About the Department

The City of Vacaville - A beautiful place to live, a great place to work!

With over 600 employees, the City of Vacaville is proud to serve a vibrant, growing community. We offer a supportive and engaging workplace with employee social and wellness events, casual dress days, flexible work schedules, every other Friday off and outstanding pay and benefits.

Join us and help shape the future of Vacaville!

The City of Vacaville is accepting applications for Laboratory Quality Assurance Officer. Currently, we have one (1) full-time vacancy in the Utilities Department. This recruitment will establish an eligibility list for future full-time, part-time and limited-term vacancies in this classification that may occur over the next 12-month period.

Salary Information:
$100,874 - $122,613 Annually
A 2% COLA is scheduled for 11/1/2026

Working for the City of Vacaville comes with an excellent benefits package including:

Medical Insurance at affordable rates - City covers up to 85% of Kaiser premium, other plans are also available
Vision and Dental Insurance monthly premiums covered 100% by the City
Healthcare double coverage opt-out incentive of $3,000 per year for eligible employees
Paid sick leave, vacation leave, thirteen holidays and two floating holidays a year
Tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment up to $2,200 per fiscal year
Deferred compensation plan with City contribution, no employee match required
California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) plan enrollment and Retiree Health Savings account

*See the Local 39 Benefit Summary for additional information*

The Laboratory Quality Assurance Officer plays a key role in ensuring the accuracy, integrity and regulatory compliance of the City's environmental laboratory operations. Working closely with laboratory management and staff, this position develops, implements and maintains the laboratory's Quality Management System (QMS), oversees quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) programs, coordinates accreditation activities, conducts audits and assists with staff training.
Visit our Class Specifications page on our City website for a complete job description.

Position Duties

The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented quality assurance professional passionate about maintaining the highest standards of laboratory quality, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement. They are a collaborative leader who exercises sound judgment, communicates effectively and is committed to ensuring accurate, reliable laboratory operations. Ideal knowledge, skills and abilities include:

Thorough knowledge of laboratory quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) principles and Quality Management Systems (QMS).
Knowledge of ELAP accreditation requirements, TNI standards and applicable state and federal regulations.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify trends, evaluate data and implement effective corrective actions.
Ability to develop, review, maintain and audit technical procedures, quality documentation and laboratory records.
Ability to plan, coordinate and conduct internal audits and prepare for external assessments.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to train, mentor and collaborate effectively with laboratory staff.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
Ability to exercise independent judgment and make sound decisions that support laboratory quality, compliance and continuous improvement.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND LICENSE/CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Any combination of education and experience that would provide the required knowledge and skills is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and skills would be:

Education: Completion of two years of college with major coursework in chemistry, biology, microbiology, or other related laboratory science.

Experience: Three years of water or wastewater laboratory analysis experience, including QA/QC, data validation, or quality systems responsibilities.

License or Certificate: Possession of the California Water Environment Association (CWEA) Laboratory Analyst Grade III Certificate or the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Water Quality Analyst Grade III Certificate is required.

Possession of a valid California Class C Driver’s License and a satisfactory driving record are conditions of initial and continued employment.

Education: Possession of a Bachelor’s Degree in chemistry, biology, microbiology, or other related laboratory science.

Experience: Three years of general laboratory experience including at least two years of water or wastewater analysis experience, including QA/QC, data validation, or quality systems responsibilities.

License or Certificate: Possession of the California Water Environment Association (CWEA) Laboratory Analyst Grade II Certificate or the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Water Quality Analyst Grade II Certificate is required. Possession of the California Water Environment Association (CWEA) Laboratory Analyst Grade III Certificate or the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Water Quality Analyst Grade III Certificate is desirable.

Possession of a valid California Class C Driver’s License and a satisfactory driving record are conditions of initial and continued employment.

Minimum Qualifications

A completed City of Vacaville Employment Application and Supplemental Questionnaire must be received by the Human Resources Department at 650 Merchant Street, Vacaville, CA 95688 prior to 5:30 p.m., Monday, July 13, 2026.

IMPORTANT: Contact with candidates will primarily be via email. Make sure you list a current email that you check regularly with your application.

Applicants are encouraged to apply online at www.cityofvacaville.gov. Application packets may also be requested in person at the Human Resources Department or by calling (707) 449-5101.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application packet.

For ADA information and other Frequently Asked Questions, please visit our City website.

Applicants receiving a conditional offer of employment must successfully complete the pre-placement process for this position before a final offer will be extended. Pre-placement assessments for this position include a Livescan (FBI/DOJ fingerprint review), employment verification, education review, medical exam and DMV driving history review.

Benefits

Stationary Engineers Local 39
The City of Vacaville values our team and understands the need for work-life balance. Employees work an alternative work schedule and enjoy every other Friday off. In addition, we provide a collaborative work environment, employee social and wellness activities through a program we call CoV Life, competitive pay and a generous benefits and retirement package. More detailed information related to our full-time employee benefits can be found on our Benefits Summary page.

Information for Part-Time Positions:
Part-time positions are paid an hourly rate and can work up to a maximum of 129 hours per month. Part-time positions are at-will, are not eligible for health or retirement benefits (including CalPERS membership), and do not accrue leave time with the exception of state mandated sick leave (40 hours per year).

Part-time positions are not covered by Social Security and are not eligible for the City of Vacaville's retirement plan through CalPERS and are therefore required to make 7.5% pre-tax contributions into a qualified plan under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (OBRA). For the City of Vacaville, the plan is a Section 457 Deferred Compensation Plan through Nationwide Retirement Systems, Inc.

Supplemental Questions

Instructions for Supplemental Questions. The following questions comprise one of the steps in the selection process for this position and are intended to assist you in presenting your qualifications. Only the information you provide in your answers to these questions will be evaluated and scored to determine the best-qualified candidates to continue in the selection process. Please be complete and specific in answering the questions, as your score will be based on this information. Applications submitted without responses to the supplemental questions will not be evaluated. Although your experience and education should relate back to your application, your application and/or resume will not be reviewed when scoring the supplemental questions. Therefore, please be as detailed as possible in your responses to the supplemental questions. I have read and understand the instructions presented above.

Select positions may require a California Class C Driver's License. Do you possess a valid California Driver's License?

Yes
No
No, but I am exempt as a Non-resident Military Personnel/Dependent

The statement below best describes my education qualifications for the Laboratory Quality Assurance Officer position (Select one):

Completion of two years of college with major coursework in chemistry, biology, microbiology or other related laboratory science.
Possession of a Bachelor's Degree in chemistry, biology, microbiology, or other related laboratory science.
Possession of a graduate degree (Master's or Doctorate) in chemistry, biology, microbiology, or other related laboratory science.
None of the above.

The statement below best describes my experience qualifications for the Laboratory Quality Assurance Officer position (Select one):

Less than two years of water or wastewater laboratory analysis experience, including QA/QC, data validation, or quality systems responsibilities.
Three years or more of water or wastewater laboratory analysis experience, including QA/QC, data validation, or quality systems responsibilities.
Three years or more of general laboratory experience including at least two years of water or wastewater analysis experience, including QA/QC, data validation, or quality systems responsibilities.

Describe your experience of water or wastewater laboratory analysis experience, including QA/QC, data validation, or quality systems responsibilities. Include the name of the employer, job title, and the length of time you performed these duties. If you have no experience, respond with N/A.

Select ALL of the relevant certifications you possess. Proof of certification must be attached to your application.

California Water Environment Association (CWEA) Laboratory Analyst Grade II Certificate
California Water Environment Association (CWEA) Laboratory Analyst Grade III or IV Certificate
American Water Works Association (AWWA) Water Quality Analyst Grade II Certificate
American Water Works Association (AWWA) Water Quality Analyst Grade III or IV Certificate
None of the above

If you do not possess the typical education and experience listed as minimum qualifications on the job flyer, or if you would like to expand on your qualifications, please explain how your particular combination of education and experience has provided you with the required knowledge and abilities to perform this job.

Required Question

Agency Information

Employer: City of Vacaville
Address: 650 Merchant Street

Vacaville, California, 95688
Phone: 707.449.5101
Website: http://www.cityofvacaville.gov