Entry Level Environmental Science Jobs in Hawaii

Salary: $5,107.00 Monthly
Location : Oahu, HI
Job Type: Full-Time Permanent
Job Number: 203256
Department: Department of Environmental Services
Division: Environmental Quality
Opening Date: 01/28/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
Position Information
Supporting Public Health and Environmental Quality Through Science
The Department of Environmental Services, Environmental Quality Division is seeking to fill three (3) Sanitary Chemist II positions currently in Honolulu, but will moving to Kapolei in the spring. A Sanitary Chemist II performs a variety of chemical or microbiological analyses and investigations in the field and laboratory on wastewater, fresh, estuarine and saline receiving waters, sludge and sediment; prepares reports of data obtained and performs other related duties as required.
What You'll Do

• Prepare and collect samples from the wastewater treatment plants and collection system.
• Independently conduct and document analyses of wastewater influent/effluent, industrial discharges, sludge, sediment, and fish tissue for organic pollutants using approved methods for compliance monitoring.
• Apply appropriate Quality Control/Quality Assurance procedures throughout all protocols.

Special Working Conditions:

• Exposure to hazards including cuts, falls, toxic and noxious gases, solvent vapors, burns, infections, and water borne diseases.
• Required to lift and maneuver heavy wastewater sampling equipment.

Enjoy excellent employment benefits including generous time off (up to 21 vacation days, 21 sick leave days, and holidays), comprehensive health coverage, retirement plan, career development, and much more! View details about all our available benefits by clicking on the "Benefits" tab at the top of this posting or visiting
Apply today to start a rewarding career with the City and County of Honolulu!
Additional Job Information
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Notifications may also be sent via text message if opted into the service. Data and text messaging fees apply.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
At time of application, you must be a citizen, national or permanent resident alien of the United States or a non-citizen eligible under federal law for unrestricted employment.
EDUCATION REQUIREMENT:
Equivalent to graduation from a regionally-accredited college or university with major work in chemistry or a biological science.
Substitution:
Work experience may be substituted for a bachelor's degree in chemistry or a biological science on a year-for-year basis. Such work experience must have provided the knowledge, skills, and analytical ability normally gained from attainment of a bachelor's degree in chemistry or a biological science.
Education must have been completed by the time of application in order to be credited. Education obtained outside of the United States must be comparable to a degree earned at an accredited college/university in the United States. In order to receive credit for the education, proper documentation, e.g., a foreign credential evaluation (FCE), must be provided. We also reserve the right to request further information about your academic program, evidence of comparability, or an original transcript.
Education Verification: Education information must be listed clearly on your application. If available, please attach a legible electronic copy of your diploma, official transcripts, and/or applicable foreign credential evaluation to your application. As part of the hiring process, you may be asked to furnish documentation to verify your education to move forward for further consideration.
EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT:
One year of professional experience in a chemical or microbiological laboratory.
Such experience must have demonstrated:

• Knowledge of:
  • the principles and practices of chemistry and microbiology, preferably as they relate to wastewater and water liquid wastes analyses;
  • the methods, techniques and equipment used in laboratory analysis;
• Ability to:
  • gather, organize, analyze and interpret field and laboratory data;
  • keep records and prepare reports of laboratory and field observations and results of tests.

Substitution: A Master's degree in chemistry or microbiology from a regionally-accredited college or university may substitute for the required one year of professional experience in a chemical or microbiological laboratory.
Refer to the instructions listed above in the "Education Requirement" section for the reporting and verification of education credentials.
LICENSE REQUIREMENT:
Possession of a valid appropriate driver's license (Type 3/automobile), as required.
Current vacancies require a valid driver's license (Type 3), prior to appointment.
Examination Process
If you qualify for the position, your name will be eligible for consideration for current vacancies and future job openings with this job title. Screening will be based on the education, experience, and other job-related information provided in your application. Failure to provide sufficient information may result in your application being rejected or your receiving a lower rating. All information provided on an application is subject to verification. As applicable, false or misleading statements or omissions of material facts are grounds for disqualification and/or termination of employment with the City and County of Honolulu.
What are the benefits of being a City Employee?
-- Vacation: Employees may earn up to 21 days per year.
-- Sick Leave: Employees may earn up to 21 days per year.
-- Holidays: 13 days a year; 14 days during election years.
-- Training and Development: Computer, career, and personal enhancement courses are offered; curriculum designed for employee, supervisory, and management development.
-- Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug, and Vision Care: Various health insurance plans are available. Premiums are subsidized by the City and deductible from pre-tax income for participants of the Premium Conversion Plan (PCP).
-- Group Life Insurance: No cost for eligible employees.
-- Deferred Compensation Plan: Invest in your future...choose to defer part of your pre-tax income for retirement.
-- Retirement Plan: The Employees' Retirement System (ERS) of the State of Hawaii administers retirement benefits for State and County employees. Employee contribution required.
-- Commuter Choice Pre-Tax Benefits: Employees may designate certain transportation expenses (TheBus, LOTMA, Vanpool Hawaii, etc.) as a pre-tax item
-- Parking: Some job locations offer parking on-site; others may have access to parking at low monthly rates.
-- Direct Deposit: Direct deposit of paychecks to a designated financial institution is available.
-- Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential, professional counseling and resource referral.
-- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program: A federal program forgiving the balance of federal student loans for individuals working in public service. For program requirements and additional information, please visit:
To view additional information, please visit our page.
* All benefits as stated above, are subject to eligibility requirements and to legislative and/or negotiated changes. Individuals are responsible for any related fees or charges that may apply.
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APPLICATION GUIDELINES & INSTRUCTIONS: When applying for this position, please thoroughly complete the Education, Work Experience, and Supplemental Question sections of your application. The information provided in these sections, particularly the job-specific Supplemental Questions, will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements for the job and your final score. Failure to provide detailed and complete information or submit any required documentation may result in your application being rejected or you receiving a lower score.
Please do not submit resumes in place of completing any of these sections.
List each work experience separately, do not combine jobs. For example, if you've held more than one position or job level(s) for the same employer, they should be listed and described separately so that the resulting changes in your duties and responsibilities are accurately reflected. If any part of your experience is unclear, you may be asked to provide a copy of your official job/position description (PD).
In general (unless otherwise specified on the job posting), the following criteria is utilized for evaluation of the Minimum Qualification Requirements:

• Substitute, temporary assignment, internship or volunteer experience requires an official letter of verification from your supervisor and/or Human Resources department. The letter should include the job title, employment dates, number of hours worked, a description of the duties performed, and a contact name and phone number.
• Concurrent or overlapping experiences and/or education will NOT be double credited.
• Professional experience refers to work that generally involves independent critical thinking, solving complex, non-routine problems, preparing reports, and interpreting and applying technical information.
• Most work experience as an intern will NOT be creditable as equivalent to professional experience.
• Calculation of experience will be based upon a full-time, 40-hour work week. Part-time experience will be pro-rated. Hours worked in excess of 40 hours/week will not be extra credited.
  
  1. Example: Twelve months of experience at 20 hours/week will be pro-rated to six months of experience.
     
  2. Example: Twelve months of experience at 60 hours/week will be credited as one year of experience, NOT one and a half years.
• All requirements for the position must be met at the time of application or by the closing date of the recruitment.

Possession of the required amount of experience will not in and of itself be accepted as proof of qualification for the position. The overall experience must be of such scope and responsibility as to conclusively demonstrate that you have the ability to perform the duties of the position.
Any information you submit is subject to verification. Supporting documents must be either electronically attached to your application or submitted to our office at: Department of Human Resources, 650 South King Street, 10th Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813. Documents should be identified by job title and recruitment number.
If you previously submitted education documents (e.g., transcripts, diploma, etc.) to our office, for most cases you are not required to resubmit them. Supporting documents with an expiration period (e.g., driver's license, Department of Transportation medical certificate, etc.) will need to be submitted with each application to verify possession of a current license or certificate at the time specified on the job posting.

• I certify that I have read and understand the above statements.

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EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: The Sanitary Chemist II position requires that applicants have equivalent to graduation from a regionally-accredited college or university with major work in chemistry or a biological science.
Education must have been completed by the time of application in order to be credited. Education obtained outside of the United States must be comparable to a degree earned at an accredited college/university in the United States. In order to receive credit for the education, proper documentation, e.g., a foreign credential evaluation (FCE), must be provided. We also reserve the right to request further information about your academic program, evidence of comparability, or an original transcript.
Verification of Education: In order to be given credit for your education, clearly list your education credentials on your application. If available, please attach an electronic copy of your diploma, official transcripts, and/or applicable FCE to your application. As part of the hiring process, you may be asked to furnish documentation to verify your education to satisfy this education qualification requirement. Copies will not be returned. All information on your documentation must be legible and complete in order to be given credit.
If you do not have your documentation to verify your education at this time, please note that if selected for the job, you will need to furnish verification documents in order to move forward in the hiring process.
If you meet the education requirement, list below:

• The name of the college/university you attended,
  
• The location of the college/university,
  
• The specific degree and major area of study you studied, and
  
• Your current status (i.e., whether you graduated or are still in the progress of completing your degree).

For example:
University of Hawaii at Manoa, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
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EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the education requirement, applicants must have one year of PROFESSIONAL (i.e., post-bachelor's degree, non-clerical) experience in a chemical or microbiological laboratory.
Do you meet this experience r