Assistant/Associate/Full Project Scientist - Environmental Analytical Laboratory

The Environmental Analytical Laboratory (EAL) is a core facility under management of the Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED). It houses major instrumentation and provides expertise and training to faculty, students, and researchers for the analysis of a wide variety of physical and biological environmental media. Current instrumentation includes: ICP-OES, ICP-MS, Discrete Chemistry Analyzer, TOC/TN, microwave digestion, CVAFS for analysis of mercury and methylmercury in liquid samples, and a direct mercury analyzer. The facility offers users reliable, well-maintained instrumentation access, sample preparation facilities, analytical consultation, and timely service through technical expertise and comprehensive user training in support of multidisciplinary research and education programs.

The Director of the Environmental Analysis Laboratory (EAL) is responsible for supporting research, education, and outreach activities through the daily operation, management, and maintenance of laboratory instruments. This role requires developing a financially sustainable and cost-efficient model through recharge revenue and collaborative research while providing administrative leadership in budgeting, training, safety, and regulatory compliance.

As a Project Scientist, the Director is expected to make significant and creative contributions to research projects within their academic discipline, functioning with high-level expertise and working independently or collaboratively with faculty, students, and research personnel.

Key responsibilities of the Director include:

• Overseeing the daily operations of the EAL, ensuring smooth data collection and high-quality data throughput by working closely with diverse user groups, providing technical expertise, and supervising instrument use.
• Maintaining laboratory instruments in optimal condition through regular maintenance, troubleshooting, and prompt repairs to minimize downtime.
• Providing comprehensive training for users (undergraduate & graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, faculty), including standard operating procedures (SOPs) for instruments, methodologies, sample handling, and data quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC).
• Managing the laboratory’s financial operations expenses, inventory, instrument usage, and recharge billing.
• Ensuring compliance with all laboratory safety requirements, maintaining the EAL’s chemical inventory, and keeping records necessary for internal regulatory oversight.
• Supporting UC Merced courses relevant to the EAL by assisting faculty with demonstrations, lectures, training sessions, and lab tours.
• Contributing to research publications, either independently or in collaboration with academic partners.
• Identifying funding opportunities and contributing to grant proposals to enhance the facility’s capabilities, scientific reputation and upgrade instrumentation.
• Establishing strategic collaborations with, academic institutions, research organizations, industry partners to advance the EAL’s mission.
• Participating in outreach activities, seminars, guest lectures, and events to engage the broader research community and promote the EAL’s capabilities.
• Engaging in university service activities and supporting broader departmental and campus initiatives.

Ph.D. in analytical or environmental chemistry, geochemistry, or a related field is required.

Experience with elemental and wet chemistry instrumentation and management, and preparation and analysis of environmental samples. Experience in working effectively with a diverse range of students, researchers, and faculty members in a multidisciplinary research environment; ability to lead and motivate team workers through in-depth analytical expertise and hands-on skills with a broad variety of analytical instrumentation. Experience operating and maintaining ICP-MS and ICP-OES instrumentation.

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

• Cover Letter

• Authorization of Information Release - As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.
  
  “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.

  Required Authorization of Information Release may be found here. Please complete, sign, and upload the required Authorization of Information Release to your application.

• 3 required (contact information only)

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

“Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.

Required Authorization of Information Release may be found here. Please complete, sign, and upload the required Authorization of Information Release to your application.

Additional links: UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy, the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy, and APM 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment.

The University of California, Merced, is the newest of the University of California system’s 10 campuses. With over 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students .

The University of California, Merced is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy.

Please refer to the University of California’s Affirmative Action Policy and the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements. This includes the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/5000695/VaccinationProgramsPolicy.