Chemistry Technician I

his position in located in the Food & Drug Protection Division (FDPD). FDPD has five functioning sections, including the Food Section, the Dairy Section, the Feed Section, the Drug Section, and the Administrative Services Section. In addition, analytical support is provided to the Food & Feed Sections by FDPD's three laboratory sections, i.e., the Inorganic Chemistry Section, Organic Chemistry Section, and Microbiology Section. The Division protects the health, welfare, and economic interests of consumers of foods, drugs, livestock feeds, fertilizers, and medical devices by ensuring, through inspections and analysis, that these products are wholesome and properly labeled.

The FDPD Inorganic Chemistry Section performs compositional analyses of food, animal feed, and fertilizer samples.

Specifically, this section quantifies nutrients, minerals, microanalytical filth, and heavy metals in samples using

analytical chemistry techniques and instrumentation. The Inorganic Chemistry Section is comprised of 5

laboratories: the Microanalytical Laboratory; the Core Analytical Laboratory; the Ion Chromatography Laboratory; the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry Laboratory; and the Wet Chemistry Laboratory.

This position is specifically located in the Wet Chemistry Laboratory, which is responsible for quantifying minerals, fat, fiber, dry matter, solids, and water activity in food, fertilizer, feed, and forage samples using acid hydrolysis, gravimetric analyses, cryoscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), spectroscopy, and titration methods. This high through-put laboratory completes approximately 35,000 analyses annually, and data generated support regulatory actions by the FDPD Food Section, FDPD Feed Section, and NCDA&CS Plant Industry Division.

The employee's primary job functions are: 1) determining elemental or nutritional content of food, feed, forage, and fertilizer samples; 2) preparing samples for analysis using mills and other comminution techniques; 3) documenting all analyses per ISO 17025 requirements and FDPD quality management system procedures; and 4) performing laboratory support and maintenance activities to ensure testing readiness and expedite analyses.

The employee is responsible for understanding, performing, and evaluating a wide-range of standard wet chemistry and instrument-based methods and procedures, including titration, gravimetric analyses, acid hydrolysis, and fat and fiber analyses. The employee must complete analyses within established turnaround times. The employee is also responsible for verifying and maintaining instrumentation and ensuring adequate laboratory supplies are available.

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The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services provides services that promote and improve agriculture, agribusiness, and forests; protect consumers and businesses; and conserve farmland and natural resources for the prosperity of all North Carolinians. The Department employs approximately 2,000 employees.

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• Experience preparing reagents or samples for analysis.
• Ability to apply knowledge of inorganic chemistry methodology and laboratory safety practices.
• Ability to understand and follow complex oral and written instructions.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to work with matrices such as grass, hay, and nut.
• Employment is contingent upon the ability to pass a respirator medical and fit test

You may qualify by an equivalent combination of education and experience, either through years of education or years of directly related experience, or a combination of both.

Associate's degree in one of the chemical, biological, microbiological, environmental or natural resource sciences or a closely related curriculum including related chemistry laboratory coursework from an appropriately accredited institution; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Any employment offer may be less than the maximum of the range due to salary equity with similarly situated employees or the selected candidate's related education and experience.

Please follow the instructions to apply online. It is important that your application includes all of your relevant education and experience. Text or attached resumes ARE NOT accepted as a substitution for a completed application. Applicants seeking veteran's/National Guard preference should submit a copy of their Form DD-214, NGB 23A (RPAS), DD256 or NGB 22.

All Law Enforcement positions, aviation safety-sensitive positions, and positions requiring a Pilot's License or a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) shall be subject to pre-employment drug testing. All positions requiring a Commercial Driver's License shall also be subject to pre-employment DMV physicals. Selected applicants must obtain a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) medical certificate prior to employment. If a CDL is listed as a preference and the selected applicant has a CDL at the time of hire, then the CDL will become a requirement for the position.

Note: When required, you must answer the question(s) for this position, or your application will be considered incomplete.

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