Environmental Scientist (2024)

Metropolitan Council Environmental Services

We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 30 years ahead for the future of the metropolitan area and provide regional transportation, wastewater, and housing services. More information about us on our website.

We are committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

About Us

Join an award-winning wastewater industry leader in protecting our environment! Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) is an operating division of the Metropolitan Council. MCES operates and maintains the wastewater collection and treatment system for the Minneapolis-St. Paul seven-county metropolitan area, which includes approximately 600 miles of regional sanitary sewers and eight regional wastewater treatment plants. MCES treats an average of 250 million gallons of wastewater daily, providing cost-effective service to more than 2.6 million people in 109 customer communities. MCES treatment plants consistently earn state and national awards for complete compliance with their environmental permits. MCES also is nationally renowned for its superior work monitoring air and water quality and planning for a long-range water supply to meet future demand.
To find out how the Metropolitan Council and the Environmental Services division serve the Twin Cities region, view more information:

• Who We Are
• Wastewater and Water

The Water Resources Team

Our team of 23 collectively works towards protecting our regional waters for future generations. We provide leadership and information to empower Met Council and local actions that ensure clean, healthy, and abundant water resources for the region. Our mission is to partner, plan, and provide services to protect our region’s water.

How would your work contribute to the Twin Cities Region: The Environmental Scientist (Lakes & Toxicology Scientist) will conduct monitoring of Metropolitan Area lakes, wastewater treatment plant discharges via effluent toxicity test sampling, and groundwater monitoring to ensure permit compliance and sustainable operations. This work is critical in supporting our work to identify regional water quality problems; improve and protect Metro Area water resources; and measure progress in achieving Council water sustainability goals.

We’re seeking to hire one (1) Environmental Scientist (Lakes and Toxicology Scientist).

This position is eligible for a hybrid (both remote and onsite) telework arrangement. The candidate’s permanent residence must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin.

Note: The person in this role, must be experienced in operating watercraft and related, can portage a canoe, and have strong comfortability around and in water, including the ability to swim.

What You Would Do in This Job

Primary Job Duties

• Toxicity Monitoring
  • Programming and deploying automated water quality sampler at MCES wastewater treatment facilities for Whole Effluent Toxicity testing as required by NPDES Permit
  • Collecting samples during multiple-day plant tests, conducting field readings, and documenting the chain of custody of samples to the contracted laboratory.
  • Calibrating field meter, collecting readings from sampled effluent, and reviewing data.
• Lake Monitoring
  • Conduct lake monitoring across the region on Council Priority Lakes 1-2 days per week.
  • Collect samples and field readings with a calibrated field meter, at the surface and depth if applicable.
  • Lead field crews with summer WR monitoring intern, ensuring adherence to sampling protocols and high-quality data collection.
  • Support volunteer lake monitoring program with volunteer sample transport coordination and equipment needs.

Secondary Job Duties

• Sewer Spill Response
  • Conduct emergency water quality sampling in response to sewer spill from MCES wastewater treatment and conveyance system into surface water bodies if it occurs.
  • Coordinate with MCES Interceptor Services and Laboratory staff to ensure the monitoring plan is laid out appropriately and resources are available for urgent testing (ex: bacteria) to identify the extent of the spill.
  • Deploy warning signs to affected areas to protect public health.
• Facility Groundwater Monitoring
  • Conduct groundwater elevation and chemistry monitoring to support compliance and sustainable groundwater management at MCES facilities.
  • Monitoring trips often quarterly for permit-required chemistry sampling and monthly to maintain continuous elevation monitoring locations.

What education and experience are required for this job (minimum qualifications)

Completed education in Limnology, Natural Sciences, Biology; Chemistry; Biology, Environmental Science/Studies, Water or Natural Resources, and related Scientific fields.

• Bachelor’s degree
• Master’s degree

What additional skills and experience would be helpful in this job (desired qualifications):

• Experience performing fieldwork in outdoor and/or treatment plant environments.
• Experience programming and operating automated water samplers.
• Experience collecting lake water quality samples from a boat or canoe.
• Experience with various monitoring equipment for sampling and water quality field readings.
• Experience and comfortability operating watercraft.
• Experience portaging a canoe and navigating lakes.

What knowledge, skills, and abilities you should have within the first six months on the job:

• Ability to operate a boat/watercraft safely and navigate lakes.
• Ability to swim.
• Possess theoretical knowledge of and working understanding of general biology or chemistry, including quantitative analysis and the ability to interpret results.
• Knowledge of general analytical laboratory procedures.
• Ability to conduct various types of lab testing (performing multiple methods and operating different types of instruments), to efficiently summarize and analyze data.
• Ability to understand, manage, and manipulate data to interpret and present results.
• Ability to recognize and understand any unusual data or test information.
• Knowledge of environmental science, scientific methods, problem-solving techniques, basic statistics, and college algebra.
• Skill in verbal and written communication, word processing, and spreadsheet applications.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively orally and in writing to all levels of people.
• Ability to interpret and apply rules and regulations.