Position: Scientific Officer – Inorganic Chemistry
Pay Rate: £17.43 per hour
Hours: Full time, 37 hours per week, 9.00 to 5.00 Monday to Friday (Flexi hours, 7.4 per days not including lunch breaks)
Duration: 4/10/26 with possibility of extension
Start Date: ASAP
Location: NIEA, 17 Antrim Road, Lisburn, BT28 3AL
Job Duties:
To assist with the delivery of an inorganic chemistry analytical service to the Water Science and Evidence Unit primarily in relation to the Water Framework Directive and various monitoring programmes.
RESPONSIBLE/ACCOUNTABLE TO:
Primarily responsible to one of the Inorganic Chemistry Team’s Higher Scientific Officers.
RESOURCES:
Responsible for the maintenance and use of quite a wide range of equipment and consumable resources.
ACCOUNTABILITY/MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:
Sample receipt, preparation and analysis within analytical deadlines. Generation and reporting of analytical data. Maintenance and calibration of equipment. Management of the use of consumable resources.
MAIN DUTIES:
1. Preparation and analysis of a wide range of samples primarily for inorganic determinants which may include pH, conductivity, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), chloride, ammonia, chlorophyll alpha, fluoride and total residual/free chlorine in relation to the Water Framework Directive and various Monitoring Programmes. Majority of analytical work is to UKAS standard and must be performed in accordance with documented procedures and in compliance with agency Health and Safety Policy.
2. Quality assurance of analytical data. Plotting and monitoring of Quality Control data.
3. Maintenance of the Quality System in compliance with the requirements of the ISO 17025 standard.
4. Efficient management of laboratory resources including consumables and analytical instrumentation.
5. Ordering of consumables such as chemicals, laboratory consumables, glassware etc.
6. Use of method specific software including but not limited to LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System), Q-Pulse, Content Manager and Microsoft Office.
7. General laboratory duties including sample reception duties.
8. Reporting analytical data to end user teams and the completion of technical reports when required.
9. Liaise with field/sampling staff and deal with queries in a timely manner.
10. Possible weekend overtime work required when competency achieved.
11. Staff will be expected to be able to drive as there will be occasions when ‘field duties’ may be required using an NIEA supplied vehicle.
Essential Criteria:
12. 5 GCSE’s A*-C including Maths and English (must be able to show evidence)
13. An HNC/HND or equivalent/higher qualification in an appropriate discipline such as chemistry, biochemistry, environmental science etc; and
14. 1 years’ chemical analysis experience of working in a field appropriate to the business area. Experience may be gained in academic/voluntary or work-related fields.
15. Full manual driving license.
*The successful applicant will be required to complete an Access NI during registration*
16. A criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining a position.
17. The UK Recruitment Co. Ltd has policies on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders and the Secure Handling, Use, Storage, and Retention of Disclosure Information, copies of which can be made available upon request.