Laboratory Internship

Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District (FSSD) is currently seeking a candidate to fill an internship in our Laboratory. This intern will work with experienced lab professionals to gain work-experience in a busy laboratory in a wastewater facility.
The ideal intern candidate has/is:

• A science background through their course of study, including some courses that include hands-on labs such as microbiology, chemistry, or a biology course with a lab.
• Enthusiastic for the work and is considering a career in a laboratory.
• Experience using excel including creating and modifying exciting spreadsheets with data.
• Good communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Self-motivated and resourceful.

OPPORTUNITY AWAITS!
Over several decades, the District has evolved from a technical engineering entity to a valuable resource manager, partner in local economic development, and active member of the watershed community. The District has taken numerous actions to shift conventional thinking about the way wastewater utilities are run.
 

• We are an award-winning facility, including winner of the 2024 Water Environment Federation Utility of the Future Award, 2022 California Water Environmental Association (CWEA) California Plant of the Year Award and the 2022 National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Platinum Peak Performance Award.
• Over the years many of our employees have been recognized as operator of the year, laboratory person of the year, and mechanical technician of the year (to name a few).
• We are always looking for innovative solutions and often participate in various research pilots, which offers unique opportunities for our staff. 
• We strive to obtain as much energy as possible from waste products and renewable energy through solar power, wind turbines, and cogeneration engines.
• We have a history of creative partnerships to address the issues we face, such as our partnership with Lystek International, who constructed a biosolids-to-fertilizer processing plant at our wastewater treatment facility.

At the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District, we work together and break down barriers to accomplish major projects and facilitate the successful daily operations of the facility. The District is a highly collaborative organization. By fostering a relatively flat organizational structure, minimizing bureaucracy, and promoting employee empowerment, the District achieves a high degree of cooperation and partnership between departments to seek out the best overall solutions to shared challenges. At the heart of the District’s progress is an organizational culture that continues to embrace positive change. We have a leadership team that supports the growth and needs of the employees and encourages ongoing feedback to make the District an employer of choice. 

Here at the District, we are dedicated to providing what we believe to be an excellent work environment.  We strive to maintain good wages and benefits, open communications and opportunities for creativity, ownership and fun. Apply today!

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

The intern may participate in a variety of activities to achieve work-experience working in a lab and will gain experience and understanding of: 

• Entry level laboratory analysis and techniques including reagent and standard preparation, equipment calibration and maintenance, volatile acid analysis, alkalinity analysis, total and volatile solids analysis, total suspended solids analysis, pH analysis, and quality control of microbiology supplies.
• Use and improvement of the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) including sample log-in, batching, creation and editing of electronic worksheets, and managing and attaching equipment manuals and SDS's as needed.

Depending on the intern and their level of experience, the District will provide: 

• Ethics and Data Integrity training
• Basic lab skill training (pipetting, weighing, reagent prep, good laboratory practices (GLP)
• Laboratory analyses training (TS/VS, pH, VA, Alkalinity, TSS, etc.) and field sampling
• XLIMS training

At the end of the internship, we hope that the intern will: 

• Learn about the FSSD laboratory: what do we do and why, what does a typical work day or week involve, how are we the same or different from other laboratories and/or wastewater plants.
• Complete training for topics listed (learn to perform some or all of the listed analyses) and assist laboratory technicians with process control analyses and testing preparation and clean-up.
• Have the ability to read and follow laboratory policies and procedures. Have the ability to implement and understand traceability and documentation/record-keeping in the lab.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
An equivalent combination of training, education, and experience which has provided the required knowledge, skills/abilities, and attributes and is able to perform the work (with reasonable accommodation, if needed).

We are seeking an intern that is working towards or has obtained one of the following degrees within the last six (6) months: 

• Biology
• Environmental Sciences
• Chemistry
• Physical Sciences

PLEASE NOTE: A copy of your transcripts or degree are required (see "How to Apply" section below).

No experience is required for this opportunity; however, some lab experience through college courses or in a working role is preferred.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Background Checks: The District may conduct a background check and a reference check on candidates prior to appointment to a position within this class.
• Independent Travel:  Incumbents are required to travel independently, for example, to perform work at other work sites, to attend meetings with other District employees, to attend meetings with community organizations, etc.

SELECTION PROCESS

5/7/2025 – Date for hiring interviews.
5/14/2025 – Date for lab tour/second interviews (only for those selected from hiring interviews on 5/7)
 

Responses to supplemental questions may be used as screening and testing mechanisms and will be used to assess an applicant’s ability to advance in the process; as such, responses to supplemental questions should be treated as test examination responses. 

All applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the recruitment process.

HOW TO APPLY

A completed FSSD employment application and supplemental questionnaire must be submitted by clicking the APPLY button in the upper right-hand corner. This recruitment will close at 5:00pm, on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: You are required to submit a copy of your transcripts or a copy of your degree if you have obtained one within the last six (6) months. Applications received without the required documentation will not be reviewed. You can either upload them with your application or email them to Tania Medrano at TMedrano@fssd.com with the title "Laboratory Intern Documents - [YOUR NAME]". If your documents are not received by the final deadline indicated above, it will not be reviewed.

IMPORTANT: Contact with candidates will primarily be via email.  Make sure you list a current email that you check regularly with your application.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application packet.