RMB Environmental Laboratories, Inc.
22796 County Highway 6
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501-7002
218-846-1465 Phone and Fax
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
Water Quality Specialist
Position responsibilities
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Assist surface water clientele in designing Lake and stream monitoring programs.
Act as lead personnel for on-site field services regarding lake, stream, groundwater, and drinking
water monitoring programs (utilization of field Sondes, auto samplers, flow meters)
Data management: data entry, data organization, statistical analysis, trend analysis, charting and
graphing, educational and scientific report writing and presentation
Attend / assist training and surface water workshops and presentations
Interpret water quality results to clientele via in person or through report formats.
Assist with online lakes monitoring database
Perform data submittal to Equis / STORET / EDGE
Maintain monitoring equipment and supplies
Support network of active parties, maintain open line of communication with clients and staff
members
Coordinate surface water assessment grant (SWAG) programs, assisting with grant writing,
project management, fiscal management and implementation of associated services.
Oversee field staff, maintain monitoring schedules
Responsible for learning the working knowledge of applicable standard operating procedures and
equipment
Attend surface water conferences
Adhere to proper sample collection and preservation techniques and requirements
Entry and management of generated data by use of network data management software
Laboratory preparations associated with field SOP’s
Participation in weekly team meetings
Assist where deemed necessary by Supervisors
Act as role model for work ethics, quality, and efficiency
Overall position time breakdown
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Spring through Fall: 50-75% fieldwork, 25-50% office/lab setting
Winter: 5% fieldwork, 95% office/lab setting
Position requirements
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Knowledge and experience in lake and stream ecology
Preferred educational focus: Limnology, Stream Ecology, Aquatic toxicology or related field
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GIS mapping experience
Be able/willing to communicate scientific data to the general public
Organizational skills to handle multiple projects and diverse work loads
Valid Drivers License
Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science, Biology, Geology, Hydrology, or
other related environmental course of study.
RMBEL WQS Position, 2014
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Experience with watercraft and backing of trailers
Self-motivated, with a strong interest in actively participating in the Minnesota surface water
community (i.e. attending and presenting at water conferences, keeping up on new legislation and
water programs)
Ability to handle physically demanding fieldwork (lift and carry 50 lbs)
Additional skills that aren’t required, but increase candidate’s value
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Lake modeling (BATHTUB, FLUX, etc)
Biological monitoring experience (macroinvertebrates and/or algae)
One or more years experience (work or internship) in an ecological field
Experience conducting aquatic plant surveys, septic and shoreline surveys
Experience with Sondes, Auto samplers, GPS technologies
Knowledge in current AIS programs
Experience working directly with state and local units as well as stakeholders groups
Salary and Benefits
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Salary commensurate with experience Varies $32,240 – 36,400 annually
Paid sick and vacation time
Holiday Pay
Health benefits
Retirement IRA with company matching
About our company
RMB Environmental Laboratories (RMBEL) is an independent analytical laboratory in Detroit Lakes,
MN. Working in a small business environment has many benefits such as flexible hours and freedom to
develop creative new projects. RMBEL provides laboratory and field services to a wide array of clients
from waste water to industry to surface water. The surface water division is known for:
• Providing analytical and consulting services to organizations managing over 50% of the regional
watershed districts in Minnesota, including the largest watershed districts and basins in the state,
• Monitoring over 500 lakes annually in our statewide Lakes Monitoring Program,
• Working closely with governmental agencies and environmental groups such as MPCA,
Watershed Districts, SWCDs, and Lake Improvement Districts and Associations,
• Technical support services for monitoring plan development and water quality assessment and
modeling studies,
• On-site field services for surface and ground water monitoring programs,
• Taxonomy services for Macroinvertebrate and Veliger ID.
• Extensive experience working closely with citizen based programs including sampler training,
data management workshops, and civic engagement.
Application information and timeline
We are currently accepting interested candidates for phone or in-person interviews. We hope to fill the
Position in January 2014. Please mail or email a CV/resume to:
Moriya Rufer
Director of Client Services
RMB Environmental Laboratories
22796 County Highway 6
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
218-846-1465
moriyar@rmbel.info
RMBEL WQS Position, 2014
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