Toxicologist (35 Hour)

The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health (DPH) is hiring! We are seeking a qualified individual for the position of Toxicologist. The Toxicologist will work with the Emerging Contaminants Unit of the Environmental Health and Drinking Water Branch (EHDW). The Emerging Contaminants Unit is responsible for planning and implementing the priority recommendations in the CT Interagency PFAS Action Plan developed by Governor Lamont’s Interagency PFAS Task Force, as well as addressing other contaminants of emerging concern. It coordinates actions among the Drinking Water Section and the Environmental Health Section’s programs to ensure consistency within DPH in addressing contaminants of emerging concern in public and private drinking water and recreational waters. It is responsible for policy development and implementation to protect public health in the absence of federal and state regulation. 

This Toxicologist position will be responsible for duties including, but not limited to:

• Conducting health risk assessments for chemical contaminants in the environment, specifically per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
• Reviewing PFAS toxicology research and other scientific studies to update standards and action levels for drinking water
• Providing toxicology support for establishing health-based discharge/emission limits
• Developing cleanup standards for environmental media including air, soil and water, and safe tolerances for food and other products
• Supporting work of the ad hoc group on reducing PFAS exposure through food packaging and consumer products
• Participating in academic roundtables
• Providing toxicology input to health education and risk communication efforts
• Providing toxicological expertise on PFAS to the department and to other agencies in Connecticut

The Mission of the Department of Public Health (DPH) is to protect and improve the health and safety of the people of Connecticut by assuring the conditions in which people can be healthy, preventing disease, injury, and disability, and promoting the equal enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, which is a human right and a priority of the state. 

DPH accomplishes this through the implementation of its Strategic Plan which outlines the actions that DPH is taking to accomplish its Mission.

Are you interested in joining our team as a Toxicologist? We encourage you to apply today! This position is conveniently located in Hartford, CT. The work schedule for this position is typically Monday - Friday, 35 hours per week.

We offer a competitive benefits package, excellent health care, generous leave policies, retirement plan, and more! We also encourage a healthy work-life balance to all employees!

The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.

These positions will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.  

Due to the volume of applications anticipated, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be provided through your JobAps portal account. 

Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience most closely meet the preferred requirements of the position.  At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position. 

Please Note: You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system.

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam. 

Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process. 

The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

All State employees shall follow the guidelines as listed in Executive Orders 13F (3a) and 13G (3a).

Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Chelsea Moore at Chelsea.Moore@ct.gov

In the Department of Public Health, Public Health Laboratory and Environmental Epidemiology and Occupational Health Division this class is accountable for performing complex toxicological analyses and assisting in the technical and administrative activities of the section.

PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY: Performs a variety of complex tests on autopsy specimens for organic and inorganic poisons, identification of suspected poisonous substances, analysis of body fluids for alcoholic content, identification of blood and seminal stains, comparison of hairs and fibers and analysis of trace evidence; confers with pathologists and medical examiners with regard to evaluation and interpretation of laboratory findings; appears as an expert witness in court cases; assists in planning, organization and supervision of activities in toxicology laboratory; conducts research and develops new analytical procedures; manages integrity of chain of evidence in laboratory; assigns duties and reviews results for accuracy, effectiveness and conformance with approved methodology and procedures; may assist in development of section budget; performs related duties as required.
ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH DIVISION: Performs a variety of complex toxicological tests for purposes of identifying and assessing potentially hazardous chemical compounds in air, water and industrial environments; produces a standardized primary risk assessment model to prioritize chemical compounds for Air Toxics Program and exposure to multiple chemical compounds; evaluates and interprets research and laboratory findings involving tonics; appears as an expert witness in court cases; provides consultation to local, state and federal agencies and business community; assists in planning, organization and supervision of activities; assigns duties and reviews results for accuracy, effectiveness and conformance with approved methodology and procedures; performs related duties as required.

Considerable knowledge of principles of analytical chemistry and related analytical disciplines such as spectrophotometry and spectrography; knowledge of techniques of biochemical and toxicological analyses; knowledge of physical, physiological and pharmacological effects of poison and their absorption, storage and elimination; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable oral and written communication skills; skill in abstracting scientific literature; ability to summarize and present results of laboratory tests in concise form and interpret their meaning in lay language for legal purposes; some supervisory ability.

Eight (8) years of experience in analytical chemistry or a related area.

One (1) year of the General Experience must have involved toxicological analyses at the level of Principal Chemist (Toxicology).

1. College training in chemistry or a closely related field may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
2. A Master's degree in pharmacology, toxicology or a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
3. A Ph.D. degree in pharmacology or toxicology may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

• Experience in developing toxicity values (reference doses, cancer slopes, and benchmark doses)
• Experience in deriving health-based criteria using standard and novel risk assessment techniques
• Experience in using advanced modeling techniques to estimate exposure and risk, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other emerging contaminants
• Experience communicating complex scientific concepts and results of risk assessments in a manner that is understandable to the public
• Experience evaluating public policy relative to environmental risk and proposing proactive interventions to decrease risk
• Experience working with other toxicologists to analyze emerging contaminants, including PFAS and environmental exposures in all media
• Experience interacting with federal agencies on environmental toxicological issues

1. Incumbents in this class must be willing to periodically undergo tests or immunizations for communicable diseases as necessary.
2. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Incumbents in this class may be exposed to communicable diseases and hazardous substances.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.