Laboratory Supervisor

Laboratory Supervisor

The City has an exciting opportunity for a Laboratory Supervisor within the Wastewater Treatment Laboratory Division of the Public Works Department.

Under direction, the Laboratory Supervisor oversees the daily operations of an environmental laboratory fully accredited to TNI-2 standards by the State of California's Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program. This position supervises laboratory staff performing complex chemical, bacteriological, and physical analyses of both drinking and wastewater while ensuring compliance with environmental laws, discharge permit regulations, and quality standards.

The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills, along with extensive technical knowledge in environmental laboratory operations, quality management systems, and wastewater treatment processes. The successful candidate must demonstrate sound judgment, a commitment to safety and customer service, and the ability to coordinate effectively with regulatory agencies, consultants, City staff, and the public.

Primary responsibilities include supervising and evaluating laboratory staff and daily laboratory operations, overseeing complex chemical, bacteriological, and physical testing related to drinking water and wastewater treatment processes, maintaining laboratory accreditation and ensuring compliance with discharge permit regulations and internal requirements of the laboratory's Quality Manual, directing quality assurance and quality control programs and validating laboratory data, preparing technical reports, permit applications, and regulatory documentation, monitoring treatment plant efficiency and providing data to Operations staff for process adjustments, participating in budgeting, resource planning, and special environmental studies, and coordinating with regulatory agencies, consultants, City staff, and the public regarding laboratory operations and compliance activities.

The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership, communication, and customer service skills with the ability to effectively supervise staff and collaborate with regulatory agencies, consultants, and City personnel, extensive knowledge of environmental laboratory operations, wastewater treatment processes, and applicable environmental laws and regulations, experience overseeing complex chemical, bacteriological, and physical analyses using advanced laboratory instrumentation, the ability to develop and manage the laboratory's Quality Management System as outlined in the Manual while maintaining laboratory accreditation standards, experience preparing technical reports, regulatory documentation, permit applications, and environmental compliance records, strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, oversee laboratory operations, and support departmental goals and objectives, knowledge of laboratory safety practices, permit compliance requirements, and modern trends in environmental laboratory practices, experience supervising, training, mentoring, and evaluating technical laboratory staff in a collaborative, high-performing work environment, proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and laboratory data management systems, and a valid Class C California driver's license.

Education and experience include a Bachelor's degree in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, microbiology, environmental science, or a related field, six years of responsible chemical, environmental, or biological laboratory experience involving chemical, bacteriological, and physical testing analyses typically performed in a wastewater treatment laboratory. 2 years of supervisory responsibility. Other qualifications in accordance with California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Section 64812.00 (ELAP modified) are required. Experience in a drinking water or wastewater treatment laboratory is required.

Certifications include a Grade III Certification from the California Water Environmental Association or CA-NV/AWWA.

Core competencies include effective communicator, team builder, strategic thinker, results oriented problem solver and decision maker, planner and organizer, technically knowledgeable.