Wet Lab Carbon Technician

FWI (FedWriters, Inc.); Ann Arbor (MI); Hybrid; USD 112,352,923 - 118,255,939; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Disability Insurance

Life Insurance

401(k) Plan

Holiday Pay

Paid Time Off

Job summary

FWI supports NOAA GLERL in Ann Arbor, MI, by conducting wet lab carbon analyses and ensuring rigorous QA/QC to turn lake-water samples into usable datasets for HABs and carbon cycle studies.

The Wet Lab Carbon Technician position involves operating TOC/DOC/DIC systems, maintaining laboratory equipment, handling samples from field teams, and helping draft SOPs and data summaries for scientific communications.

Qualifications

• BS degree in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, environmental science, or related field.
• Experience in a wet chemistry lab with environmental samples.
• Proficiency with Excel or Google Workspace for data entry.

Responsibilities

• Perform routine and complex carbon analyses on water and sediments.
• Prepare reagents, standard solutions, and labware with strict QA/QC.
• Operate and maintain TOC, spectrophotometer, and fluorometer equipment.
• Log field samples and manage data in GLERL databases.

Skills

Wet lab experience

Data entry skills

Microsoft Excel

Communication skills

Education

BS degree in chemistry

Tools

TOC analyzers

Spectrophotometers

Fluorometers

Filtration systems

DIC analyzers

CHN analyzers

Job description

Overview

If you love the rigor of the analytical bench as much as you love the idea that your data helps protect one‑fifth of the world’s surface freshwater, this role is built for you. FWI is looking for a Wet Lab Carbon Technician to join the team supporting NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) — the nerve center for harmful algal bloom detection, hypoxia tracking, and carbon cycle research across the Great Lakes. You will run the instruments, own the QA/QC, and help turn raw lake‑water samples into the datasets that inform how we understand and protect this critical freshwater ecosystem.

Responsibilities

• Perform routine and complex wet laboratory chemical analyses on water and sediment samples, focusing on organic and inorganic carbon fractions (TOC, DOC, DIC, POC) and related nutrient parameters in support of HABs and ecosystem research.
• Prepare chemical reagents, standard solutions, and specialized glassware/plasticware, adhering to strict laboratory cleanliness and quality protocols.
• Operate, calibrate, troubleshoot, and perform routine preventative maintenance on core laboratory analytical equipment (e.g., TOC analyzers, spectrophotometers, fluorometers, filtration apparatus).
• Execute rigorous laboratory QA/QC procedures, accurately document instrument performance, maintain detailed laboratory notebooks, and manage chemical inventories and Safety Data Sheets (SDS).
• Log, track, and preserve incoming field samples collected from GLERL research vessels, autonomous vehicles, and the real-time observation network.
• Conduct vacuum filtrations for chlorophyll‑a, phycocyanin, particulate organic carbon, and total suspended solids, managing subsequent extraction and analysis processes.
• Process, review, and perform initial quality control checks on analytical datasets; upload finalized data into designated GLERL databases and archives.
• Assist research scientists and engineers with field data and sample collection on NOAA small boats and GLERL research vessels during seasonal monitoring cruises (typically May to November).
• Collaborate with technical staff to draft and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), data summaries, and quality management records.
• Assist in developing figures, charts, and technical summaries of carbon and bloom data for research communications, technical publications, and presentations.
• Safely operate basic material handling equipment and adhere to all NOAA environmental health and safety regulations within the wet lab facility.

Qualifications

• BS degree in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, environmental science, limnology, or a closely related scientific discipline.
• Demonstrated experience working in a wet chemistry laboratory environment handling environmental samples.
• Experience with basic laboratory instrumentation and data entry software (e.g., Microsoft Excel, Google Workspace).
• Valid driver’s license.
• Ability to lift and carry a 50 lb load to assist with sample coolers and field gear.
• Ability to perform field work and handle sample collection on marine vessels.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and safely within a laboratory setting, function as part of a technical team, and possess strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Desired Skills and Experience

• Two or more years of experience working in an analytical chemistry or biogeochemistry wet lab focused on aquatic environments.
• Hands‑on experience operating, troubleshooting, and maintaining carbon analysis instrumentation such as TOC/DOC analyzers, DIC analyzers, or elemental analyzers (CHN).
• Experience with automated nutrient analyzers, spectrophotometers, fluorometers, and vacuum filtration systems.
• Experience working with and developing standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Experience using certified reference materials (CRMs), creating standards based on SOPs, and calibrating instruments and sensors.
• Familiarity with QA/QC protocols, creating standard curves, running check standards, and tracking instrument drift.
• Experience processing and analyzing environmental datasets using programming languages such as Python or R.
• Experience working at sea or on research cruises within the Great Lakes or similar large aquatic systems.
• General knowledge of freshwater ecology, harmful algal bloom (HAB) dynamics, and carbon cycle biogeochemistry.

Work Setting and Environment

• Primary location: NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL), 4840 S. State Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48108.
• Telework approved for tasks conducive to remote work, as scheduled with the COR and Technical Lead(s).
• Full‑time schedule (1,912 hours annually), Monday–Friday, flexible hours between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.; field operations may affect hours.
• Local Great Lakes field travel expected May–November; occasional meeting travel December–April; annual travel not anticipated to exceed 4%.

FWI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/vets.

Benefits

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Long‑term and Short‑term Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance
• 401(k) Plan
• Holiday Pay
• Paid Time Off

Pay Range: $39.21/hr to $41.27/hr