Lab Technician - Coord, Environmental Eng

Smurfit Westrock Company; Virginia; On-site; USD 63,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive training

Competitive salary

Sustainability focus

Job summary

Smurfit Westrock is seeking a Laboratory Technician to join the WestPoint Mill team. The LabTech will perform sampling and analytical tests to support environmental compliance for the Virginia Pollution Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit, and assist with QA investigations, production support, and safety goals.

Daily tasks include sampling a wide range of materials, operating laboratory instruments such as BOD/COD testers, IC/ICP, and spectrophotometers, maintaining records, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in chemistry with 1+ year industrial sampling/testing experience.
• Experience with BOD testing, titrations and analyzers.
• Ability to learn new techniques quickly and work with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Collect samples: wastewater, storm water, groundwater and materials.
• Perform analyses using on-site lab instruments (BOD, COD, TSS, pH, etc.).
• Prepare samples and shipping papers for off-site lab transport.
• Inspect tanks and waste areas; report deficiencies.
• Enter results in databases/spreadsheets and support QA investigations.
• Occasional overtime; on-call every ~3 weeks for weekends/holidays.

Skills

BOD testing

Titrations

Discrete analyzer

IC/ICP

pH/DO/UV

Education

Bachelor’s degree in chemistry

Associate degree in chemistry or science

Tools

Discrete analyzer

IC

ICP

pH meter

UV/Vis spectrophotometer

Job description

VA West Point Mill

The Opportunity

We are looking for a Laboratory Technician (LabTech) to join our team at our WestPoint Mill. The LabTech will be involved in a variety of activities and be a key team member in enabling the mill to meet environmental compliance requirements for the Virginia Pollution Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit by performing the required effluent and upstream wastewater sampling and storm water sampling and analytical tests. LabTech will assist with tank and groundwater environmental regulatory requirements by participating in a sampling program of groundwater wells as well as assist production personnel with quality assurance investigations and reporting by performing analytical tests on raw materials, intermediate materials, finished product and wastes. The LabTech will also perform inspections of tanks and waste accumulation areas and report deficiencies identified; and support mill goals in safety performance, production, budget, and customer satisfaction.

How you will Impact Smurfit Westrock

Examples of daily activities and responsibilities include the following:

• Collecting samples, such as the following, in an industrial setting:
  • Wastewater
  • Storm water
  • Ground water (from wells)
  • Raw materials (chips, wood, cooking chemicals
  • Intermediate products (paper cooking liquors, chemical additives.)
  • Finished product (paper/paperboard, soap, turpentine.)
  • Wastes (ash, spilled materials, unknown waste for RCRA characterization)
• Performing analyses using instruments in the on-site laboratory. Analyses include biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), pH, BTU, TKN, NO2+NO3, chloride, sodium, TOX/AOX, etc.
• Running pH meter, DO meter, conductivity meter, UV/vis spectrophotometer, discrete analyzer, IC, ICP, TOX analyzer, and calorimeter as well as performing titrations and making solutions.
• Preparing samples and shipping papers for sample transport to off-site laboratories.
• Performing inspections of oil tanks, hazardous waste accumulation areas, and completing the checklists accurately. Must inform pertinent personnel of issues identified during the inspections.
• Entering analytical results in a database or spreadsheet for reporting.
• Assisting with housekeeping in the laboratory.
• Ensuring that laboratory instruments have the proper preventive maintenance and care.
• Checking that laboratory chemical inventory is adequate.
• Adhering to all mill safety rules, participating in safety programs and meetings with the goal of improving safety at the mill.
• Weekend and holiday duty. LabTech is on call duty approximately every three weeks on the weekends and holidays. While on call duty, lab tech performs daily sampling, runs analytical tests, and performs inspections for approximately seven hours each day.

What you need to succeed

• Bachelor’s degree in chemistry and at least one year (or co-op experience) taking samples and running laboratory testing in an industrial setting; or Associate degree in chemistry or other science field with at least 2 years experience in an industrial setting taking samples and running analytical tests; and Experience with BOD testing, titrations, and running a discrete analyzer, IC, ICP, or other analytical instruments.
• Demonstrated ability to learn new techniques quickly
• Strong time management skills and efficiency
• Detail and results oriented with strong communication skills – must be able to communicate unusual analytical results or inspection findings to various audiences
• Flexible time schedule – may need to work overtime to meet all deadlines
• Work with minimal supervision
• Able and willing to walk comfortably and safely through a large industrial facility, up and down stairs as needed, with all required personal protective equipment (safety glasses, hard hat, steel-toed shoes, hearing protection, etc.) at any time of the year
• Must be able to lift 40 pounds.
• Current driver’s license. Must drive a company vehicle to access sampling locations
• Competent using Excel spreadsheets (able to generate reports and graphs) and other basic computer programs such as MSWord, Power Point, and Outlook.
• Work weekend and holiday duty approximately every three weeks.
• Works with a team of lab technicians who report to the Laboratory Manager.
• Performance review provided by Laboratory Manager with assistance from the Environmental Manager and production personnel.

What we offer

• Corporate culture based on integrity, respect, accountability, and excellence
• Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities
• An attractive salary reflecting skills, competencies, and potential
• A career with a global packaging company where Sustainability, Safety and Inclusion are business drivers and foundational elements of the daily work

The salary range for this position is $63,000.00 - $105,000.00, depending on your role, level, and location. The range listed is also the expected pay for roles in Illinois and Colorado. The benefits for this role include short-term bonus incentive, health, dental and vision insurance, flexible spending accounts or health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and paid sick leave as required by applicable state/local law, 15 days of paid vacation, and 11 days of paid holidays, subject to annual change. Your pay will be based on factors such as your skills, experience, and education.