STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Laboratory Assistant (Courier)

Seasonal Worker | Office/On-site

Recruitment #240307-5704VR-001

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Introduction



The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health is hiring Summer Workers!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health (DPH) is seeking qualified individuals to join our team as a Laboratory Assistants (Couriers). These positions will help support our Biological Sciences/Environmental Microbiology section's Beach Grant implementation. See below for additional information on these great opportunities!

Please Note: These positions will work for the Summer, between May 13, 2024 through August 30, 2024.

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS:
DPH is responsible for Beach Grant implementation and receives grant funding from the US EPA to support CT DPH efforts to collect water samples from designated recreational beaches in Connecticut, test the water samples for bacteriological water quality and report on beach water quality consistent with EPA and beach program guidance and schedules. The public is notified when the waters exceed the applicable water quality standards and when they are safe for swimming. These public notification efforts are directly related to public health and safety by reducing the risk to the bathing public of contracting diseases from contaminated water.

PLEASE NOTE:
  • Selected candidates must be at least 16 or 18 years old, depending on the position.
  • Selected candidates will be required to travel statewide from Rocky Hill.
  • Applicants must possess and maintain a valid/unrestricted Motor Vehicle Operator's License.
  • Applicants must be able to lift and carry items weighing up to 50 lbs. including standard coolers and laboratory supplies.
  • Summer Workers may be exposed to communicable diseases and hazardous substances.
WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING:
  • Driving to local health departments throughout the state to pick up bathing water samples and processing the samples at the laboratory. 
  • Conducting water sample analysis.
  • Laboratory set-up for testing.
  • Verifying and maintaining appropriate documentation including preparing and entering results in the electronic laboratory reporting system (HORIZON).
  • Maintaining good customer relations with clients.

MORE ABOUT THE AGENCY AND FACILITIES:

The Mission of the Department of Public Health (DPH) is to protect and improve the health and safety of the people of Connecticut by:

  • Assuring the conditions in which people can be healthy
  • Preventing disease, injury, and disability
  • Promoting the equal enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, which is a human right and a priority of the state.

DPH accomplishes this through the implementation of its Strategic Plan which outlines the actions that DPH is taking to accomplish its Mission.

The Dr. Katherine A. Kelley State Public Health Laboratory serves all communities in the state through the analysis of clinical specimens and environmental samples submitted by federal and state agencies, local health departments and districts, clinical laboratories, health care providers, and water utilities. The Laboratory provides over 2 million test results on approximately 250,000 specimens and samples it receives each year. Analytical data are used to monitor for agents harmful to the public health, identify the causes of outbreaks of disease, and assure that control measures (e.g., vaccines, antibiotics, environmental remediation, etc.) are effective.

Selection Plan

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:
Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply!

To Apply:
  • In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
  • In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the recruiter listed on this job posting.
  • You must specify your qualifications on your application. You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system.
  • In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.
  • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
  • This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.
Important Next Step Information for After You Apply:
  • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
  • This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
  • Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
  • Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
  • Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees which is available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
  • For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
Connect With Us:
  • Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process.
  • Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment please contact Joseph K. Fried at Joseph.Fried@ct.gov, 860-924-7053.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency this class performs tasks and duties of a seasonal nature by providing services to clients or the public.

Work areas covered by this class shall include the assignments and hourly rates as listed below:

 Assignment Minimum Hourly
Rates  		Maximum Hourly
Rates 
 General  $15.69  $17.00
 Patient Care Service  $15.69  $17.00
 Maintenance  $15.69  $17.00
 Laboratory Assistant  $15.69  $17.00
 Recreational Aide  $15.69  $17.00
 Transportation Services (Bus Driver)  $15.69  $17.00
 Tourist Information Clerk  $15.69  $17.00
 Specialized Recreational Services  $15.69  $17.00
 Tourist Information Coordinator  $15.69  $17.00
 Information Technology System Analysis  $19.00  $22.00
 Professional Engineering *  $19.44  $22.51
 Legal  $19.00  $22.00

Minimum and maximum hourly rates will be subject to the following criteria:

  • Returning Seasonal Workers may receive $.50 an hour additional compensation for each season of service up to the maximum hourly rate.

OR

  • Experienced workers in the specific functional area with another employer may be credited with such time on an equivalent basis to seasons worked and granted the same additional compensation up to the maximum hourly rate.
OR

  • Undergraduate or graduate students may be granted additional compensation of up to $.50 more per hour (up to the maximum hourly rate) for each full year of completed education on the basis of 30 semester hours equaling one (1) year.
NOTE: Determination of hourly rate is based on the above criteria. Additional compensation is based on only one criteria. It is not intended for individuals to receive additional compensation through application of the multiple criteria listed above.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

LABORATORY ASSISTANT:
  • Performs routine laboratory duties; 
  • Prepares simple solutions, culture media and reagents, etc; 
  • Makes simple stains, solutions; 
  • Cleans and sterilizes equipment, etc,; 
  • Performs related duties as required.

See attached Addendum for additional information.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Knowledge of
    • principles, practices and procedures of assigned specialty; 
    • operation of equipment, materials and activities of assigned specialty; 
  • Knowledge to degree necessary for dealing with and understanding an individual’s behavior; 
  • Skills
    • interpersonal skills; 
    • techniques of assigned specialty skills; 
  • Ability to
    • assist individuals in self-care habits, personal hygiene and proper social conduct where applicable; 
    • understand and carry out written orders and oral instructions; 
  • Adequate physical strength and stamina to perform duties; 
  • Some positions may require supervisory and/or leadership abilities.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Any experience and training that could reasonably be expected to provide the knowledge, skills and abilities listed above.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience working in a laboratory.
  • College level Microbiology/General Biology/Chemistry course work with a lab. 
  • Experience with laboratory safety policies and procedures.
  • Experience with quality systems and standards.
  • Experience communicating with clients and/or customers.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Incumbents in this class assigned to recreational activities must be able to perform emergency first aid as needed and certain positions will require a current Standard First Aid Certificate.
  • Incumbents in this class assigned as bus drivers or operate a motor vehicle must possess and retain a current Connecticut Motor Vehicle Operator License to drive a bus and/or a Motor Vehicle Operators License as necessary.
  • Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.




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