Water Laboratory Manager

About the role

The County of San Luis Obispo Public Works Department is offering a career opportunity for a Water Laboratory Manager. This is a single-position management role with overall responsibility for the administration, regulatory compliance, operational oversight, quality assurance, and supervision of the County’s Water Quality Laboratory (WQL).

Responsibilities

• Plans, organizes, directs, and oversees all activities and operations of the Water Quality Laboratory to ensure efficient, effective, and compliant laboratory services.
• Supervises, mentors, and evaluates the performance of assigned staff; interviews and selects employees; recommends appointments, reassignments, and disciplinary actions; assigns and reviews work for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with policies and performance standards.
• Develops and administers laboratory budgets, including forecasting operational needs, monitoring expenditures, evaluating resource allocation, and approving procurement of equipment, materials, supplies, and services.
• Develops, implements, evaluates, and updates laboratory policies, procedures, and quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) protocols.
• Oversees and maintains compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, permits, accreditation requirements, and reporting obligations related to laboratory operations, including Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) standards.
• Coordinates with Department management, engineers, operations personnel, regulatory agencies, contractors, consultants, and other stakeholders regarding water quality issues, treatment operations, compliance initiatives, and laboratory services.
• Supports stormwater compliance activities in accordance with the County’s Stormwater Management Program (SWMP), National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), and related regulatory requirements.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

The Ideal Candidate Will be service and action oriented; understand the technical methodologies associated with water quality data collection, testing and analysis; have experience with supporting water and wastewater systems; and understand the institutional, regulatory and financial considerations associated with successful water quality management and laboratory services.

Qualifications

• Education & Experience: Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in chemistry, biology, microbiology, environmental science, or a closely related field. In addition, six years of progressively responsible experience in water or wastewater laboratory testing, including at least two years of supervisory, lead, or administrative responsibility in a laboratory setting.
• Licenses and Certificates: Possession of a valid State of California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Laboratory Director Certification.