Microbiologist 3 - Internal

Full Job Description

AGRICULTURE - A Cornerstone of Washington's Economy

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has been serving the state for more than 100 years. Through service, regulation, and advocacy, we keep agriculture viable and vital in Washington State, while protecting consumers, public health, and the environment. We work extensively with farmers and ranchers, but our responsibilities – from ensuring food safety to environmental protection – touch the lives of millions of people locally, nationally, and abroad.

The agency includes approximately 780 employees and grows close to 1,000 employees at the peak of seasonal work. To learn more and view additional openings, please visit our Employment Page.


The Opportunity

The Food Safety & Consumer Services (FSCS) Division is one of the six divisions in the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA).

The FSCS Division serves consumers and stakeholders in the state of Washington by assuring the safety, and integrity of the state's human and animal food supply.

The division is made up of approximately 100 full time employees, including: Animal Feed, FSCS Laboratory, Food Safety, Organic, and Produce Safety.

We also house the Rapid Response Team that manages food and feed emergency responses.

This position serves as a lead microbiologist for the Federal Collaboration Laboratory (for example, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Laboratory Flexible Funding Model (LFFM) Cooperative Agreement) and is responsible for: 1) Principal assistant to a higher-level microbiologist. Coordinates the operation of the laboratory including the development and evaluation of laboratory methodologies. Performs standard laboratory procedures. Serve as the lead microbiologist in the Federal Collaboration Laboratory and leads the work in two or more of the following microbiological sub-disciplines within the Federal Collaboration.

Laboratory, such as food microbiology, bioassay, virology, serology, etc. 2) Have signatory responsibility (e.g. as a bench reviewer) for assuring that microbiological and biochemical analytical data for potential regulatory utilization and/or action are technically correct. 3) Under the direction of the laboratory management may assist in the following research projects in the field of federal collaboration: research and develop new methodology with federal partners, evaluate and validate new testing methods, extend sample matrices for established testing methods, and participate in ad-hoc projects as needed. Serve as a primary back-up microbiologist for other technical section within the program.

Important Notes

WSDA is recruiting for a full-time project Microbiologist 3 position within the Food Safety & Consumer Services division. This position is located in Olympia, Washington. The Microbiologist 3 position is represented by the Washington Public Employees Association (WPEA).

The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate's job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The typical starting salary range for this position is: Range 60, Step A $67,716 - Step L $88,800 annually.

Requirements

What to Expect
Some of the various responsibilities within this role:

Oversee the Federal Collaboration Laboratory and principal assistant to a higher-level microbiologist

• Exercise signatory responsibility (e.g. as a bench reviewer) for assuring that methods and conclusions of microbiological & biochemical tests which they or other microbiologists perform are technically correct.
• Conduct surveillance sample testing in the field of microbiology.
• Review test results within sections for compliance and accuracy before results are released.
• Create standard operating procedures, work instructions and forms for use in sample testing.
• Recommend improved procedures for laboratory tests; develop and recommend training materials for the use of laboratory.
• Perform administrative tasks such as evaluation of major laboratory equipment for purchase, preparation of correspondence for the supervisor’s signature, and assistants in the development of lab policies and procedures.
• Design and coordinate ad-hoc research projects within the laboratory section.
• Evaluate and research laboratory procedures (such as but not limited: methods verification, validation, food matrix extension etc.) and recommend improvements for laboratory tests.
• Serve as LIMS administrator, which involves with all aspects of using LIMS to perform routine laboratory works daily.

Act as a principal assistant to the laboratory management

• Provide assistance in grant applications, proposal & annual report preparation. Weekly lab testing reports reviews and preparation, and other management duties.

Assist with research, development, evaluation and validation of new food testing methods or matrix extensions

• Work with FDA LFFM on assignments involving small-scale method development or validation.
• Assist with producing reports of findings from our laboratory’s efforts to develop, evaluate, and validate new food testing methods to the funder and/or publish these findings in peer-review journals.
• During emergency situations, works to extend methods to new matrices in order to produce valid test results quickly in response to foodborne outbreaks.

Qualifications

Who should apply?

Professionals with:

• A bachelor's degree with a major in microbiology, public health, biochemistry, medical technology or closely allied field which includes at least 20 semester or 30 quarter credit hours in microbiology.
  

AND

• Four (4) years of professional experience in a microbiology lab or similar lab science laboratory.
  

A master’s degree in one of the aforementioned fields may be substituted for one year of experience.

A Ph.D. degree in one of the aforementioned fields may be substituted for one year of experience.

OR

Equivalent education/experience.

Preferred / Desired Qualifications:

Additional Information

Employee Benefits

• A healthy work/life balance, which may include flexible work schedules, and teleworking.
• WSDA provides an excellent benefits package beyond traditional benefits. State employment offers Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave; click here for more information.
• 12 paid Holidays & Vacation and Leave Accruals.
• All Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required will be provided by the agency.
• Commute Trip Reduction Program.

For more information about the Washington State Department of Agriculture, visit us at www.agr.wa.gov.

How to apply:

You must complete your careers.wa.gov profile and answer the supplemental questions. In addition to completing the online application, and supplemental questions applicants must attach the following documents to their profile to be considered for this position:

· Current resume detailing experience and education

· A cover letter describing how you meet the specific qualifications for this position and would be the ideal candidate

· At least two professional or academic references

By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information.

Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed. Applications with comments "see attachments" will be considered incomplete.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com.

The initial screening will be solely based on the contents and completeness of your application and the materials submitted. All information may be verified, and documentation may be required.

Applications received via e-mail will not be accepted in lieu of applying through the state's on-line recruitment system.

Equity at WSDA

The Department of Agriculture recognizes, appreciates, supports, embraces, and respects all cultural identities and backgrounds while we collaborate in authentic ways.

We hire amazing people that share in the commitment to our Pro-Equity Anti-Racist (PEAR) strategic plan, our Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act implementation plan, and our unique needs and desires for belonging, respect, and inclusion.

We value the growth and development of our team members by providing equitable access to resources and opportunities for continuous learning, improvement, and advancement.

We strive to hire, cultivate, and retain a productive and dedicated workforce that reflects the communities we serve while we are committed to a workplace that celebrates our differences and supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Contact Us

Should you have any questions regarding this position or the online application, contact the Human Resource Office at Recruitment@agr.wa.gov.

Prior to a new appointment into the Department of Agriculture, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted.

Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.

The Human Resources Division may use referrals from this recruitment to help fill future similar vacancies for up to six months.

Veteran's Preference: Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and wish to claim Veteran's Preference MUST attach a copy of their DD214, or other verification of military service.

Please blackout any personally identifiable data such as social security numbers. For additional information on Veteran's Preference and guidance on how to determine if you are eligible, click here.

Persons with a disability, who need assistance with their application or need this announcement in an alternative format, may call 664-1960 or toll free (877) 664-1960. TTY users should first call 711 to access the Washington Relay Service.