Salary: $17.67 – $21.26 Hourly
Location: Thurston County – Olympia, WA
Job Type: Full Time – Non-Permanent
Job Number: 2023-08543
Department: Dept. of Agriculture
Division: Food Safety/Consumer Services – Microbiology Program
Opening Date: 07/04/2023
Closing Date: 7/18/2023 12:00 AM Pacific

WSDA’s Food Safety and Consumer Services (FSCS) Laboratory (also known as the Microbiology Laboratory) provides analytical support and data to the State regulatory agencies, our Federal partners U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the agricultural community. The testing conducted at the Microbiology Laboratory Program supports WSDA’s mission to protect public health, Washington’s food supply, the agriculture industry, and the environment. Food and environmental samples are provided by WSDA’s Food Safety and Animal Feed programs and FDA’s Food Emergency Response Network (FERN). In addition, the laboratory maintains an FDA-certified State Laboratory Evaluation Officer (LEO) who regulate outside milk laboratories in Washington for antibiotic and microbial testing. Our laboratory analyzes dairy products, ready-to-eat foods, produce, animal feed and environmental samples. When there is a food emergency (food-borne illness), WSDA’s Food Safety & Consumer Services Laboratory responds and provides rapid and defensible data to support regulators and epidemiologists in their quest to resolve the emergency.

The Administrative Intern 2 assists in a variety of basic laboratory functions, the laboratory Quality System, and the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). In this position you will receive training in departmental procedures and at the same time will be assigned productive tasks and assignments in a microbiology area. 

Position and Salary Information
WSDA is recruiting for a full-time non-permanent Administrative Intern 2 position within the Food Safety and Consumer Services Division. This position is located in Olympia, Washington and is a non-union represented position. This position is expected to be filled for 3-6 months. 

The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The hourly rate for this position is $17.67 – 20.80.

Employees who voluntarily provide proof of up-to-date COVID-19 booster vaccination, which must include any recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at the time proof is provided to the employer, between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, will receive a one-time lump sum payment of $1,000 to be paid no earlier than July 25, 2023.

Duties
Some of what you’ll do:   

• Autoclave and sterilize laboratory materials.
• Clean and sterilize glassware & utensils. 
• Mop floors, clean and disinfect incubators and refrigerators.
• Prepare media, reagents, and solutions for testing samples in the lab. 
• Maintain accurate inventory of media supplies to prevent emergency shortages. 
• Under immediate supervision assist in a variety of sample collection, sample check-in, sample set-up, sample testing. 
• Data entry, data analysis, QA/QC support or research tasks as assigned. 

Required Qualifications  

• Completion of at four semesters or six quarters (or equivalent) at an accredited college or university. 
• Microsoft Office or similar office software skills. 
• Valid driver’s license. 

How to apply
You must complete your careers.wa.gov profile and answer the supplemental questions. In addition to completing the online application, and supplemental questions applicants must attach the following documents to their profile to be considered for this position:

· Current resume detailing experience and education

· A cover letter describing how you meet the specific qualifications for this position.

· Three professional references 

For more information and to apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/4105043/administrative-intern-2