Laboratory Technician

City of San Diego; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of San Diego is seeking a Laboratory Technician to support environmental and Police Department lab operations, including sample prep, analyses, QA/QC, and record keeping. Candidates must meet one of the education/experience options listed, hold a valid California Driver License, and be able to work nights, weekends, holidays, and overtime.

Submit transcripts and required documents with your application; pre-employment screenings may include background checks, polygraph testing, and

Qualifications

• 14 college-level units in chemistry and/or biology with lab work.
• Two years of full-time laboratory experience performing chemical and biological tests.
• Two years of field sampling in water, wastewater, or environmental settings meeting regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and wash containers, glassware, and lab equipment.
• Prepare microbiological media and chemical reagents; record QA/QC data.
• Collect and transport biological or environmental samples for analyses; enter results in LIMS.
• Maintain logs, inventories, and preservation of specimens; ensure proper disposal of wastes.
• Assist with routine analyses and prepare routine reports; participate in court testimony as needed.

Education

Bachelor's degree in physical or life science

Tools

LIMS

Job description

See NOTES below for future wage increases and/or additional compensation opportunities.

Laboratory Technician positions provide a variety of laboratory support such as the washing and preparation of sample containers, analytical glassware, and other lab equipment; prepare microbiological media and chemical reagents; collect and transport biological or microbiological specimens and field samples; collect and transport water, sewage, industrial, ocean, bay, estuary, river, watershed, and other environmental samples for chemical and microbiological analyses; assist with basic or routine chemical, biological, or bacteriological analyses; record the results of basic chemical, biological, or bacteriological tests; perform chemical tests to determine solids, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and other similar tests in the field or laboratory; enter test results in LIMS; properly dispose of and/or coordinate the disposal of contaminated materials, hazardous chemical waste, and bio-hazardous waste; perform and record routine QA/QC testing and maintain laboratory log books and other records; maintain aquatic and other test organisms; wash, weigh, and maintain preserved specimens; maintain specimen and procedure logs and inventories; staff the Trucked Waste Monitoring Lab overseeing waste hauler discharge documents and screening/sampling tanker contents to enforce permit compliance; and perform other duties as assigned.

Laboratory Technician positions in the Police Department wash dishes, weigh chemicals for solution preparation, maintain complex instrumentation; maintain maintenance logs and inventories; prepare kits and supplies such as rape and gunshot residue kits; prepare chemical reagents used to test for alcohol standards and blood and semen screening and crime scene reconstruction; conduct computerized firearms ammunition components comparison; test fire a variety of weapons; perform calibrations on scientific instruments; restore obliterated serial numbers on impounded weapons using chemical agents and other equipment; prepare routine and/or detailed reports on the results of analyses; testify in court as required; and perform other duties as assigned.

NOTES:

• Employees in job classifications represented by Municipal Employees Association (MEA) are scheduled to receive the following general wage increases:
  • 3.5% effective 7/1/27
  • 2% effective 7/1/28
  • 2% effective 1/1/29

• In addition to the scheduled general wage increases, the following equity adjustment wage increases are also scheduled to take effect for Laboratory Technician:
  • 4% effective 1/1/28
  • 4% effective 1/1/29

• Eligible benefitted employees originally hired on or after July 10, 2021, will be automatically enrolled in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS).
• Candidates selected for positions in the San Diego Police Department will undergo a comprehensive character and background investigation, including a polygraph examination and fingerprint check prior to hire.
• Laboratory Technician employees may be required to work alone in the field, drive off-road, open manhole lids and place suspended sampling equipment into and out of sewer manholes, perform lake and ocean sampling from a boat, and perform other activities requiring significant physical dexterity.
• Laboratory Technician employees may be required to work with environmental and industrial samples, such as wastewater and sludge, as well as various hazardous chemicals.
• Laboratory Technician employees may be required to work nights, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
• Laboratory Technician employees may be required to work at any number of facilities located throughout the San Diego region.

You must meet the following requirements on the date you apply, unless otherwise indicated.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

You must meet ONE of the following options:

1. Successful completion of 14 semester/21 quarter college-level units in one or a combination of the following:
   • Chemistry, which must include course work in organic and/or inorganic Chemistry, including at least one laboratory course.
   • Biology and/or Microbiology, including at least one laboratory course.
   • Entomology and/or Invertebrate Zoology.
2. Two years of full-time experience in a laboratory performing a variety of chemical and biological tests (e.g., pH, turbidity, metal analysis, alkalinity, and solids using spectrophotometric, titrimetric, gravimetric, or similar measurement techniques), conducting aquatic bioassays, performing microbiological preparatory work or analyses, and/or identifying aquatic invertebrates.
3. Two years of full-time experience collecting samples from marine or freshwater environments, drinking water or wastewater facilities, drinking water distribution systems, industrial facilities, storm water drains, or other sites to fulfill environmental regulatory requirements AND at least one college-level course in Biology or Chemistry which must have included laboratory work. Qualifying experience MUST include field testing such as pH, conductivity, temperature, proper sample preservation, and use of chain-of-custody forms.

NOTE:

• City of San Diego employees using Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA) experience to qualify must submit written documentation signed by their appointing authority or payroll specialist, detailing the work performed, dates, and total number of qualifying OCA hours. OCA experience without the required documentation will NOT be considered.

LICENSE

A valid California Class C Driver License is required at the time of hire.

HIGHLY DESIRABLE

• Experience in a laboratory performing water and/or wastewater treatment process control tests.
• Experience with drinking water, industrial wastewater, groundwater, ocean, watershed, urban runoff/storm water, or reservoir sampling for chemical and/or biological analyses.
• Successful completion of additional college-level course work in any of the following: Chemistry, Biology, Microbiology, Entomology, Invertebrate Zoology, Physical Science and/or Life Science, including laboratory courses.
• Bachelor's Degree in a physical or life science field.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (MUST SUBMIT WITH APPLICATION)

• Copy of transcripts showing completion of the required course work, if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.
• For City of San Diego employees, proof of Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA), if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.

Required documents should be attached electronically to your application. If you are unable to attach at the time of application submittal, you must submit them as soon as possible via fax: [phone]; or to the Employment Information Center: City of San Diego Personnel Department, 1200 Third Avenue - Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92101. Include your name and the title of the position for which you are applying.

Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you provide on the supplemental questions will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in this initial screening process, your application will be reviewed for applicable education, experience, and/or training to ensure all minimum requirements have been met. Successful candidates will be placed on a list which will be used to fill position vacancies during the next six months (180 days). For each vacancy, only those candidates with the most appropriate qualifications will be contacted by the hiring department for an interview.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS: Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes applicable to this position, which may include the following: confirmation of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States; completion of a pre-employment medical review and exam (which may include drug and alcohol testing); reference checks; and fingerprinting. Fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report. Certain positions may require additional screening processes, including a polygraph examination and/or background investigation. All screening processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. A positive test result for alcohol, cannabis/marijuana, illegal drugs, or inadequately explained prescription drugs, or misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process, may constitute cause for disqualification or termination of employment. Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego. Candidates must notify the Personnel Department of any change in their name, mailing address, email address, or phone number, otherwise they may miss employment opportunities.