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 Water Supply seeks to hire a Scientist (Water Ecology) III for a position in East of Hudson Early Warning & Remote Monitoring group located at the Catskill/Delaware Ultraviolet Facility in Valhalla, New York. The East of Hudson Early Warning and Remote Monitoring group operates and maintains continuous monitoring, water quality instrumentation in Westchester and Putnam Counties, as well as in the Catskill and Delaware districts west of the Hudson River. This critical instrumentation is located at numerous locations in aqueduct shaft buildings, underground vaults, and other industrial facilities. The data is used for compliance monitoring, process control, trend analysis, and event detection.

Under direction, of the Early Warning Remote Monitoring (EWRM) Supervisor, the Scientist (Water Ecology) III will perform complex water ecology and water quality investigations and oversee the installation and operation of scientific and monitoring equipment used in water quality monitoring. They will ensure continuous operation of water quality instrumentation through a program of rigorous preventive maintenance, prompt corrective maintenance, and strict compliance to standard procedures and quality control. The Scientist (Water Ecology) will report to the Early Warning Remote Monitoring (EWRM) Supervisor and will be required to adjust, calibrate, maintain, and install online water quality monitoring instrumentation, such as continuous water quality analyzers, probes, and sensors. They will oversee operation of the biomonitoring program: instrument operation, maintenance, upgrades, and response procedures. Specific duties include:

Servicing, calibrating and maintaining laboratory instrumentation, field instrumentation, biomonitoring systems, and telemetry. Performing sample collection and field analyses in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s).
Installing and upgrading monitoring equipment, instrumentation, and biomonitoring systems at water supply facilities.
Diagnosing and repairing monitoring station equipment, instrumentation, and associated telemetry systems.
Coordinating the group’s procurement activities.
Overseeing quality control procedures, maintains accurate records, and reports on quality control data.
Responding to water quality alarms, special investigations, etc., outside of normal working hours to collect water samples, troubleshoot instrumentation, and assist in field investigations.
Adhering to Agency & Bureau Policies and Procedures.

License Requirement

Must possess a motor vehicle driver license valid in the State of New York. This license must be maintained for the duration of employment

(This is a brief description of what you might do in this position and does not include all the duties of this position.)

Some of the physical activities performed by Scientists (Water Ecology) and environmental conditions experienced are: lift and carry packages weighing approximately 20 pounds for a distance of 30 feet, perform duties in confined work areas; wear protective garments such as gloves, lab coats, goggles, and life vests; handle and manipulate laboratory equipment and instruments and tools such as glass test tubes, slides, beakers and other glassware, scalpels, scissors, etc., adjust settings on machines, which requires fine finger and hand coordination and control; and collect samples at sites in all weather conditions.

Special Working Conditions: Scientists (Water Ecology) may be required to work shifts including nights, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

Preferred Skills

Driver’s license valid in the State of New York
Ability to travel, as necessary, to other BWS facilities, laboratories and field locations
Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and SharePoint
Experience in environmental testing methods for water quality, sampling equipment, and sensors
Working knowledge of mathematics for instrument calibration, quality control statistics, and conversion calculations.
Working knowledge of principles underlying the theory and use of scientific instruments.
Working knowledge of principles underlying the theory and use of chemistry and physics.
Experience using basic hand and power tools.
Working knowledge of methods, practices and equipment used in maintaining, repairing, testing and adjusting water quality instrumentation and appurtenances
Working knowledge of principles of preventative maintenance and maintenance documentation.
Working knowledge of safety practices necessary for the work.
Demonstrated knowledge and experience of water quality instrumentation and sample analysis.
Knowledge of continuous monitoring, water quality instrumentation.
Familiarity with field sampling and data collection techniques.
Established mechanical aptitude and intuition.
Established ability to operate computers and different software packages for data collection and management
Effective written and oral communication skills.
Effective time management skills in order to prioritize and complete tasks.
A commitment to honesty, integrity, and transparency in all work areas

SCIENTIST (WATER ECOLOGY) - 21538

Minimum Qualifications

A masters degree from an accredited college or university in one of the following areas of study: environmental or chemical engineering, limnology, environmental science, marine science, geology, biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, or health science; or
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with 24 semester credits in one or a combination of the areas of study described in ""1"" above, at least 12 of which must have been in one of these areas of study; and at least one year of satisfactory full time experience, which may not have been part of graduate or undergraduate course work, working in the field of water quality planning, management or

research or performing environmental laboratory analyses, and/or environmental field sampling of water; or

An associate degree from an accredited college or university including or supplemented by 24 semester credits in one or a combination of the areas of study described in "1" above, at least 12 of which must have been in one of these areas of study; and at least three years of satisfactory full time experience as described in "2" above.

Additional Requirements

To be assigned to Assignment Levels II or III, all candidates must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university as described in "2" above and must have one additional year of the experience described in "2" above for a total of two years of experience.

Special Note

A master's degree from an accredited college in one of the areas described in "1" above may be substituted for up to two years of the required experience.

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 https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is not required for this position.

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.

, $74,144.00 – $105,780.00

NYC Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP)

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Scientist (Water Ecology)