Laboratory Intern

The District is seeking a talented, organized, and self-motivated Laboratory Intern to fill a position in the District’s Laboratory Department. This position will be responsible for assisting the District laboratory with water and wastewater analyses. This position is a temporary internship that will expose the candidate to a variety of activities and skills used in the daily operations in a full-service water & wastewater laboratory.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is equally comfortable crunching data as they are having a conversation with our customers. The ideal candidate for this role must be committed to environmental stewardship, have strong customer service skills and be able to take initiative while collaborating with a highly productive team of fun and friendly people. This internship will work on a variety of projects as assigned by the Laboratory Supervisor to support district program goals and efforts.

Why work for us? This is an opportunity to use your skills and education to impact water in the west AND work in an amazing place. Not to mention paid Holidays, housing stipend, and opportunities for training.

The ideal timeframe for this candidate is suited for a recent graduate. We would prefer an intern who can start in April and work for six months.

What you’ll learn:

• Water and wastewater treatment processes, including physical, chemical and biological treatment methods.
• Sampling and testing procedures for various water and wastewater parameters, such as pH, TDS, BOD, COD, etc.
• Operation and maintenance of laboratory equipment and instruments.
• Laboratory safety and quality control procedures, such as handling hazardous chemicals and following standard operating procedures.
• Data analysis and report writing, including interpretation of test results and preparation of technical reports.
• Regulations and standards for water and wastewater treatment, such as EPA and local guidelines.

Day to Day Tasks:

• Sample and collect water and wastewater samples from various locations to support wastewater permit requirements and water quality studies.
• Prepare and conduct various laboratory tests on water and wastewater samples.
• Record and organize test results in a database or spreadsheet.
• Assist in the maintenance and calibration of laboratory equipment.
• Maintain a safe and clean laboratory environment, following standard operation procedures and safety protocols.
• Assist with sampling program activities related to various water quality programs.
• Customer Engagement: Events, Presentations, Support, etc.

Qualifications and Competencies

• EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: High School Diploma or GED required. Bachelor’s degree in a science related field, no experience necessary; or pursuing a technical degree from a Technical, Scientific or Trade Institution in Environmental Studies, with basic knowledge of chemical and microbiological properties of water, laboratory techniques and equipment; or 6 months related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience preferred. Computer proficiency and experience are required.
• CUSTOMER SERVICE: Friendly with strong customer service skills and able to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and co-workers.
• ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS: This role will assist the laboratory analysts’ team in organizing, cleaning, and tracking data. Utilizing Microsoft applications and LIMS.
• MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Ability to perform mathematical calculations including basic algebra.
• WATER SCIENCE: Working knowledge and understanding of basic chemical and microbiological properties of water and wastewater.
• POSITIVITY: Positive attitude to complete important but occasionally repetitive or semi-skilled tasks. Enthusiastic about Water and ready to learn.
• COMMUNICATION: Must be able to tactfully, directly, respectfully, and professionally communicate in English, both written and verbal. Ability to write reports and communicate research. Demonstrated public speaking skills required, including the ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from employees, customers, and the general public. Able to ask questions and gather information. Able to maintain confidentiality and appropriately communicate sensitive information.
• LICENSES: Must possess a valid Colorado Driver’s license and be insurable to drive a district vehicle under District’s standards.
  Pay Range and Benefits

The pay range for this role is $20.68 -$28.96 /hour. At ERWSD, we value life-work balance and are leaders in the industry with our seasonal employee benefits package, which includes but is not limited to:

• $361 Employee Housing Stipend
• Wellness program
• 457 Retirement savings plans
• Paid Holidays
• $500 Annual Recreation Benefit

All District employees must submit to a pre-employment drug screen and extensive background check.

For a full job description, email erwsdjobs@erwsd.org

All applicants must apply online in order to be considered.