About this Opportunity

The City of Hillsboro is seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented Water Quality Data Specialist to join our Water Department. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with all Divisions of the Hillsboro Water Department, the Joint Water Commission, and the Barney Reservoir Joint Ownership Commission to ensure regulatory compliance for all four community water systems managed by the City of Hillsboro. This position will manage, analyze, and report on water quality data as they relate to the watershed, water treatment, and drinking water distribution system in addition to providing overall program support for the Water Quality section.

What You Will Be Doing

In this role, you will join the Water Quality Section within the Water Resources Division to answer complex questions about source water quality (rivers, streams, and lakes), drinking water quality, and regulatory compliance. This position will work closely with a wide-variety of people including water distribution and treatment operators, staff in other City Departments, Joint Water Commission partner agencies, and the public to solve everyday problems and create data-driven solutions. Additionally, this position will support the Water Quality Program Coordinator in preparations for the integration of the Willamette Water Supply System and implementing regulatory compliance programs.

The primary duties will be to research, visualize, and interpret information and data in distribution systems, water treatment plants, source water systems, and other topics related to ensuring compliance and reporting needs. Emphasis will be on data analysis and reporting for a wide variety of biological, chemical, and physical data throughout the watershed and water distribution systems for regulatory (Safe Drinking Water Act) and investigative sampling. Specific regulatory projects will include helping to maintain Hillsboro Water's water service line inventory and implementing the recently finalized PFAS regulations for drinking water. This position will support the Water Quality Section in a variety of projects related to both source water (rivers, streams, lakes) and drinking water.

The Water Quality Data Specialist position will perform the following functions:

Support the Water Quality program’s data management, analysis, and trending for a variety of projects and audiences.
Develop reports and data dashboards.
Research and analyze information related to past, present, and future water quality concerns.
Manage the water quality database - perform database administration tasks, work with vendor to resolve issues, and stay up to date on database platform updates.
Provide support to the Water Quality Program Coordinator for projects related to water quality for both source and drinking water such as ecological dynamics in lakes and regulatory compliance strategies.
Assist the Water Quality Program Coordinator in engaging with members of the public on water topics and responding to customer inquiries and concerns.
Support the Water Quality Section efforts related to the integration of a second water supply for Hillsboro Water, the Willamette Water Supply System.
Research drinking water contaminants of emerging contaminants.
Maintain Hillsboro Water's water service line inventory.
Review and help interpret applicable water quality regulations.
Support the Water Quality Section in occasional water quality sample collection, spending 5 to 10% of the time in various remote and/or urban environments year-round collecting water quality samples.

Successful Candidates Will Have

A mixed skill set that includes database management, strong data analysis (using PowerBI, ArcPro, Microsoft Excel, and/or R), data reporting, , and presenting technical information to a range of audiences including the public.
Excellent communication, writing, and customer service skills for leading projects.

Current /Upcoming Projects

Development of water quality reports and dashboards.
Support Hillsboro Water's compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) and the upcoming Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI).
Research and support Hillsboro Water's compliance with the recently finalized PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR).
Assist with projects and activities to support integration of a new water supply, the Willamette Water Supply System.

Qualifications

Associate degree in Science, Applied Science, or a closely related field, and 3 years’ experience related to area of assignment; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience using PowerBI, ArcPro, Microsoft Excel, and/or R.
Experience creating and managing data dashboards.
Must obtain an Oregon Boater Education card within three months of employment.
Spanish bi-lingual preferred but not required.

About Us

The City of Hillsboro Water Department provides water to over 90,000 customers and is a partner and the managing agency for the Joint Water Commission, which serves water to over 400,000 customers in Washington County, Oregon. The Water Resources Division is a dedicated and efficient team of professionals that are passionate about effectively managing the City's water supply and finding collaborative solutions. We value teamwork, humor, and respect.

Commitment to Equity

Hiring a workforce that reflects the diverse community we serve is essential to delivering exceptional City services and programs. The City of Hillsboro is committed to creating and supporting an inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees to thrive. We value, respect, and empower employees as unique individuals with authentic voices and diverse ideas.

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Water Quality Data Specialist