A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
• Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
• Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The Philadelphia Water Department is a municipal department of approximately 2500 employees working in all facets to provide water/wastewater treatment services to the City of Philadelphia and the surrounding counties.

Northeast WPCP Lab is a PA-DEP-accredited laboratory under the Bureau of Laboratory Services.  NE Lab provides water analysis for NPDES compliance, Plant Operations, and Industrial Waste.

This full-time internship/co-op position will begin in April 2023 and end in September 2023. Schedules will be determined during the interview. The position will require candidates to work hybrid schedules, which means in-person and remote workdays.

Essential Functions

The co-op or intern will work with the Philadelphia Water Department's (PWD's) scientists, engineers and technicians at the Northeast Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) lab, which is located in the Port Richmond neighborhood in Philadelphia.  Typical work includes preparing, preserving, and analyzing non-regulatory plant process control samples, regulatory samples confirming that the WPCP is fulfilling its permit requirements and the federal Clean Water Act (NPDES), and a variety of compliance and surcharge samples for the Philadelphia Water Department's Industrial Waste Unit. The student will be trained to measure Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Total Solids, Total Suspended Solids, Settleable Solids, Volatile Solids, Volatile Acids, Alkalinity, Chlorine, pH, Orthophosphate, and Conductivity using a variety of PA-DEP accredited methods and established standard operating procedures.  The co-op or intern will also learn how to evaluate the lab's results according to strict, pre-defined quality assurance and quality control criteria.  The skills and experience developed in this position will help prepare the student for a career in chemistry and the environmental sciences and will provide aspiring civil or environmental engineers a unique, useful perspective into how the data used to operate a WPCP is generated.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• the basic principles of chemistry
• mathematics and its application to basic chemistry
• the nomenclature of technical symbols, equipment, and materials used in chemistry
• the principles and techniques for setting up and operating analytical instrumentation
• the principles, practices, and methods used in basic chemistry
• the principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)
• the techniques used in conducting basic chemical testing
• computer software and hardware required by the assignment
• the hazards and safety precautions of laboratory work

Skill in:

• the use and care of instruments tools, materials and equipment used in basic chemistry
• operating chemical laboratory equipment and analytical instrumentation
• making accurate observations of test results and preparing accurate reports and records
• preparing and interpreting reports showing test results and analyses
• running basic computer programs
• interacting effectively with co-workers

Preferred Majors:

Eng. - Environmental Engineering, Arts & Sci. - Biological Sciences, Arts & Sci. - Chemistry, Arts & Sci. - Environmental Science

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a resume.

Hourly Rate: $18 - $20

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to [email protected].

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx