12 years of related chemistry experience; OR Bachelor’s degree plus 10 years; OR Master’s degree plus 8 years.
• Chemistry Specialist III requires 7 years with Associate’s; 5 years with Bachelor’s; 3 years with Master’s.
• Chemistry Specialist II requires 5 years with Associate’s; 3 years with Bachelor’s.

Responsibilities

• Ensure chemistry parameters of assigned systems meet requirements.
• Review and revise system procedures to improve performance.
• Apply technical knowledge to identify and resolve chemistry-related problems and trends.
• Identify adverse trends in laboratory equipment and follow to resolution.
• Maintain knowledge to meet responsibilities via vendor/industry contact.
• Investigate and review lab equipment procedures and recommend improvements.
• Direct up to three technicians for scheduled maintenance.
• Analyze and report data to management for technical assessment.
• Participate in outage support and Emergency Program assignments.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to staff.

Education

Associate’s degree in Chemistry or closely related field

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or related field

Master’s degree in Chemistry or related field

Job description

Posting closes at 11:59 PM the day before the listed end date.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite in Richland, WA.

GENERAL SUMMARY

The Chemistry Specialist IV is assigned to various areas which may include laboratory instrumentation, counting room instrumentation, process monitors, radwaste operations, or effluents. The Chemistry Specialist IV works under minimum supervision and provides technical guidance and leadership within the assigned specialty. Routinely makes decisions in important matters using significant discretion and independent judgment. Prepares technical reports based on the interpretation of analyzed data and provides technical leadership to less experienced technicians and specialists.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Ensure chemistry parameters of assigned systems meet station and regulatory requirements.
• Review and revise system procedures to maintain or improve system performance.
• Apply comprehensive technical knowledge to identify and resolve chemistry-related system problems and adverse trends, recommend solutions, and track resolution progress.
• Identify adverse trends in laboratory equipment, initiate appropriate troubleshooting, and follow to final resolution.
• Maintain the knowledge and skill necessary to meet position responsibilities by vendor, contractor, and industry contact.
• Investigate and review laboratory equipment procedures and recommend/initiate improvements to ensure equipment reliability, precision, and accuracy.
• Direct up to three technician/craft to perform scheduled maintenance on plant systems to meet plant system technical requirements and plant schedule requirements.
• Accumulate, analyze, interpret, and report data on systems and instrumentation to management to provide a technical assessment of current operational status.
• Participate in outage support and Emergency Program assignments.
• Responsible for applying technical leadership over the program and teaching or mentoring other technical employees.

REQUIRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Chemistry Specialist IV An Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university in Chemistry or closely related field (or equivalent technical training) and 12 years of related chemistry experience; OR A Bachelor’s degree or higher education from an accredited college or university in Chemistry or related field and 10 years of chemistry related experience. OR A Master’s degree or higher education from an accredited college or university in Chemistry or related field and 8 years of chemistry related experience.
• Chemistry Specialist III An Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university in Chemistry or closely related field (or equivalent technical training) and seven years of related chemistry experience; OR A Bachelor’s degree or higher education from an accredited college or university in Chemistry or related field and five years of chemistry related experience. OR A Master’s degree or higher education from an accredited college or university in Chemistry or related field and three years of chemistry related experience.
• Chemistry Specialist II An Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university in Chemistry or closely related field (or equivalent technical training) and five years of related chemistry experience; OR A Bachelor’s degree or higher education from an accredited college or university in Chemistry or related field and three years of related chemistry experience.

PAY RANGE

• Chemistry Specialist IV Salary: $126,362 - $157,952
• Chemistry Specialist III Salary: $109,870 - $137,338
• Chemistry Specialist II Salary: $95,532 - $119,415

INCENTIVE COMPENSATION

This position is eligible for an annual at-risk compensation (ARC) incentive plan. Incentives are earned based on agency performance against defined metrics and goals which follow eligibility rules within the ARC plan document.

BENEFITS

• Washington State also has no state income tax, and the Tri-Cities provides a cost-of-living lower than the national average.
• EN offers substantial retirement benefits through three retirement programs including the Washington State Public Employees' Retirement System pension plan (PERS), a 401(k) savings plan with an employer match component, and a 457(b) savings plan.
• EN also offers multiple options for medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance coverage.
• Other voluntary benefits may include flexible spending accounts (FSAs), tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment, childcare subsides, health reimbursement arrangement (HRA VEBA), health savings account (HSA), supplemental life insurances, credit monitoring/identity theft insurance, and more!
• Qualifying employees will typically start a personal time accrual rate of 160 hours per year and EN provides nine paid holidays throughout the Calander year; personal time accruals grow significantly at various service intervals.
• Energy Northwest does not provide employment visa sponsorship.
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and throughout employment.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Know Your Rights (PDF) Current Energy Northwest employees must apply through the Jobs Hub on Workday. As a regional leader in clean energy generation and public power solutions, Energy Northwest develops, owns and operates a diverse mix of electricity generating resources, including hydro, solar, battery storage and wind projects - and the Northwest's only nuclear power facility. Energy Northwest is a Washington state joint operating agency comprised of public power member utilities, serving more than 1.5 million customers. The agency continually explores new generation projects and solutions to meet its members’ needs.