Beach Water Monitoring Assistant
At the County of Marin, our employees overwhelmingly report feeling their work is meaningful, they like the work they do, and they are proud to tell people “I work for the County of Marin.” Discover more about us, our values and our organizational culture on the Department of Human Resources website. Read on to find out more about this opportunity.
Marin County Community Development Agency: The Community Development Agency (CDA) has a long history of innovation and leadership. CDA is a multifunctional agency shaping many aspects of environment and communities, organized into five mission-oriented divisions: Planning, Building and Safety, Environmental Health Services, Housing and Federal Grants, and Sustainability. CDA’s mission is to promote, protect, and advance healthy, safe, and equitable communities.
ABOUT THE POSITION
The County of Marin's Environmental Health Services (EHS) Division has a part-time temporary opportunity for a Water Sampling Technician. This individual will be responsible for collecting water samples from various beaches located in Marin for the Division's ongoing Beach Monitoring program.
Examples of duties are:
- Collecting water samples at 29 beaches throughout Marin following standard sampling protocols detailed in
- Marin County’s Beach Monitoring Quality Assurance Plan (QAPP).
- Properly labeling and packaging samples and transporting them to the certified laboratory for analysis.
- Ensuring an adequate supply of bottles and ice packs for next sample day.
- Checking tide tables for best collection times.
There is one part-time, temporary-contingent Special Appointment vacancy for this position which is expected to last approximately eight (8) months between March 2025 and October 2025, providing up to 30 hours per week, with required days of work on Mondays and Tuesdays (except for County-observed holidays). Temporary-contingent positions are eligible for limited benefits. For more information about temporary-contingent benefits, visit our County benefits page.
ABOUT YOU
Our Highly Qualified Candidate:
We are looking for someone who is passionate about the environment and has a keen interest in water quality and conservation.
- Laboratory experience or training
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Good communication and record-keeping skills
- Familiarity with laboratory equipment and procedures
- Experience with Microsoft Excel (spreadsheet data entry)
- Ability to follow safety protocols
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:
- Sampling Protocols and Procedures, understanding of environment regulations related to water quality
- Laboratory experience or training
- Local geographic knowledge, reading tide tables, environmental and safety considerations
- Understanding of basic environmental science especially related to recreational waters, familiarity with data analysis software for analyzing data sets
Skill in:
- Laboratory experience or training, and proficient in using the tools and equipment required for water sampling, strong attention to detail and accuracy
- Knowledge of safety and handling protocols, organization, documentation, and time management
- Good communication and record-keeping
- Analyzing, technical proficiency for using various instruments and tools for measuring and collecting environmental samples, critical thinking and computer use
Ability to:
- Lift and move heavy equipment (if required) up to 35 pounds.
- Problem solve, communicate effectively, manage inventory
- Understand how tides work, including the timing of high and low tides and how these affect specific local beach locations
- Provide attention to detail, manage time
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Any combination of education and experience that would provide the knowledge and skills listed. Typically, equivalent to graduating from an accredited college with an Associate’s degree in Marine Biology, Environmental Sciences, or a related field.