What are the responsibilities and job description for the Microbiologist I/II - Environmental Services Department position at City of San Jose, CA?
Salary : $102,888.24 - $137,766.72 Annually
Location : San Jose - Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility
Job Type : Full-Time
Job Number : 202300836
Department : Environmental Services
Opening Date : 12 / 13 / 2024
Closing Date : 2 / 14 / 2025 11 : 59 PM Pacific
Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San Jos, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San Jos employees work together as one team to make San Jos a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San Jos.
The City of San Jos is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San Jos is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at 408-535-1285, 711 (TTY), or via email at CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov.
About the Department
The is a national leader in pollution prevention, watershed protection, utility service provision, and climate action. Together, ESD employees positively impact every resident and business in San Jose.
Our department is an exceptional place to start or grow your career. We have a supportive leadership team, numerous professional growth opportunities, and an inclusive workplace culture that is welcoming of your talents! We offer an array of meaningful career paths and value flexibility. Additionally, the City offers a wide array of as well as 15 paid holidays!
To learn more about ESD, follow @sjenvironment on , and San Jose Environmental Services on LinkedIn.
About the Watershed Protection Division :
The Watershed Protection Division strives to preserve and sustain natural aquatic resources by connecting people to their watershed, the San Francisco Bay, and helping them understand how their daily activities affect water quality. The Watershed Protection Division is approximately 100 employees and is responsible for stormwater management, environmental enforcement, source control and laboratory services.
Stormwater Management coordinates a wide array of activities, such as education, outreach, trash reduction and collaboration with County wide stakeholders to protect and to prevent pollution into the waterways. Environmental Enforcement provides inspection, education, and enforcement services to ensure that local discharges into the storm and sanitary sewers meet regulatory requirements and protect water quality. The Pretreatment Program administers federal requirements that includes permitting and compliance monitoring to industrial that discharges into the sanitary sewer system and Region Wastewater Facility. Lastly, Laboratory Services provides scientific analysis for monitoring operations and compliance at the Regional Wastewater Facility which addresses water quality issues entering the Bay.
Position Duties
Salary ranges for this classification are :
- Microbiologist I : $102,88.24 - $125,034.00 Annually
- Microbiologist II : $113,393.28 - $137,766.72 Annually
Actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates' qualifications and experience. The salary ranges include an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation pay.
These positions work on-site at the Regional Wastewater Facility in Laboratory Services located at 4245 Zanker Road, San Jose, CA 95134. Hybrid work is not available for Microbiologist positions. Laboratory Services operates 365 days per year. Typical schedules are five days per week, working various shifts between 6 : 00 AM - 6 : 00 PM.
The microbiologist position requires the ability to work a flexible schedule which may include : scheduled hours that can range between 6 : 00 a.m. to 6 : 00 p.m., standby duty, overtime, weekends, and holidays
Wastewater Microbiologist Position
The laboratory is seeking to fill One (1) Wastewater Microbiologist positions for the San Jose Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility Laboratory. Wastewater Microbiologists will perform technical and professional work involving the microscopic, microbiological, and chemical analysis of water, wastewater, receiving waters, and by-products of the wastewater treatment processes.
Key responsibilities include but are not limited to :
Click to view the full class specification. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.
Minimum Qualifications
Education :
Microbiologist I / II : Bachelor's degree in bacteriology, microbiology or related scientific discipline.
Experience :
Microbiologist I : One (1) year of experience working in a laboratory environment.
Microbiologist II : Three (3) years of experience working in a water or wastewater laboratory environment.
Acceptable Substitutions : Master's degree or higher in bacteriology, microbiology or a related scientific discipline can be substituted for one (1) year of experience working in a laboratory environment.
Required Licensing : Possession of a valid driver's license authorizing operation of a motor vehicle in California.
Physical / Environmental Elements : Depending on assignment, this classification may be Sedentary up to Medium Work.
Other Qualifications
The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history. Desirable competencies for this position include :
Job Expertise - Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional / technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures / policies, and federal and state rules and regulations.
Knowledge of :
Ability to :
The following certifications are desirable :
Communication Skills - Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills; displays openness to other people's ideas and thoughts.
Computer Skills - Experienced with common business computer applications including but not limited to : MS Outlook, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Access, and MS Excel.
Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills - Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.
Analytical Skills - Approaching a problem or situation by using a logical, systemic, sequential approach.
Creativity - Address objective and problems while questioning traditional assumptions / solutions in order to generate creative ideas and new ways of doing business.; exhibits creativity and innovation when contributing to organizational and individual objectives; seeks out opportunities to improve, streamline, reinvent work processes.
Reliability - Completes quality work assignments in a timely and efficient manner; fulfills responsibilities and maintains confidentiality as appropriate.
Selection Process
The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job-specific questions. You must answer all questions to be considered or your application may be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Only those candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews.
If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection, or the hiring process please contact Anthony Vu at
Additional Information :
Employment Eligibility : Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications / transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.
You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays / responses. Please be advised that use of AI content in your responses may result in your removal from the hiring process.
Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.
This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.
Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email and we will research the status of your application.
The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the City's for detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.
For information on the City's Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services You will be able to view information based on different Sworn / Federated job classification.
In additional to the benefits above, there is an to explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.
What is the highest level of education you have completed?
If you have a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in a related field, please state the field of study and the issuing accredited college or university.
How many Years of experience working in a laboratory environment do you have?
How many years of experience working in a water or wastewater laboratory environment do you have?
This position requires a State of California Driver's License. Please select the applicable option that best describes your driver's license, or your ability to possess a valid driver's license.
Do you have experience conducting identification of phytoplankton species and Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) monitoring? If you do, please describe your experience.
What methods have you used to detect these species referred to in the above question, and do you have experience using a microscope and advanced techniques such as real-time PCR, digital PCR, or Fluorescent in-Situ Hybridization (FISH) technology for aqueous environmental samples.
Discuss your experience with preparing and using Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in a microbiology laboratory. How have you contributed to developing, updating, or implementing SOPs to ensure compliance with regulatory standards (e.g., TNI or ELAP)?
Please select your level of proficiency in using common computer applications (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite : Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access), or equivalent applications.
Do you have experience working in a state / federally regulated laboratory?
Are you available to work a flexible schedule which may include : scheduled hours that can range between 6 : 00 a.m. to 6 : 00 p.m., standby duty, overtime, weekends, and holidays?
Required Question
Salary : $10,288 - $125,034
