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Lead Chemist, Chemical Incident Response Laboratory (Chemist 3) DOH8791


Lead Chemist, Chemical Incident Response Laboratory


Public Health Laboratories, Shoreline, WA | Onsite/In Person | NON-PERMANENT APPOINTMENT


This Non-Permanent Appointment has a duration of 12 months.


THE OPPORTUNITY:

This position supports Washington’s chemical incident response and public health preparedness work by providing specialized laboratory testing and technical leadership within the Chemical Incident Response Laboratory. As a Lead Chemist, you will perform advanced analytical testing, maintain instrument readiness, and support rapid response activities for clinical and environmental samples.


Based onsite at the Washington State Public Health Laboratories, this role plays a key part in ensuring accurate, timely testing during routine operations and emergency response events. You will help maintain continuous operational readiness, support quality and accreditation standards, and contribute technical expertise that allows the lab to respond effectively when chemical incidents occur.


Key Responsibilities:

  • Lead chemical incident response testing for clinical and environmental samples.
  • Operate, troubleshoot, and maintain advanced analytical instrumentation used in emergency response.
  • Analyze samples, validate results, and prepare clear, defensible laboratory reports.
  • Ensure quality, accuracy, and compliance across testing workflows and laboratory processes.
  • Maintain readiness for 24/7 emergency response and participate in on-call rotations once fully trained.
  • Monitor lab workflow, manage priorities, and ensure deadlines and response times are met.
  • Support method validation, instrument verification, and implementation of new testing approaches.
  • Mentor and provide technical guidance to chemists and laboratory staff.
  • Maintain laboratory supplies, reagents, and documentation needed for continuous operations.


Why You’ll Love This Role:

  • Your work directly supports public safety and emergency response statewide.
  • You will work with cutting-edge analytical technology in a highly specialized lab environment.
  • You are part of a team trusted to respond during high-stakes situations.
  • You contribute to a mission that protects communities, first responders, and public health systems.


The Ideal candidate

You are a calm, detail-driven scientist who thrives in complex, high-pressure environments. You enjoy hands-on laboratory work just as much as solving technical problems and improving how work gets done. You take pride in accuracy, documentation, and quality, and you understand the responsibility that comes with emergency response testing. You communicate clearly, support your teammates, and naturally step into a lead role when expertise is needed. You are comfortable balancing routine readiness with urgent, unpredictable situations and you stay focused when the stakes are high.


REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS


We value all relevant experience (paid or unpaid) and encourage applicants from all backgrounds. You must meet at least ONE of the options provided and any additional criteria listed. Experience may have been gained through paid or unpaid activities. While “Preferred Experience” is not required, these skills or experiences can help you stand out as a candidate.


  • Option 1: 6 or more years of experience in an analytical laboratory including 60 semester hours, or equivalent, from an accredited institution which includes either 30 semester hours of chemistry or biochemistry courses - OR - 30 semester hours of science courses that includes Fifteen (15) semester hours of chemistry or biochemistry, and Fifteen (15) semester hours of biology, or medical laboratory technology in any combination.


  • Option 2: Bachelor's degree with a major in chemistry (or biochemistry) or a Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of college level chemistry (or biochemistry) AND four years of experience performing chemical analysis in an analytical laboratory
  • Master's degree will substitute for two years of the required experience, or a Ph.D. degree will substitute for three years of the required experience provided a Bachelor's degree and the required college-level chemistry (or biochemistry) have been achieved.


  • Option 3: Either two (2) years of experience as a Chemist 2 and three (3) years of experience performing chemical analysis in an analytical laboratory OR three years (3) of experience as a Chemist 1 and four (4) years of experience performing chemical analysis in an analytical laboratory.


Additional Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Experience:

  • Ability to understand and follow laboratory safety procedures.
  • Ability to use basic laboratory equipment such as pipettes, analytic balances, volumetric glassware, etc.


Preferred/Desired Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Experience:

  • Experience working in a public health laboratory or government laboratory setting.
  • Experience working with mass spectrometry instrument platforms.
  • Experience supporting CDC Laboratory Response Network Chemistry or Food Emergency Response Network activities.
  • Experience with CAP, ISO, or other laboratory accreditation programs.
  • Experience mentoring or training laboratory staff in analytical methods or instrument operation.
  • Experience participating in emergency response exercises or real-world incident response events.
  • Familiarity with laboratory information systems or federal reporting platforms used for emergency response testing.


ABOUT US: 


The Public Health Laboratories – Where Science Protects Communities

At the Public Health Laboratories, every test matters. From hunting emerging pathogens to ensuring every newborn in the state gets life-saving screenings, your work will drive disease detection, outbreak response, and protect Washington’s most vulnerable. We’re the state’s reference lab, tracking rare threats like rabies, hantavirus, and West Nile virus, analyzing outbreaks, and safeguarding food and water safety. Here, science meets service in a collaborative, equity-driven team committed to real-world impact and public health at scale.


We are the Washington State Department of Health (DOH)

We're nearly 2,000 professionals across Washington working together to protect and improve community health. Guided by our values of Equity, Innovation, and Engagement, we address health disparities, respond to emerging challenges, and strengthen systems that support resilience. At DOH, we help reduce barriers, collaborate with diverse communities, and champion equitable health outcomes. We’re passionate people who are driven to make a difference in public health. To learn more about the DOH please visit our website and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and our blog.


Benefits and Lifestyle

We prioritize your work-life balance with one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation, designed to support your lifestyle. At DOH, you’ll find flexibility, growth, and stability. Learn more about why we’re a great place to work by visiting Work@Health.


Conditions of Employment:

The following terms and conditions of employment must be met with or without reasonable accommodation:

 

Work Setting, including hazards: 

  • This position's work must be completed at the Public Health Laboratories.
  • The position requires working in a laboratory with various laboratory chemicals that can cause illness, skin irritation, or breathing problems.
  • This position will perform work in a chemical fume hood, Laminar flow hood or biological safety cabinet and handles pressurized and liquefied gas.
  • The laboratory environment is noisy, could be stressful, and is fast paced. 
  • The position requires repetitive use of a computer, inputting data and navigating a database, creating and modifying electronic documents, and using email and the internet. 

Schedule (i.e., hours and days): 

  • This position has a work schedule of 40 hours per week; however, the position may be expected to work longer hours during emergency response operations, to complete critical projects or assignments, and/or meeting business demands and deadlines. An alternative or flexible work schedule may be considered at the employee’s request, subject to supervisory approval.

Travel Requirements: 

  • Travel is not required to perform the duties of this position; however occasional or infrequent travel may be expected to attend meetings, trainings, or conferences.
  • When driving for state business, the incumbent must be able to legally operate a state- or privately-owned vehicle; OR provide alternative transportation while on state business

Tools and Equipment:

  • Duties may require use of incubators, refrigerators, freezers, compressed gas cylinders, cryogenic liquid Dewars, centrifuges, fume hoods, pipettes, personal protective equipment, any or all the analytic instruments listed in the position objective, and other standard lab equipment.
  • Duties also require the use of standard office furniture and equipment (such as a desk, filing cabinet, computer, printer, telephone, fax machine, copy machine).

Customer Interactions:

  • This position requires limited interaction with DOH Epidemiology Program staff, FBI, local law enforcement and fire department personnel, Hazmat and CST (Civil Support Team) staff, CDC, and other partners which may be identified during a response activity.

Other:

  • The DOH campus is a smoke-free, drug-free, alcohol-free, scent-neutral environment. 
  • This position may be required to conduct and/or participate in public health emergency preparedness and response activities.
  • Representation: This position is covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.

Special Requirements:

  • PHL technical personnel performing testing or other tasks that require color discrimination are to be evaluated for difficulty with visual color discernment. This is a regulatory requirement for the PHL to comply with as part of our CAP accreditation.
  • Undergo vaccinations for laboratory contaminants as determined and required by Public Health Laboratory Risk assessment.
  • Undergo training and evaluation for use of a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) for tests where it has been determined as required by Public Health Laboratory Risk Assessment. This is applicable to safely handling unknown “white powder” samples.


APPLICATION INFORMATION:


We’re committed to a fair and equitable hiring process. Only materials submitted through the official application will be considered. Emailed resumes or documents won’t be accepted or shared with the hiring manager.


Click “Apply” to complete your application. Attach your resume, cover letter, and DD-214 (if applicable). List at least three professional references directly in your Applicant Profile including a supervisor, a peer, and someone you’ve supervised or led (if applicable).


DO NOT INCLUDE private details like your SSN or birth year, personal photos, transcripts, certifications, diplomas, projects, portfolios, or letters of recommendation with your application.


Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

We regard diversity as the foundation of our strength, recognizing that differing insights and abilities enable us to reflect the unique needs of the communities we serve.  

DOH is an equal-opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination based on race/ethnicity/color, creed, sex, pregnancy, age, religion, national origin, marital status, the presence or perception of a disability, veteran’s status, military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender expression, or gender identity.


Veterans Preference

Applicants wishing to claim Veterans Preference must attach a copy of their DD-214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22, or signed verification of service letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to their application. Please remove or cover any personally identifiable data such as social security numbers and birth year.


Questions and Accommodations

If you have questions, need assistance with the application process, require an accommodation, or would like to request this posting in an alternative format, please contact Shawnelle Goalder at employment@doh.wa.gov and reference the assigned DOH8791 recruitment number.


Technical Support

Reach out to NEOGOV directly at 1-855-524-5627 for technical support and login issues.


Qualifications

This recruitment may be used to fill positions of the same job classification across the agency. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment are filled, the candidate pool may be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days.


Only applicants who follow the directions and complete the Application Process in-full will have their responses reviewed for consideration.


Experience and education selected, listed, or detailed in the Supplemental Questions must be verifiable on the submitted applicant profile.


This position is located in King County. A 5% salary increase is included in the advertised pay.

Date Posted
01/28/2026
Job Reference
DOH8791
Organization
Dept. of Health, Public Health Laboratories (PHL)
Location
King County - Shoreline, WA
Category
Chemistry
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