Petroleum Testing Chemist

Summary of Work

As a Petroleum Testing Chemist in the Chemistry Division, you will play a vital role in protecting North Dakota's citizens and environment by enforcing Petroleum Quality Rules and federal regulations. This position combines fieldwork and laboratory analysis to ensure petroleum products meet required standards for safety and accuracy.

In this position, you will:

• Coordinate and conduct petroleum product sampling across the state according to testing schedules and regulatory guidelines.
• Prepare and maintain sampling kits to ensure accuracy and consistency.
• Analyze gasoline and other petroleum products to verify labeling, ethanol content, and octane ratings, applying both established protocols and new technologies.
• Operate, calibrate, and maintain specialized laboratory equipment, including octane engines and infrared testing instruments.
• Collaborate with DEQ programs and external partners to interpret and report test results, supporting compliance and enforcement.
• Contribute to laboratory projects, manage inventory, and stay current with industry standards through ongoing training and workshops.

To succeed in this role, you must be a detail-oriented professional with strong technical and problem-solving skills who thrives on both field and lab work. You should have experience in scientific testing, data interpretation, and equipment maintenance, along with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.

You will be working with hazardous chemicals that include strong acids and bases, chemical reagents, petroleum related products and other synthetic compounds. At times the samples themselves may be considered hazardous. You are required to follow established QA/QC policies, general laboratory protocols and standard operating procedures including adherence to safety policies and good laboratory practices.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. DEQ will not provide sponsorships.

To be considered for this role, you must have a bachelor's degree in chemistry, biochemistry, or closely related field. (December 2025 graduates will be considered.)

Experience in an environmental lab and in the use and interpretation of environmental testing instruments such as ICP, ICP-MS, GC, GC-MS, HPLC, HPLC-MSMS, IC, IC-MSMS, TOC, Purge & Trap, UV, FIA, Discrete Analyzers, and FIA and specific experience with Perkin Elmer, Agilent, Dionex, Metrohm, Teledyne Tekmar, Lachat/Hach, and Thermo Fisher Scientific instruments is helpful but not necessary as we are willing to train the selected candidate.

About Team ND

"Far and away the best prize life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." - Theodore Roosevelt

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Application Procedures

All application material must be received on or before 11:59 p.m. CST on the closing date.

Applicants must complete the online application for employment and upload a resume, cover letter, and college transcripts (official or unofficial). Your resume should include information to demonstrate how you meet the minimum qualifications as posted. If the Department's Human Resource Division is unable to determine that you meet the minimum qualifications credit will not be given.

This employer participates in E-Verify. Please visit the following website for additional information: https://deq.nd.gov/jobs/

For more information about the position, please contact Jim Quarnstrom, Director of Chemistry at (701) 328-6216. For assistance or questions regarding the application or interview process or to request a full job description, please contact Sara Leno, Human Resource Director, at sajleno@nd.gov or (701) 328-5161.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with the Application Process or uploading attachments, please contact recruiter@nd.gov or (701)328-3290.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The State of North Dakota and this hiring agency do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), genetics, religion, age or disability in employment or the provisions of services and complies with the provisions of the North Dakota Human Rights Act.

As an employer, the State of North Dakota prohibits smoking in all places of state employment in accordance with N.D.C.C. Sect. 23-12-10.