STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Principal Chemist (35 Hour)

Office/On-site

Recruitment #241024-6377HC-001

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Introduction

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

Apply now to continue your journey with DPH and help safeguard the health and safety of Connecticut's communities.

THE POSITION
The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health (DPH), is is hiring! We are seeking a current agency employee for the role of Principal Chemist. Within the CT DPH Laboratory, this Principal Chemist position is assigned to the Chemical Preparedness and Clinical Chemistry section of the Environmental Chemistry Division and will serve as the Chemical Response Coordinator. This position supports the national CDC LRN-C program and the CT DPH Lead Poisoning Prevention Program through the analysis of clinical specimens for select chemical agents and toxic metals, with the recent expansion of clinical testing capacity to support the statewide opioid surveillance efforts of the CT DPH Office of Injury and Violence Prevention. The ideal candidate will have familiarity with methods of preparing samples for chemical analysis, such as solid phase extraction and knowledge of modern analytical instrumentation, for example Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometry and/or Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry. Familiarity with the requirements of modern Quality Systems is important, as is the ability to communicate effectively.

Please note: you must be a current DPH employee to be considered for this position. 

HIGHLIGHTS
  • LOCATION: Connecticut Department of Public Health Laboratory - Rocky Hill 
  • SECTION: Chemical Preparedness and Clinical Chemistry Section
  • DIVISION: Environmental Chemistry Division
  • SCHEDULE: Monday-Friday, First Shift, typically work hours of 8am-4pm (room for flexibility)
WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU - As a current State of CT employee, you will receive the same excellent benefits you are accustom to:
ABOUT US 
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, and 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.

START WITH US. STAY WITH US. GROW WITH US.

Selection Plan

In order to be considered for this job opening you must be a current State of CT employee of the agency listed above for at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language, and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING: 

Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply!


Please Note: 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.

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.
AFTER YOU APPLY 
  • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email and/or phone, 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. Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.
  • 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.
    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 Pamela Rochette at Pamela.Rochette@ct.gov. 

    PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

    In the Departments of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Energy and Environmental Protection and Public Health this class is accountable for acting as a working supervisor responsible for a large and/or complex grouping of work in a laboratory.

    EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

    • Plans unit workflow and determines priorities;
    • Schedules, assigns, oversees and reviews work;
    • Establishes and maintains unit procedures;
    • Provides staff training and assistance;
    • Conducts or assists in conducting performance evaluations;
    • Acts as liaison with other operating units, agencies and outside officials regarding unit policies and procedures;
    • Conducts complex or specialized as well as routine chemical examinations and analyses;
    • Oversees the maintenance and implementation of quality assurance programs;
    • Prepares and maintains records, reports and correspondence;
    • Maintains knowledge of current developments and changes in field of expertise;
    • Utilizes universal laboratory precautions;
    • Utilizes computers to operate and maintain instrumentation and to access, interpret, modify and report test results;
    • May make recommendations on policies, procedures or standards;
    • May act for the Supervising Chemist in their absence;
    • May be responsible for leading staff and a variety of activities outside normal working hours;
    • May testify in court;
    • Performs related duties as required.

    KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

    • Considerable knowledge of
      • current theories, principles and practices of chemistry;
      • current laboratory methods, applications, examinations, equipment, instrumentation and material;
      • laboratory quality assurance and quality control policies and procedures;
    • Knowledge of universal laboratory precautions;
    • Considerable
      • interpersonal skills;
      • oral and written communication skills;
    • Considerable ability to conduct analytical, consultative and research activities;
    • Ability to
      • interpret complex examination results;
      • utilize computer software;
    • Supervisory ability.

    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

    Eight (8) years of experience in an industrial, public health, toxicology, medical or materials laboratory involving scientific work in the field of chemistry.

    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SPECIAL EXPERIENCE

    Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been at the full working level in the field of chemistry.

    NOTE: For state employees this experience is interpreted at the level of a Chemist 2.

    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

    • College training in chemistry or a closely related field may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equaling one half (1/2) year of employment to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
    • A Master's degree in chemistry or a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

    PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

    • Experience testing clinical specimens for toxic compounds using complex instrumentation such as Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spec, Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spec and/or Gas Chromatography-Mass Spec.
    • Experience prioritizing work, managing workflow, training new analysts, and organizing tasks.
    • Experience in data reduction and the reporting of test results using proprietary instrument software and Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS).
    • Experience in written and oral communication, including the development of validation studies, preparation of quarterly activities summaries, maintaining standard operating procedures and communicating effectively with clients and grant project officers.
    • Experience in compliance with the regulations that govern the operation of clinical laboratories, i.e., CLIA.

    SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

    • Incumbents in this class must be willing to periodically undergo tests and immunizations for communicable diseases.
    • Incumbents in this class may be required to have specific education and/or experience to meet the various certification and/or licensing requirements.
    • Incumbents in this class may be required to undergo and successfully complete security background checks.

    WORKING CONDITIONS

    Incumbents in this class may be exposed to communicable diseases and hazardous substances.

    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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