[Hiring] Environmental Laboratory Auditor @State of Washington

Role Description

The Department of Ecology is hiring an Environmental Laboratory Auditor-Organic Chemist-Liquid Chromatography Specialist (Chemist 4) within the Environmental Assessment Program.

Location: Laboratory Accreditation Office in Manchester, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Schedule:

• The position must work in-person at the Laboratory Accreditation Office on Mondays, our weekly Team Day, with additional on-site days required during onboarding and training.
• This position conducts fieldwork at laboratories across Washington state, requiring regular travel to various lab sites.
• After onboarding and training is complete, this position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline: Apply by August 24, 2026. Applications submitted after the date above may not be reviewed unless additional qualified applicants are needed.

Duties

As a Chemist 4, you will help protect Washington’s environment and public health by accrediting environmental laboratories. You will help ensure laboratories can produce accurate and defensible analytical data, critical for state agencies and public health. In this role, you will evaluate laboratory capabilities, conduct on-site and virtual audits, and serve as the program’s subject matter expert in Organic Chemistry by Liquid Chromatography. You’ll provide technical guidance for implementation of accreditation standards. This position offers meaningful scientific work with opportunities to broaden your technical expertise, support statewide environmental initiatives, and take on responsibility within the accreditation program.

What you will do:

• Process initial and renewal applications for laboratory accreditation.
• Review quality assurance manuals, standard operating procedures, analytical data, and performance testing results submitted in support of applications for accreditation.
• Make recommendations to the Laboratory Accreditation Unit supervisor on whether laboratories can produce accurate and defensible analytical data.
• Prepare correspondence informing laboratories of their accreditation status and maintain accurate records in the accreditation database.
• Serve as the program’s liquid chromatography specialist, reviewing documentation and analytical data generated through LC/MS/MS instrumentation.
• Conduct on-site and virtual audits of laboratories, either independently or as the organic chemistry specialist on an audit team.
• Prepare clear, detailed audit reports and recommend corrective actions to improve laboratory procedures.
• Track and verify laboratory compliance with audit findings.

Qualifications

• Ten (10) years of experience and/or education related to the duties of the position, which must include all the following:
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience employed in the conduct of bench scale laboratory testing, using similar methods and techniques for which auditing services would be provided.
• Organic Chemistry Assessment – Ability to evaluate Organic Chemistry procedures, QA/QC, SOPs, detection limit studies, and analytical data to determine whether laboratories can produce valid results.
• Communication – Clearly communicates technical and regulatory information in writing and verbally, including explaining requirements, analytical procedures, good laboratory practices, and documentation standards to ensure accuracy, traceability, defensibility, and consistent understanding across all interested parties.
• Liquid Chromatography Expertise – Ability to perform specialized technical reviews in Liquid Chromatography to ensure accurate and defensible data.
• Attention to Detail – Ability to review complex documents, data, and records carefully to support accreditation decisions.
• Professional Judgment – Ability to interpret information, apply policy, and make sound, objective recommendations that support program goals.
• Collaboration and Relationships – Ability to work effectively with colleagues, laboratories, and external partners to support consistent accreditation practices.
• Analytical Method and Data Evaluation – Ability to assess laboratory procedures, instrument data, performance results, and demonstrations of capability, and to interpret technical information to validate analytical results and determine whether laboratory practices meet required standards.
• Education involving a major study in chemistry, environmental science, microbiology, or a related scientific field with a minimum of 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of college-level chemistry.

Requirements

• Must be able to obtain and maintain a federal EPASS for the Manchester Lab facility.

Benefits

• Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s)
• Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
• Vacation, Sick, and other Leave
• 11 Paid Holidays per year
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Tuition Waiver
• Long Term Disability & Life Insurance
• Deferred Compensation Programs
• Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP)
• Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Commute Trip Reduction Incentive
• Combined Fund Drive
• SmartHealth