DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

State Agricultural Lab
145 South 79th Street, Suite #4, Chandler, Arizona 85226

Salary: $50,000 - $62,100 

Grade: 20

Closing Date: November  20, 2026

The Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) is seeking an experienced and highly motivated individual to join our team as a Public Health Scientist for the State Agricultural Laboratory. The State Agricultural Laboratory supports the Department’s mission of protecting the public’s health and safety by providing laboratory and scientific services to the regulatory divisions as well as to other state, federal and tribal agencies.

The individual selected to fill this position will perform routine and non-routine microbiological, biochemical and/or chemical examinations, tests, and analyses. The position utilizes complex scientific instruments and provides documented reports of analytical test results. The scientist works with pathogenic, toxic, and/or other hazardous materials.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
• Perform various chemical, biochemical, bacteriological, biological and microscopic analysis and examinations on official regulatory samples.
• Prepare various samples for analysis including subsampling, grinding, homogenizing, and dissecting.
• Utilizes complex laboratory instrumentation and equipment.
• Analyzes scientific data to produce final test results, performs quality control tests, documents and records test results utilizing a wide variety of scientific software applications.
• May train other team members in performing specific scientific tests.
• Review scientific data for validity and conformance to standards.
• Work independently to accommodate the daily demands of a rapidly changing regulatory testing laboratory.
• Research application of laboratory instruments to new sample types, maintains the aptitude level of a highly skilled scientist, proposes method development strategies for review by senior scientists and lab managers.
• Serve as a member of laboratory teams such as the hazardous waste, safety, audit or IT committees.
• Calibrate, maintain and service a wide array of complex laboratory instruments and equipment, document and retain records for all actions performed, maintain proper inventory of critical maintenance/repair components.
• Confer with vendor specialists for remediation of instrument issues. Ensure proper software versioning and security for instrument data systems.
• Receive official regulatory samples and validates compliance with sample collection and submission criteria, including chain of custody. Performs accession, distribution, preservation and disposal of regulatory samples.
• Maintain inventory of schedule 1 narcotics samples and standards as required by the Drug Enforcement Agency, prepare culture media, chemical standards and reagents.
• Sterilize pathogenic organisms, assists the laboratory manager with disposal of spent laboratory chemicals and hazardous wastes.

Knowledge of:
• Principles and practices of microbiology including bacterial, and serological specialties and characteristics of pathogenic responses
• Principles and practices of analytical, organic, inorganic and physical chemistry
• Principles and practices of developing, validating and documenting scientific testing methods
• Handling and testing of animal, plant, food, feed, agricultural chemical, soil, air, water, and seed specimens
• Principles, practices, and Federal/State standards of regulatory (forensic) testing
• Capabilities, usage, maintenance and repair of specialized scientific equipment
• Procedures of maintaining chain of custody for regulatory enforcement samples
• Principles of mathematics and statistics; utilization of business and scientific computer systems
• Principles of quality assurance
• Practices and procedures of handling, working with and decontamination of pathogenic, highly toxic and hazardous materials
• Practices and procedures of laboratory safety and policies and procedures of the work unit

Skilled in:
• Applying technical chemistry methodology to laboratory testing and analysis
• Applying microbiological techniques to isolate, identify and enumerate micro-organisms
• Operating specialized laboratory equipment
• Effectively communicate both verbally and in writing
• Data analysis
• Attention to detail
• Fine motor skills

Ability to:
• Develop, test and validate new and/or improved testing methodologies
• Perform complex chemistry and biology laboratory analysis
• Generate, interpret and report scientific data
• Form effective interpersonal and team relationships
• Determine the validity of results and ensure compliance with quality assurance criteria
• Review data with an extraordinary eye for detail
• Work independently

Bachelor's degree or higher in a related scientific field such as Chemistry, Microbiology, Biology or other Physical Science currently utilized with the Department of Agriculture State Laboratory employees.

This ideal candidate for this position will have:

Experience in Chemistry, Microbiology, Biology or other Physical Science in a laboratory setting.

• In-state travel is required. Driver’s License Requirements. Any employee operating a motor vehicle on State business must possess and retain a current, valid class-appropriate driver’s license, complete all required training, and successfully pass all necessary driver’s license record checks. The license must be current, unexpired, and neither revoked nor suspended. Employees who drive on state business are subject to driver’s license record checks, must maintain acceptable driving records, and must complete all required driver training. An employee who operates a personally owned vehicle on state business shall maintain the statutorily required liability insurance (see Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R2-10-207.11).
• Successfully pass background and reference checks; employment is contingent upon completion of the above-mentioned process and the agency’s ability to reasonably accommodate any restrictions.
• All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

The State of Arizona offers a comprehensive benefits package to include:
• Sick leave
• Vacation with 10 paid holidays per year
• Paid Parental Leave-Up to 12 weeks per year paid leave for newborn or newly-placed foster/adopted child (pilot program)
• Health and dental insurance
• Retirement plan
• Life insurance and long-term disability insurance
• Optional employee benefits include short-term disability insurance, deferred compensation plans, and supplemental life insurance

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave pilot program here.

For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page.

State employees are required to participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS), the State sponsored retirement contribution plan and the Long-Term Disability (LTD) program after a 27-week waiting period. The ASRS defined benefit plan provides for life-long income upon retirement. You will also have the option to participate in a voluntary deferred compensation program to take advantage of tax-deferred retirement investments.

On, or shortly after, your first day of work you will be provided with additional information about the available insurance plans, enrollment instructions, submission deadlines and effective dates.

For questions about this career opportunity, please contact us at (602) 542-6532 or azdahumanresources@azda.gov .

The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation such as a sign language interpreter or an alternative format by contacting (602) 542-6532 or azdahumanresources@azda.gov. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.