Laboratory Process Engineer - Chemical/ Biology - entry level

Our mission at WesTech is to help communities thrive by delivering high-quality water solutions with superior service – safely and sustainably. To achieve this mission, we recruit great people to be part of our collegial and collaborative teams in engineering, design, project management, field service, plant operations, professional services and more.

As one of the leading operating brands of Swire Water, our values of integrity, humility, endeavor, excellence and continuity make this an outstanding working environment. Our continuing success creates attractive opportunities for purpose-driven professionals to develop new skills, support vital industries, and grow their careers.

Summary - We are hiring an entry-level Lab Engineer Technician to support water and wastewater testing in our laboratory. In this role, you will work alongside experienced engineers to run lab experiments, analyze samples, and help develop treatment solutions for municipal and industrial clients. This is a hands-on position designed for recent graduates or folks with a few years of hand-on experience who want to build practical skills in water treatment processes.

Candidates for this position may be required to pass pre-employment and periodic screenings, including background checks, drug and alcohol tests, or other necessary assessments.

Some of the work you will do: 

• Receive, process, characterize, and dispose of samples, including chemical and microbial screening.
• Perform basic laboratory testing (e.g., pH, turbidity, TSS, and other standard analyses).
• Learn our standard testing procedures and assist in bench-scale testing to simulate full-scale equipment and evaluate process performance.
• Help analyze results and contribute to summary reports under guidance of experienced engineers.
• Assist with documentation, including draft testing reports, forms, proposals, and estimates.
• Learn and apply safe laboratory practices and procedures.
• Clean and maintain laboratory workspaces.
• You will be exposed to communications with internal and external customers through written, graphical, and verbal methods.
• Learn to estimate and project manage lab testing projects.
• Maintain and grow microbial repository and inocula.
• Gain exposure to pilot systems and field testing as needed.

Here are the skills that you need: 

• Bachelor's degree in Biological, Civil, Mechanical, Environmental, or Chemical Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• Some laboratory experience in chemistry or microbiology through coursework, internship, or former employment.
• Interest in water and wastewater treatment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, databases, and related software for data management and reporting.
• Strong attention to detail and willingness to learn.
• Good organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as a part of a team.
• Willing to travel domestically and internationally (up to 25%) for testing, pilot operations, start-ups, and troubleshooting.

Here are the skills and qualifications that will set you apart: 

• Experience or coursework in any of the following areas is a plus:
• Chemistry Laboratory: Hands-on experience in wet chemistry analysis using instruments such as pH probes, turbidimeters, spectrophotometers, and balances.
• Biological Laboratory: Skilled in sterile technique and classical microbial methods, including agar plate preparation, serial dilution plating, heterotrophic growth counts, colony characterization and isolation, slanting, and microscopy.
• Experience in Solids-Liquid Separation
• Exposure to advanced analytical instrumentation, such as ICP-MS
• Mechanical Skills: Demonstrated ability to design, build, and operate bench-scale systems or maintain lab-scale pumps through previous work experience.
• Experienced in problem-solving, time management, and handling multiple projects simultaneously.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to work at a desk using a computer and phone system.
• Regularly required to move around the facility.
• Capability to lift samples and testing equipment weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Comply with all safety regulations.
• Up to 25% domestic and/or international travel is required.

Benefits and perks we offer:

• Competitive salary and performance-based annual bonuses.
• Dollar for dollar 401K match of 6%.
• Although WesTech offers hybrid schedules with remote work options, this is a primarily on-site role due to the hand-on nature of laboratory work.
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits package with an onsite medical facility
• Company HSA contribution, Paid Parental Leave, Employee Assistance Program
• Company-paid Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment, and Long-term Disability.
• PTO plan and Paid Holidays.
• Tuition Reimbursement.
• Company celebrations, summer parties, volunteer opportunities, games, prize drawings, and more!

WesTech considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.