Oregon Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ORELAP) Manager

IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION, YOU MUST COMPLETE THE ONLINE APPLICATION AT THE LINK AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA), Public Health Division (PHD), Oregon State Public Health Laboratory (OSPHL) in Hillsboro, OR is recruiting for an Oregon Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ORELAP) Manager to administer and manage the ORELAP program to assure that environmental testing laboratories are accredited according to federal and state rules and regulations and TNI standards.

What will you do?
As the ORELAP Manager, you will plan, coordinator, manage and monitor the activities of the laboratory assessors for chemistry and microbiology. You will represent Oregon at TNI and participate in developing national standards for the operation and accreditation of environmental laboratories. Additionally, you will assure that ORELAP meets all requirements to maintain its status as a NELAP Accrediting Body (AB). You will use a high degree of independent judgment and expertise to interpret standards, make decisions regarding laboratory accreditation, establish policy and recommend rules related to the scope of accreditation for drinking water and cannabis testing laboratories mandated to be ORELAP accredited as well as environmental laboratories. These decisions will impact the OHA Oregon Drinking Water Program (DWP) under Public Health. Policy must assure the laboratories reports meet the needs of the DWP which has primacy from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Program policy affects the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. ORELAP accredits qualified laboratories in the state for Cannabis testing under ORS 475B.550 to 475B.590 and provide Cannabis Sampling Protocols to be consistent with the Medical Marijuana Program rules that are reference to OAR 333-064-0100 through 333-064-0110. Accreditation of the laboratories is required for DEQ to accept data provided by the laboratories.

As the ORELAP Manager, you will ensure Oregon has regulations and policies to administer EPA and NELAC standards which must be followed by all ORELAP accredited laboratories or laboratories seeking ORELAP accreditation.

The ORELAP program accredits 66 primary laboratories within the state of Oregon in addition to 62 primary (which include 4 national EPA laboratories) and 23 secondary out of state laboratories for a total of 151 ORELAP accredited labs. Long range planning is required to assure viability of the program within the agency and that fees established by rule are adequate to cover program activities. You will establish policy and administer the laboratory accreditation program, affecting the agency's mission of promoting the health of Oregonians by helping to provide safe drinking water and the interagency DEQ mission of safe air, water, waste water and underground tank storage monitoring, in addition to assuring tested cannabis products are pesticide/solvent free.

What's in it for you?
You will work with a team of public health professionals who are passionate about the work they do to protect drinking water in the State of Oregon and to protect people’s health by ensuring marijuana products in Oregon are tested by an ORELAP-accredited laboratory and pass testing requirements for pesticides and other contaminants before they are transferred to consumers Do you have experience coordinating a program related to environmental laboratory testing? Have you completed the NELAP Basic Training Course? Are you versed in interpreting and applying federal and state rules and regulations? If so, we want to connect with you!

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

A Bachelor's degree in a Laboratory Science, Biological Science or other related degree; AND five years of experience coordinating or administering a program related to environmental laboratory testing,
OR

Any combination of experience or education equivalent to eight years of experience coordinating or administering a program related to environmental laboratory testing.

Mandatory requirements for the position are:

• A minimum of a bachelor's degree in a biological science or course work in microbiology and/or chemistry or equivalent experience in laboratory assessment is preferred.
• Successful completion of NELAP Basic Training Course.
• Participation in at least four actual on-site assessments.
• Successful completion of the laboratory certification course for microbiology and chemistry presented by EPA EMSL-Cin as required by the EPA, before a state certification officer can accredit drinking water testing laboratories for microbiological or chemical analyses.
• Approval by EPA Region 10 certification for microbiology and chemistry before a state certification officer can accredit drinking water testing laboratories for microbiological analyses.

REQUESTED SKILLS

• Experience coordinating a program in environmental laboratory science.
• Experience interacting with the public and presenting a professional image.
• Knowledge of project supervision/management is required.
• Experience managing complex systems, identifying problems, generating alternatives, building consensus with diverse multi-disciplinary groups and implementing solutions.
• Excellent communication, training and interpersonal skills are required to communicate with highly trained professionals across multiple disciplines of microbiology and chemistry.
• Computer experience is required regarding database management and website management.
• Familiar with all EPA drinking water requirements, NELAP accreditation requirements, and possess in depth a knowledge of quality systems for laboratories.
• Familiar with all cannabis testing requirements for medical and retail marijuana products.

OSPHL obtains a baseline screen for tuberculosis exposure for all employees using a blood test. Employees working with TB or other respiratory specimens are screened periodically for TB using a blood test.

TO APPLY

Please visit the following link to complete the online application:

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/oregon/jobs/2080115/oregon-environmental-laboratory-accreditation-program-orelap-manager-program

CONTACT INFORMATION

Cyndi Phipps-Roman

Phone: 503-945-6377

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $5,496.00 to $7,714.00 /month

Experience:

• environmental lab testing: 5 years

Education:

• Bachelor's

License:

• Laboratory Certification