Lead Water Analyst

University of Nebraska–Lincoln; Lincoln (NE); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation, sick, and holiday pay

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Life insurance

Tuition assistance

Parental leave

Job summary

University of Nebraska–Lincoln is seeking a Lead Water Analyst to plan, implement, and oversee campus-wide water chemistry programs for boilers, chillers, and cooling towers. You will ensure regulatory compliance, optimize system performance, and supervise a team of technicians.

The role involves coordinating with safety and environmental teams, managing budgets, and driving continuous improvement across water treatment operations on campus in Lincoln, NE.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Science, or related field or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years in water/steam chemistry or related plant environments.
• Experience leading or supervising staff is required.

Responsibilities

• Plan, design, maintain, and improve campus-wide water chemistry programs for boilers, chillers, and cooling systems.
• Administer and oversee compliance, data collection, and documentation of water treatment activities.
• Develop procedures and records to ensure regulatory and safety requirements are met.
• Oversee daily water testing, sampling, analysis, and data interpretation for compliance.
• Coordinate with Environmental Health and Safety on safety standards and regulations.
• Lead staff performance, coaching, and training, including scheduling and evaluations.
• Assist with budgeting, vendor management, and procurement for water treatment operations.

Skills

Water chemistry

Water testing

Regulatory compliance

Leadership

Communication

Budgeting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry/Engineering/Environmental Science or related field

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Water treatment equipment

Chemical dosing systems

Job description

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Employment Website

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Position Information

Position Information

EEO Statement

Working Title

Working Title Lead Water Analyst

Department

Requisition Number

Requisition Number S_260742

Posting Open Date

Posting Open Date 09/16/2026

Application Review Date: (To ensure consideration, please submit all application materials before review date)

Application Review Date: (To ensure consideration, please submit all application materials before review date) 10/16/2026

Posting Close Date

Open Until Filled Yes

Description of Work

Ranked as one of the Best Employers in Nebraska and certified as a Lincoln Family-Friendly workplace, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is committed to providing a work environment and culture that fosters personal and professional success and satisfaction. By joining our team, you will be given opportunities to grow as an individual and contribute to the significant impact that we make within the University of Nebraska community and Nebraska’s economy each year.

We invest in our employees:

• Vacation, sick, and holiday pay.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• No-cost life insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Parental leave
• Tuition assistance for employees and dependents.
• Exclusive employee discounts.
• Professional development through training and education.
• And many more!!

As the Lead Water Analyst, you will:

• Plan, design, maintain, and/or improve campus-wide water chemistry testing and treatment programs to ensure safe, compliant, cost-effective, and high-performing operation of boilers, chillers, cooling towers, and conditioned water systems.
• Administer and execute water and steam chemistry programs to maintain regulatory compliance, maximize thermodynamic efficiency, support system reliability and capacity, and reduce corrosion, forced outages, and maintenance costs.
• Develop, implement, maintain, and oversee operational procedures, logs, documentation tools, and daily water chemistry practices to ensure consistent performance, regulatory compliance, and adherence to safety and environmental programs.
• Oversee daily water chemistry testing and treatment, including collection, analysis, documentation, and interpretation of water samples to verify compliance with established guidelines.
• Collect, monitor, analyze, and document water chemistry across plant conditioning systems, fuel samples, calculate and adjust chemical treatment requirements, and recommend or make equipment adjustments, including blow downs and chemical feed controls, to maintain proper system performance.
• Verify compliance with water treatment procedures and notify plant management of deviations from established guidelines.
• Monitor system performance, troubleshoot equipment issues, and perform preventive maintenance, repairs, outage-related testing, initiate testing to determine root cause analysis, and notify applicable personnel when applicable.
• Oversee and perform metallurgical testing and intervention activities for boilers and other plant systems and components.
• Evaluate, recommend, and install chemical treatment equipment and electronic programming for chemical feed control systems.
• Receive, prioritize, and complete work orders related to water and wastewater systems.
• Coordinate and manage chemical, water treatment, equipment, and regulatory projects, including cost estimates and ongoing cost control.
• Participate in planning activities related to treated water and wastewater systems to support future operational needs.
• Lead compliance activities related to wastewater, stormwater, hazardous waste management, chemical safety documentation ( MSDS /Right to Know), spill prevention, and pollution incident prevention requirements.
• Coordinate with Environmental Health and Safety to support compliance for water chemistry operations and hazardous materials and participate in safety committees to promote adherence to applicable safety standards, regulations, and internal procedures.
• Maintain, prepare, and submit all necessary water treatment, equipment, and chemical safety documentation, and ensure records are current and accessible.
• Train and support plant personnel on safe water treatment operations, including systems, equipment, chemical controls, and disinfection products, through ongoing coordination, coaching, and EHS collaboration.
• Research vendors and coordinate purchasing of specialized supplies, equipment, and contracted services, and manage and evaluate contractor performance by providing feedback to support plant water chemistry and water treatment operations.
• Monitor and control chemical inventory, track chemical usage and expenditures, and provide budget input for chemistry operations, projects, and regulatory compliance needs.
• Oversee and perform safe storage, handling, transfer, delivery notification, and disposal of hazardous and corrosive chemicals.
• Participate in an on-call rotation to respond to and support emergency situations involving water chemistry issues.
• Provide leadership and oversight of staff performance, including setting goals, communicating expectations, delivering coaching and training, conducting evaluations, documenting performance, and recommending salary adjustments.

Sponsorship will not be offered for this position.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its programs, activities, or employment. See https://equity.unl.edu/notice-nondiscrimination/.

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Science, other related field, or equivalent education/experience.
• 5+ years of experience in industrial, institutional, utility, power generation, or comparable environments performing water and steam chemistry, water treatment, or plant chemistry functions.
• 1+ year of experience leading, training, or supervising staff, or providing functional leadership in a technical or operational environment.
• Knowledge of industrial or utility water treatment and water chemistry principles, including corrosion control, chemical treatment strategies, and system performance optimization.
• Proficient in the administration and oversight of water and steam chemistry programs, including testing, analysis, diagnostics, and remediation activities.
• Knowledge of regulatory compliance requirements and safe practices related to water treatment, wastewater, stormwater, hazardous materials, and chemical safety.
• Skilled in the use of associated mechanical equipment and systems.
• Skilled in analyzing water chemistry data, identifying trends or deviations, and determining appropriate operational or treatment adjustments.
• Strong ability to apply theoretical principles of chemistry and water treatment to independent operational decision-making and troubleshooting.
• Skilled in developing, implementing, and maintaining operational procedures, documentation, logs, and compliance records.
• Familiarity with budgets, cost tracking, and vendor or service contracts.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to convey technical information to non-technical audiences.
• Strong organizational and project coordination skills.
• Available by cell phone to assist with campus emergencies on the weekend and after-hours.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and meet University driver eligibility requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Science, other related field of study.
• Certified Water Technologist ( CWT ) – Association of Water Technologies ( AWT )
• Valid State of Nebraska Grade 4 or higher Water Operators Certificate.

Pre-Placement Driving Record Review Required

Pre-Placement Driving Record Review Required Yes

Physical Required

Physical Required Yes

Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) required. Subject to DOT approved pre-employment & random testing for alcohol and controlled substances.

Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) required. Subject to DOT approved pre-employment & random testing for alcohol and controlled substances. No

Criminal History Background Check Required

Criminal History Background Check Required Yes

Job Category (old)

Job Category (old) Managerial/Professional

Job Type

Job Type Full-Time

Alternate Work Schedule (if other than 8-5)

Work Location (City, State)

Work Location (City, State) Lincoln, NE

Position funded by grant or other form of temporary funding?

Position funded by grant or other form of temporary funding? No

If Temporary, indicate end date

Planned Hire Date:

Appointment End Date

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * Do you have 5+ years of experience in industrial, institutional, utility, power generation, or comparable environments performing water and steam chemistry, water treatment, or plant chemistry functions?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have 1+ years of experience leading, training, or supervising staff, or providing functional leadership in a technical or operational environment?
  • Yes
  • No