Chemist - New York City, NY : Job Details

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 storm water, 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 Engineering Design & Construction (BEDC) currently has a portfolio of capital projects valued at $23.8B, and another $10.5B projected over the next 10-year commitment plan. The projects BEDC implements allows DEP as a whole to continue to operate and maintain an exemplary water supply system.

BEDC's In-House Design (IHD) Directorate consists of two units. The core IHD unit consists of seven engineering sections corresponding to the respective engineering functions they perform. This includes the Architectural, Site Civil, Structural, Process Mechanical/HVAC, Water Tunnel Mechanical Systems, BIM/CADD, and Electrical sections. Each engineering section prepares design and construction documents including engineering plans and specifications for the construction of water supply, sewer and wastewater treatment infrastructure, which are of the highest priority for the Agency. The second unit, Engineering Services, includes the Quality Assurance, Laboratory Services, Specifications/Standard Operating Procedures and Sustainability sections. This unit focuses on the format of contract documents, standard operating procedures and quality reviews and inspections. Both IHD units support DEP operating bureaus' capital construction requirements in a manner consistent with BEDC's core values of safety, schedule, quality, and customer service.

BEDC seeks to hire an Associate Chemist for the Engineering Services, Laboratory Services Section, located in Queens, NY. Under supervision of the Section Manager, the Associate Chemist will assist in implementing capital projects at various DEP facilities through the design and construction phase by performing analytical chemical composition analysis of metals, cement and plastic resin materials to determine their conformance to contract specification requirements. The analytical techniques used in the BEDC laboratory include x-ray florescence spectroscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, the Leco carbon-sulfur method and optical metallography. The Associate Chemist may be required to travel to job sites to assist in technical investigations, as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Qualification Requirements

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college, including or supplemented by 16 semester credits in chemistry and 8 semester credits in any one or a combination of the following areas: chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, environmental science, forensic science, or other natural science.

Certificate Requirement

At the time of appointment to a clinical laboratory, candidates must possess a valid License as a Clinical Laboratory Technologist issued by the New York State Education Department. This license must be maintained for the duration of employment.

Additional Qualification Requirements For Assignment Level II and above.

To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level II and above, individuals must have, after meeting the minimum requirements described for Assignment Level I, at least two years of fulltime satisfactory experience performing chemical or physical analyses in a laboratory.

Education may be substituted for experience on the basis of 30 graduate semester credits from an accredited college in any of the areas of study described in the qualification requirements above for one year of experience. However, all candidates must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college with the specialized credits as described above.

Preferred Skills

* Experience in analysis of metals and alloy composition and Portland cement chemistry using XRF technique - Experience in carbon-sulfur determination in metals using the Leco method - Knowledge of fiber-reinforced plastic structures construction and determination of resin type using FT-IR - Knowledge of basic metallographic preparation techniques - Experience in using industry standards, specifications and code requirements as they relate to materials composition and analytical techniques - Experience in writing lab reports and performing data analysis - Excellent communication skills and writing skills - A Motor Vehicle Driver's License valid in the state of New York will be required for some assignments

55a Program

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website at

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.