Research Lab Manager Jobs in Hawaii (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $11,121.00 Monthly
Location : Oahu, HI
Job Type: Full-Time Permanent
Job Number: 303256
Department: Honolulu Board of Water Supply
Opening Date: 03/17/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
Position Information
"Make a ripple of change in water quality."
The Honolulu Board of Water Supply is hiring a Water Quality Administrator (Program Administrator). The position is responsible for planning, directing, organizing, administering and certifying the public health and safety, regulatory conformance and environmental protection of the department's water sources, treatment, and delivery systems through program managers and staff in various specialized scientific and technical areas of expertise. This role provides final authority on water quality decisions, guiding treatment processes, system integrity, lab-based service approvals, and responses to water quality issues across the island's water system.
What You Will Do:

• Oversee compliance and enforcement of drinking water and environmental regulations across water source, treatment, storage, and distribution systems.
• Lead environmental planning and research programs to prevent and respond to pollution threats and disasters.
• Develop and enforce water quality and environmental protection policies.
• Analyze reports, studies, and information to assess the impact on water quality and environmental protection policies and changes on the provision of services to the general public.
• Directing the preparation of plans for the modification or expansion of programs and budgets.

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 .
Ready to make an impact? Apply today and be part of something bigger!
Additional Job Information
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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 an accredited four year college or university with a bachelor's degree in chemistry, geochemistry, environmental science, biology, or a closely-related field.
The education requirement must be met at the time of application. 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:
Six (6) years of experience in the practices, principles and techniques of laboratory analyses and scientific investigation of water contaminants.
Of this experience:

• two (2) years of which shall have involved monitoring and enforcing compliance of environmental rules and regulations, OR designing water quality studies or projects incorporating the review, interpretation and analysis of data to formulate conclusions and recommendations;
• including or supplemented by three (3) years of experience in a managerial/administrative capacity.

Such experience must have include demonstrated proficiency in:

• Administration: Supervisory principles and general administrative practices.
• Core Sciences: Principles of chemistry, toxicology, and microbiology.
• Lab Operations: Current laboratory test methods and water quality testing technologies.
• Compliance Oversight: Interpreting drinking water regulations and meeting critical deadlines.
• Rule Enforcement: Formulating and implementing environmental policies, rules, and monitoring programs.
• Risk Management: Identifying and resolving operational deviations to maintain compliance.

LICENSE/CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT:
State of Hawaii, Board of Certification of Public Water System Distribution System Operator Grade 4 License, at the time of application.
Examination Process
If you qualify for the position, your name will be eligible for consideration for the current vacancy 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 is defined as post-bachelor's degree, non-clerical work typically involving independent analytical work that included solving complex (non-routine) problems, writing reports, and interpreting and applying technical materials.
• 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: Equivalent to graduation from a regionally-accredited four-year college or university with major work in chemistry, geochemistry, environmental science, biology, or a closely-related field.
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. Please refer to the education requirement section on the job posting for more information.
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 were in, and
  
• Whether or not you completed the degree.

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LICENSE/CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT: Do you possess a current, valid State of Hawaii, Board of Certification of Public Water System Distribution System Operator Grade 4 License?
Verification Requirement: Please attach an electronic copy of your license to your application. Or mail a photocopy of your license to the following address: Department of Human Resources, 650 South King Street, 10th Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813. Copies will not be returned. All information on your documentation must be legible and complete in order to be given credit.

• Yes
• No

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LABORATORY EXPERIENCE: Describe in full detail your professional experience in the practices, principles and techniques of laboratory analyses and scientific investigation of water contaminants. Please include the following in your explanation:

1. Which position(s) listed in the Work Experience section of your application where you had such experience;
2. Your specific duties and responsibilities in the practices, principles and techniques of laboratory analyses and scientific investigation of water contaminants; and
3. The perc