Lab Quality Assurance Analyst - Charlotte, United States - City of Charlotte

Description

Introduction

Charlotte's local government, with more than 7,000 employees and a $2.39 billion budget, works hard to ensure that the community will be a winning city for everyone – a truly remarkable place to live, work, learn and play. Charlotte Water is an enterprise department of the City of Charlotte and one of the largest public water and sewer service providers in the southeast with 300,000 customer accounts and over 1000 employees. Our service area includes the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and the towns of Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Mint Hill, Matthews and Pineville. Charlotte Water's FY 23 budget is $535M and a five-year capital program of $2.5 billion. We enjoy the highest credit ratings from all three major credit rating agencies as a result of sound financial planning and management and strong support from our City Council. We value competent, skilled candidates with a customer service focus to work in a team environment.

Overview

The City of Charlotte is the largest municipality in North Carolina and the 15th largest city in the United States, with a total population of more than 897,000 citizens. A major commerce center, Charlotte hosts several of the nation's largest banks and technology companies.

Also known as the Queen City, Charlotte is home to the Carolina Panthers, the Charlotte Hornets and the NASCAR Hall of Fame. We work hard to ensure that the community will be a winning city for everyone – a truly remarkable place to live, work, learn and play. Join us in helping to keep our City thriving, ensuring upward mobility and advancement in the workplace.

Function

This position provides assistance for the Quality Assurance (QA) program in supporting the Quality Management System for the Laboratory Division within Charlotte Water.

Summary

Work involves maintaining quality improvement metrics; updating and maintaining quality control charting; assisting in implementation, oversight, and maintenance of state certification and National Environment Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) requirements; assisting in revision of Quality Manual, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and maintaining the Document Control System; ensuring accurate daily, quarterly and annual calibrations of thermometers, pipettes, fume hoods, analytical balances, and other support equipment; review of Chain-of-Custody (COC) information, support documents and information entered into the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS); communicating discrepancies; tracking samples subcontracted to approved laboratories; ensuring QC is conducted; provides reports for final review and signature to the Office of Quality Assurance. Develops, plans, reviews and completes internal audits performed on all technical aspects of the laboratory, including the quality system elements; prepares for and participates in external audits and assessments, reports, reviews and responds to corrective actions. This position notifies management of repeated QC failures; works with management to resolve quality issues; and maintains working knowledge of required software and regulations.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

•Assists in ensuring compliance and maintenance with state certifications and NELAP (TNI) accreditation requirements by providing guidance to staff and the review of quality policies, processes and procedures.
• Maintains working knowledge of local, state, and federal regulations, as they relate to services provided by laboratory; and maintain awareness of new rules, regulations, and anticipated dates of promulgation as pertains to emerging contaminants.
•Provides thorough root cause analysis for corrective action reports; and assists in implementing quality improvements.
•Maintains quality improvement metrics; quality control charting, MDL forms, DOC documents and training documents.
•Provide staff training in relationship to quality improvement metrics and data integrity.
•Perform observations and feedback in job specific tasks.
•Assists in writing, review and revision of the Quality Manual, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), ensuring current operations are reflected while maintaining the Document Control System.
•Performs or oversees internal audits; generates/maintains checklists; confirms that checklists reflect the current version of the SOP; and generates report forms to summarize the outcome of the audit and presents findings.
•Ensures accurate daily, quarterly and annual calibrations of thermometers, pipettes, fume hoods, analytical balances and other support equipment.
•Enter data and/or reviews data from subcontract laboratory reports into LIMS; reviews field monitoring reports, chains of custody, and LIMS for completeness and accuracy; and requests corrections as needed. Confirms all supporting documents are present (library searches, subcontract lab reports); generates and reviews final sample reports.
•Validates laboratory data packages for compliance with required QA/QC; tracks samples subcontracted to approved laboratories.
•Communicates discrepancies; notifies management of repeated QC failures; and works with management to resolve quality issues.
•Maintains pipette verification forms and other support equipment; makes modifications and generates new forms as needed; and archives older documentation.
•Coordinates and distributes the blind proficiency testing program within the laboratory; enter data with corresponding analyte code and method; prepare corrective actions.
•Enters requisitions for purchase orders (PO), performs PO change orders when necessary, and notes electronically in the purchasing software when in receipt of the items.
•Performs other related job duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

•Maintains and improves the Quality Assurance (QA) Program/Quality System (QS) while functioning independently of the production pressures of the laboratory.
•Knowledge of federal, state, and local rules and regulations related to services provided by the laboratory, governing the treatment and control for drinking water, water distribution, discharge of wastewater and industrial discharges.
•Knowledge of each of the analytical methods and related laboratory procedures for which data review is performed.
•Knowledge of software and computer skills in standard office programs, Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), procurement software and other pertinent computer programs.
•Skill in communicating, both verbally and in writing.
•Skills in math, including basic statistical analysis, control charting, and spreadsheets.
•Skill in analytical thinking, strict attention to details, methodical and systematic approach to identify cause and provide corrective actions.
•Skill in time management, ability to set priorities and exercise independent judgment.
•Ability to evaluate data objectively and perform assessments without managerial or outside influence.
•Ability to work effectively and collaborates with others to establish trust and create/maintain good working relationships.
•Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse workforce, managers, members of the public, and representatives from outside government agencies.
•Ability to follow SOPs and reference methods.
•Ability to analyze and interpret analytical data.
•Ability to read, analyze, and interpret scientific and technical journals and reports.
•Ability to learn new procedures and protocols for the analysis of samples; to work independently; demonstrate good laboratory technique; organize work; train and technically observe technical personnel in established laboratory procedures.
•Ability to respond to common inquiries from lab staff, clients, and regulatory agencies.
•Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. PHYSICAL DEMANDS:The work is medium work and requires applying 30 pounds of force frequently and exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally to move objects. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required: balancing, climbing, grasping, handling, perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels, distinguishing among sounds, lifting, mental acuity, pulling, pushing, reaching, repetitive motion, speaking, standing, talking, visual acuity in data/color, and walking.

Preferred Qualification

•Desires documented training in statistical analysis.
•Desires Environmental Laboratory Assessment, Basic Assessor Training - TNI Standard, current/approved.
•Desires NC Analyst Certifications I, II, III, and IV within 6 years of hire.
•Desires NC Pretreatment Consortium Certifications: Grade I, II and III within 10 years of hire.

Minimum Qualifications

•Bachelor's degree in chemistry or a scientific field from an accredited school.
•Minimum of 2-3 years of related work experience, preferably in a certified environmental laboratory or related regulatory environment. Licenses, Certifications or Registrations:
•Requires completion of specialized training requirements in the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and statistical charting software.
•Requires NIMS/ICS 100, 200, 700, and 800 training (or obtain within 6 months of hire.

Conditions of Employment

The City's Background Check Policy requires background checks to be conducted on final internal or external candidate(s) applying for any position with the City of Charlotte. The type of information that will be collected as part of a background check includes, but is not limited to: reference checks, social security verification, education verification, criminal conviction record check, and, if applicable, a credit history check, sex offender registry and motor vehicle records check.

Background checks must be in compliance with all federal and state statutes, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The checks must be consistent with the guidelines set forth by these laws requiring organizations to obtain a candidate's written authorization before obtaining a criminal background report, motor vehicle records check or credit report; and to properly store and dispose of information derived from such reports.

Final candidates must pass a pre-employment drug-screening test and physical examination. During the selection process, candidates may be asked to take a skills test, and/or participate in other assessments.

The City of Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.