Assistant Limnologist (Water Quality/Scientific Diver)

The Assistant Limnologist's (Water Quality/Scientific Diver) primary duties will be assisting with sampling and monitoring of source waters to meet compliance regulations and collecting data that will be used to make source water management decisions. The source water storage and conveyance facilities include Lake Mathews, Skinner, Castaic, Silverwood, Havasu, Diamond Valley and Perris, as well as, Etiwanda and Live Oak Reservoirs, and all of the interconnecting aqueduct systems. This position will assist in evaluating taste and odor events, conducting copper treatments, sample collection and analysis, and report preparation. High reliance on SCUBA for monitoring and inspection of lakes for water quality purposes is a necessity.

This position requires a wide variety of skills for monitoring and sampling Metropolitan's source water conveyance and storage system, including the use of a variety of hand-held and automated sampling and electronic monitoring devices. The successful candidate for this position must be qualified to perform SCUBA diving for sampling, observation and measurements, and must be able to perform delicate manipulations under water without disruptions to sediments. Fundamental skills include towing, launching and driving a boat, the latter with divers in the water. Much of the work is conducted outdoors, in and around water, and occasionally under adverse conditions. This position frequently requires lifting of containers of water or equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.

The Assistant Limnologist (Water Quality/Scientific Diver) position is located in Metropolitan's Water Quality Section within the Treatment and Water Quality Group at the Weymouth Water Treatment Plant in La Verne, California.

Schedule: 44/36, Monday through Friday/Every other Friday off. Monday through Thursday 9 hours per day, 8 hours per day every other Friday. Start times are no earlier than 6 am and end times are no later than 6 pm. Occasional work outside of normal business hours may be needed to respond to adverse water quality events or operational challenges.

Hybrid: Metropolitan's current practice in this position is a hybrid work schedule. This job requires coming into the field or office a minimum of 3 days per week based on business needs. This is subject to change dependent on organizational needs. In addition, a telework policy is scheduled for negotiations and once completed and implemented, will provide final direction on the hybrid schedule.

Travel: This position will require travel to various District facilities throughout the service area, occasionally requiring overnight stay in the project area.

This job announcement has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work being performed by employees in this classification / job.

To view the full job description click here: Assistant Limnologist

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a related field.

Bachelor's Degree in a related field is defined as: a degree in Biology, Natural Resources, Aquatic Sciences, Environmental Sciences, or other related scientific degree.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

Employees in this position may be required to obtain and maintain the following certifications, licensing and registrations:

Certificates
Diving positions require:
* Rescue Diver Certification (Required at time of application)

* CPR/First Aid/AED (Required at time of application)
* Oxygen Provider Certification

Licenses
* Valid California Class C Driver license or equivalent that allows you to drive in the course of your employment (Required at time of application).
* Licensed/certified SCUBA Diver (Required at time of application).

Diving requirements for this position are set forth in the MWD Diver Safety Manual, Section 2.C, as shown below.

Water Quality Scientific Divers
Ratings/Certificates
To qualify for a position as a Scientific Diver, candidates must have logged at least 75 verifiable dives (required within 6 months from date of hire). These dives can be a combination of working dives, recreational dives, and training dives, but must be listed in a signed recreational, commercial or scientific official logbook.

In addition, candidates must have the following certifications:
* Rescue Diver
* Current CPR/First Aid certification

The above requirements can be obtained from any nationally-recognized agency such as National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), SCUBA Diving International (SDI), SCUBA Schools International (SSI), or Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), or the American Heart Association.

Skills and Knowledge
To qualify as a Scientific Diver, candidates must demonstrate that through training and experience they have gained sufficient skills and knowledge of:
* Diving procedures and techniques
* Emergency procedures
* Physiological hazards as they relate to diving and diving equipment
* Open Circuit SCUBA

CLOSING
Benefits:
* Competitive compensation
* Excellent medical, dental, life, vision plans.
* Deferred compensation in the form of a 401(k) plan (with matching contribution) and a 457 plan.
* Retirement benefits under the California Public Employees' Retirement System
* Tuition reimbursement
* Training and advancement opportunities
* Excellent working environment

* Public transportation reimbursements

For more information on MWD benefits, please use the following link: Benefits Regular Full Time Employee (Represented)

ABOUT MWD

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative that, along with its 26 cities and retail suppliers, provides water for 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Qualified individuals with disabilities, who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process, please call (213) 217-7738 or email: jobs@mwdh2o.com.

Metropolitan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected characteristic(s).

Application Filing Period: Closes at 4:30 pm PT on the date stated in the job announcement. However it may close prior to the filing end date if sufficient applications have been received. If sufficient applications have not been received, then the filing period end date may be extended.

Qualifying Experience: Your resume must at a minimum include the month and year you began and ended employment, name of the organization, your title, and a brief description of your experience. If your employment was part-time, make sure you identify it on your resume next to the month/year.

Sponsorship: Applicants for employment with The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States (i.e., H1-B or other employment-based immigration case).