CHEMIST

Tucson Water is the second largest water utility in Arizona, serving over 730,000 customers over a 390 square mile service area. Tucson Water is recognized internationally as a leader in water conservation, sustainability, and service. Our employees are proud stewards our community’s most precious natural resource, working to embody the utility’s motto of “Pride In Service.”

The Tucson Water Department is seeking highly qualified individuals with a chemistry background to perform analyses on drinking water, surface water, and wastewater utilizing EPA approved methods.

City-Wide Benefits
• Medical: Choice between a high deductible plan (HSA or HRA), or Network plan.
• Dental: Choice between a national dental PPO and a local dental HMO.
• Vision: Coverage for annual eye exam and glasses or contacts, plus LASIK.
• Life: City-paid coverage for you & dependents, plus option to buy more.
• Long-Term Disability: Income replacement of up to 60% of your base salary in the event of a qualifying disability.
• Employee Assistance Program: Enhance your wellbeing when life doesn’t go as planned.
• Flexible Spending: Pay for qualified health and dependent care expenses using pretax dollars.
• Colonial Voluntary Benefits: Financial help in the event of cancer, hospitalization, accident, more.

Your Security and Future
• Pension: Generous pension plans that help both civilian and public safety employees retire more comfortably.
• Deferred Compensation: Save more toward a comfortable retirement with a 457(b) plan.
• Training & Tuition Assistance: Pursue your dream through internal training or financial help toward a degree.
• Education Assistance, Reimbursement, and Qualified Loan Repayment Assistance Program: Get assistance paying off your student loan debt.
• Back-Up Care: Care for your loved ones when your regular care is unavailable.

Your Peace of Mind
• Paid Parental Leave: Six (6) weeks paid leave when you welcome a child, plus other generous leave policies for FML, Medical and USERRA.
• Paid Time Away: New hires enjoy 37 days of paid time off in the first year, with time increasing steadily thereafter (In year one: 13 accrued days of vacation, 13 accrued days of sick leave, and 11 paid holidays).
• Employee Discounts: Generous discounts, ranging from car rentals to computers, gifts to groceries, electronics to entertainment.
• Social Connectedness: Forge connections with the community we serve through paid volunteerism and payroll-deducted charitable giving.

Performs chemical and microbiological analysis of water utilizing EPA approved methods. Processes analytical data and prepares reports in compliance with local, state and federal laws regarding drinking water and surface water requirements.

• Performs analysis of water samples utilizing various instrumental techniques
• Performs volatile organic chemical analysis using EPA methods 524.2, 522 and 8260
• Performs PFAS analysis utilizing EPA Method 537/533
• Performs total organic chemical analysis using Standard Method 5310C
• Performs bench and peer review of analytical data to ensure all QC requirements are completed and the data is valid for reporting
• Enters data into the laboratory information management system
• Maintains laboratory records including analytical run logs, standards logs and general quality control records
• Prepares reagents and calibration standards used for instrumental analysis
• Performs routine daily maintenance on laboratory equipment that is being used
• Maintains and updates SOPs for laboratory analysis

Minimum Education Level & Type: Bachelor's Degree

Minimum Experience Qualifications: At least 2 years of experience in performing chemical and microbiological lab and field analysis.

Valid and unrestricted driver’s license

The ideal candidate will possess the above minimum qualifications as well as have relevant experience in the areas of:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, Microbiology, or closely related field 
• Six months experience performing volatile organic chemical analysis utilizing GC/MS techniques by EPA Methods 524.2 and 8260
• Six months experience performing PFAS analysis by EPA Method 537/533 utilizing LC/MS/MS
• One year of general laboratory experience utilizing gravimetric, titrimetric and colorimetric procedures

You are encouraged to print this bulletin because it contains important dates and information that will not be available online once this position closes.

All applicants will be required to submit a resume under the "Resume" tab as part of the online application, as your resume will be reviewed and scored.  Please ensure your application contains the required resume prior to submission.  

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be evaluated on the education and work experience in their employment profiles and the responses to their supplemental questions.  The highest scoring applicants will then be invited to participate in a virtual Oral Board Interview.

•     Virtual Oral Board Interviews will be held July 27, 2022 

Upon completion of all examination processes, the highest scoring applicants will be placed on the Civil Service Employment List.  An applicant’s ranking on the Civil Service Employment List will be based on their final score which will be calculated as:

• 10% of the rating for education and work experience
• 90% rating for the Oral Board Interview

Selection interviews may be conducted post-list by the hiring manager.

This recruitment will establish a Civil Service Eligibility List that will be utilized to fill all vacancies within Tucson Water occurring within the next 6 months.

Veterans, Native American, or Disability preference points will be added to the achieved score for those that are placed on the Civil Service Eligibility List. If you qualify for preference points as outlined in the Employment Profile, you may upload your documentation as part of the application process or email it to Jocelyn.Maez@tucsonaz.gov. The DD 214 must be a copy that indicates a characterization of service.

If you are in need of an Americans with Disabilities Act related accommodation during the testing process, please contact Jocelyn D. Maez at Jocelyn.Maez@tucsonaz.gov at least 48 hours prior to the particular evaluation.

**The City of Tucson values the safety of our employees, our residents, our community, and our visitors. In support of these values, if you are selected for this job, you must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, except when vaccination is not medically advised or violates your sincerely held religious beliefs. If you are invited to join our team, you must submit proof that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to your initial HR representative, or you must request an exemption from your representative. New employees must either provide proof of vaccination or be granted a medical or religious exemption before working with the City of Tucson.

Communication during this process will be sent via email to the email address on file, so please ensure your browser accepts emails from jobs@tucsonaz.gov and check your email account regularly; this may include your junk box/spam filter. Failure to respond or follow instructions may result in disqualification.

None

To ensure accurate payroll information for tax purposes, the successful candidate will need to provide their original Social Security Card or original letter from the Social Security Administration with their social security number prior to beginning work with the City of Tucson.

The City of Tucson hires lawful workers only - US citizens or nationals and non-citizens with valid work authorization - without discrimination. Federal immigration laws require all employers to verify both the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. In its efforts to meet the law's requirements, the City of Tucson participates in the E-Verify program established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to aid employers in verifying the eligibility of workers.

Retired City of Tucson employees receiving benefits from the Tucson Supplemental Retirement System who are considering reemployment with the City should be aware that pursuant to Section 22-37(g) of the Tucson City Code, retirement benefits shall be suspended during the period of reemployment with the City of Tucson unless you have been separated at least twelve consecutive months before returning to work AND you return to a non-permanent employment classification. Creditable service does not accrue during any reemployment period.