DescriptionThe Environmental Analytical Chemist is part of the Civil and Environmental Engineering work unit at Vanderbilt University School of Engineering. The position is responsible for carrying out and facilitating (i) advanced chemical analysis of aqueous solutions for inorganic environmental pollutants of concern and water quality parameters (e.g., total organic carbon, turbidity), and (ii) material characterization including leaching tests and total content digestions. The successful applicant provides operational, educational and research support in the laboratory areas related to faculty research and duties, develops, and implements instrument-based and wet-chemistry-based analytical procedures, maintains and operates equipment, documents and communicates laboratory policies and ensures compliance with federal quality assurance/quality control requirements (QA-QC).
Duties and Responsibilities
- Implement EPA standard methods for inorganic elemental analysis by ICP-MS, ICP-OES and ion chromatography, including sample preparation and meeting all applicable QA-QC requirements
- Develop or modify existing methods as necessary for inorganic analyses to account for complex background matrices
- Assist with leaching test methods development and implementation
- Participate in standard operating procedures (SOPs) and/or sample preparation technique development (including documentation) on an as-needed basis to support faculty and student needs for selected analytical instrumentation
- Responsible for the training of students, post docs, and visiting scholars in the proper SOP for selected analytical instrumentation and procedures
- Report to lab leadership any major instrument, equipment, or process issue. Clearly present the problem and participate with resolving the problem
- Support on-going safety culture in the Environmental Engineering Laboratory. Maintaining situational awareness is a critical component of a safety culture
- Additional duties as assigned
Qualifications
- A Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering or related field is required. An advanced degree such as a Master's Degree in Science is preferred.
- Required to maintain all training certifications necessary and deemed appropriate for the position.
- Technical understanding of basic lab procedures, safety culture and compliance requirements is required.
- Analytical and quantitative skills with meticulous attention to detail are required.
- The ability to work collaboratively and independently is required.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel is required.
- Good written and oral communication skills are required.
- Good interpersonal skills are required.
- At least 3 years’ experience with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and sample preparation procedures is preferred.
- Analytical Experience
- ICP-MS (primary preferred)
- ICP-OES (primary preferred)
- Familiarity with standard EPA Methods (e.g., SW-846) and QA/QC
- Ion Chromatography (secondary)
