What are the responsibilities and job description for the COLLEGE CO-OP (CSD) (LABORATORY) position at City of Cincinnati?
The Metropolitan Sewer District posted a number of College Co-Op Job Postings for the Fall Semester beginning August 31, 2026. Please read through all Job Postings and apply for the position(s) you would like to be evaluated for and/or interviewed for as a Co-Op student.
The Project plans are included in the Job Postings. For more information about the different projects please contact jerrold.ware@cincinnati-oh.gov.
The Priority Deadline for applications is July 24, 2026. Applications submitted by this date will be reviewed by MSD hiring managers before the posting closes on August 7, 2026. If selected for an interview, students will be notified via email as early as the week of July 24, 2026. All applications are accepted through the posting close date.
If selected for an interview, you will be contacted via the email provided during the application process. All applicants should have availability for work scheduled 32 - 40 hours per week.
TO APPLY:
Applicants must first create an account through govenmentjobs.com to apply for this position.
Please click here to create your applicant profile and apply for the College Co-Op/Student Intern opportunity.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with completing your application, please call the NEOGOV Help Line at 855-524-5627.
**Applicants with student visa and OPT, CPT, and current valid EAD at time of hire, are welcome to apply.
Interns/Co-ops/Externs for the City of Cincinnati may be performing duties in any potential field within the City's structure. These fields may include office-level work/assignments, fieldwork, and/or civic services. The nature of the work will be based on areas of interest, degree programs, or organizational needs. Candidates should have the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.
MSD DIVISION OF COMPLIANCE SERVICES (CSD) - LABORATORYMission: To establish a partnership with colleges and universities, exposing as many students as possible to employment opportunities in the Wastewater Industry and help them become experienced professionals in the next generation workforce.
Purpose: To attract and cultivate bright and energetic college students and maintain ongoing partnerships with colleges and universities. It is our goal to expose these students to applied laboratory practices, as well as career opportunities in water resource management and the environmental sciences. The Co-op program also serves as a recruitment tool to assist the Compliance Services Division (CSD), Laboratory section in hiring full-time personnel.
Overview: The co-op student will be assigned to specific areas of the laboratory to participate in wet weather projects, special studies, and/or daily routine testing. Under the supervision of a chemist, co-ops will be exposed to various tasks performed in the laboratory and on the analytical equipment utilized. The CSD Laboratory program strives to reinforce the knowledge and skills the students have learned in the classroom and to build on those skills in a setting that provides "hands-on" instruction and experience.
Expectations: The Co-op students will be assigned to the Nutrient, Metals, and Sample Check-in Units where they will be trained in analyzing treatment plant NPDES permit samples, process control, wet weather, industrial waste, and/or special studies samples. They will be trained to perform a variety of analyses which may include sample receiving process, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, total phosphorus, total orthophosphate, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, alkalinity, total hardness, and suspended, total and dissolved solids. They will also be trained in running bacteriological samples for fecal coliform and E. coli analysis. Many of these procedures will involve the use of analytical equipment. They will learn the proper Quality Control to be run in analyzing these samples. They will also be trained in using the LIMS data entry program.
Learning Milestones:
- Lab/Project orientation (week 1)
- Pertinent instruction for equipment or methodologies employed (week 1-4)
- Periodic status report (week 5-11)
- Completion of project/report out (week 12)
- All studies have been previously designed, and each student will be assigned to a specific study as his/her primary project.
- If the student has done a previous term at MSD, the project will be a continuation of that work.
- In addition to their primary project, students will be expected to perform other laboratory tasks and help in other areas as assistance is needed.
- The CSD lab attempts to expose students to all facets of laboratory analysis during the term.
**Co-Ops may be required to work Tuesday-Saturday, day shift**
HR Contact: Jerrold Ware, Jerrold.Ware@cincinnati-oh.gov
In order to qualify for the Intern/Co-op/Extern Program, a student must:- Be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or a non-citizen with proof of eligibility to work in the United States
- Individuals under eighteen will require a work permit
- Be enrolled in an accredited institution
- Submit a City job application for employment
- Must pass a drug screen and background check
Salary : $32,760 - $46,114