Job Description

***IMPORTANT NOTE***: Candidates selected to fill an Associate Laboratory Microbiologist position from this posting will be appointed on a provisional basis. As a provisional employee, you will be required to take and pass the next Associate Laboratory Microbiologist civil service examination and be given a list number by the NYC Dept. of Citywide Administrative Services in order to be considered for probable permanent employment in this title. Anyone who does not take and pass this examination, or who is not reached on the established list, will be terminated as a provisional Associate Laboratory Microbiologist.

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing 1.1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. DEP’s water supply system is comprised of 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes throughout the system’s 2,000 square mile watershed that extends 125 miles north and west of the City.

The Bureau of Wastewater Treatment (BWT) is responsible for the operation and maintenance of all facilities related to the treatment of sewage within the five boroughs of the City. This includes 14 wastewater treatment plants, sludge dewatering facilities, collections facilities (pumping stations, combined sewer overflow retention facilities, regulators, tide gates, etc.), wastewater laboratories and harbor vessels.

Under direct supervision of the Technical Director of the Laboratory or his/her designee, with some degree of independence, the selected candidate will:

- Perform routine microbiological testing on environment samples to find indicator bacteria such as total confirm, fecal coliform, and enterococcus to meet regulatory compliance.
- Conduct quality control and participate in all proficiency testing.
- Assist in on-the-job training of subordinates, new personnel and other persons as required; may supervise subordinate employees under direction.
- Prepare or supervise preparation of sterilized sample bottles for the distribution to 14 WRRFs and other recipients.
- Perform routine tasks such as maintenance of equipment and preparation of media, reagents, buffers, controls and QC cultures.
- Maintain data and other records. make entries in charts as mandated
- Prepare and/or reviews reports.
- Perform microscopic examination of wastewater biology to assist the process engineers in the troubleshooting of plant upset.
- Participate in non-routine testing programs to support BWT’s research programs. This includes performing molecular analysis using extraction and PCR as part of BWT’s Wastewater Based
Epidemiology (WBE) program and/or its microbial source tracking program. Participate in the implementation of non-routine analytical methods.
- Assist the Technical Director in ordering and maintaining adequate amounts of media, reagents and other laboratory supplies for laboratory use.
- Will be required to workday shifts during weekdays and/or weekends. Must be available 7 days per week.

Qualifications

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in medical technology or in one of the chemical, physical, or biological sciences, and one year of laboratory experience at the technologist level in the appropriate laboratory specialty or specialties; or
2. Ninety college credits from an accredited college or university including or supplemented by either (a) or (b) below, and one year of laboratory experience at the technologist level in the appropriate laboratory specialty or specialties.
(a) For those whose training was completed prior to September 15, 1963: a total of at least 24 credits in chemistry and biology courses combined, including at least nine credits in chemistry, of which six credits must be in inorganic chemistry; and including at least 12 credits in biology courses
pertinent to the medical sciences.
(b) For those whose training was completed after September 15, 1963: 16 credits in chemistry courses acceptable towards a major in chemistry, including at least six credits in inorganic chemistry; and 16 credits in biology courses acceptable towards a major in biology; and three credits in mathematics.