Laboratory Assistant (Ventura Water)

Applications are accepted exclusively through the City of Ventura Career Site:
www.cityofventura.ca.gov/jobs . Submissions through other websites or methods will not be accepted.

Applications and supplemental questions will be accepted until Monday, February 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Pay & Benefits

• $27.36 - $33.26 Hourly DOQ
  
• Benefits
  
  • Medical Insurance options include HMO, PPO,
    
  • City Paid Dental and Vision Insurance
    
  • Life Insurance
    
  • Vacation & Holiday Compensation
    
  • Deferred Compensation
    
  • CalPERS Retirement
    
  • Tuition Reimbursement & Bilingual Pay
    

About the Opportunity

The City of Ventura is hiring a Laboratory Assistant to support the Ventura Water laboratory operations through hands-on environmental sampling and routine laboratory analysis. This position plays a critical role in protecting public health and the environment by helping ensure the quality of potable water, wastewater, stormwater, and industrial waste systems.

The Laboratory Assistant performs essential field and lab-based work, supporting analytical testing, data collection, and equipment maintenance in a collaborative, safety-focused setting. This is an excellent opportunity for individuals with laboratory experience interested in working in a municipal water and wastewater laboratory.

Incumbents may be required to work weekends and holidays as operational needs require.

What You’ll Do

In this position, you will perform a variety of laboratory and field support duties, including:

• Collecting water and environmental samples from treatment plants, water distribution systems, industrial waste sites, and receiving water
  
• Performing routine chemical and physical analyses, including solids, pH, alkalinity, COD, BOD, and chlorine residual testing
  
• Operating laboratory and field equipment such as pH and turbidity meters, samplers, and analytical balances
  
• Maintaining accurate records of sampling activities, analytical procedures, and test results, including data entry
  
• Cleaning and maintaining laboratory equipment and work areas
  
• Monitoring and maintaining laboratory supply inventory
  
• Following established safety procedures when working with chemicals, raw sewage, and laboratory equipment
  
• Preparing and coordinating the shipment or pickup of samples for contract laboratories, ensuring accurate and complete chain-of-custody documentation.
  

The Ideal Candidate - Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate will:

• Have experience supporting laboratory operations through environmental sampling and routine chemical or physical analysis
  
• Possess a strong understanding of standard water and environmental sampling and analysis procedures
  
• Be comfortable working in both laboratory and field environments, including exposure to wastewater and chemicals
  
• Demonstrate the ability to follow oral and written technical instructions accurately
  
• Maintain organized and accurate records and perform basic mathematical calculations
  
• Communicate effectively with coworkers and the public, including industrial users
  
• Be detail-oriented and dependable, and committed to safety and accuracy
  
• Work effectively both independently and as part of a team
  

Minimum Qualifications - Required

Requires a combination of education, training and experience equivalent to a high school diploma and one year of related laboratory experience. College level course work in a laboratory science is highly desirable .

License: Depending on assignment, possession of a valid California Class C driver's license may be required.

About Ventura Water

Ventura Water provides drinking water to more than 109,000 people through approximately 32,000 water service connections. This complex water system has more than 391 miles of pipeline, 3 water treatment plants, 23 pump stations, and 31 reservoirs. Our community relies on three 100% local water sources - the Ventura River, Lake Casitas, and local groundwater wells. Ventura Water also provides wastewater services to the City and provides reclaimed water from the Ventura Water Reclamation Facility to two municipal golf courses, the Ventura Marina area, and private customers for landscape irrigation. We maintain a full-service laboratory and monitor our water quality daily.

For more information about Ventura Water, visit https://www.cityofventura.ca.gov/2268/Ventura-Water .

How to Apply

Submit an online City job application and supplemental questionnaire by the filing deadline or first review date at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/jobs .

• It is important that your city job application show all the relevant education, training, and experience you possess. Resumes, CVs, and cover letters may be attached to your application but will not be accepted in lieu of a completed job application or supplemental questionnaire. Submitting an incomplete application or supplemental questionnaire may disqualify you from further consideration in the recruitment process.
  
• After you apply, all future correspondence from the city will be via E-Mail. Please check your messages regularly and keep your contact information up to date using your on-line application.
  

Selection Process

• All applications and supplemental questionnaires submitted will be screened in relation to the criteria outlined in this job announcement. Candidates will be reviewed, and only those candidates determined to be most qualified based on experience, training, and education, as submitted, will be invited to participate further in the selection process. Candidates will be notified about their status after the filing deadline.
  

• Those candidates whose qualifications most closely match the requirements of the position will be invited to a qualifying panel interview process. Candidates will be notified of specifics after the examination process has been completed. Initial panel interviews may be conducted in-person or via video teleconference. Candidates will be notified of specifics at the appropriate time.
  

The Eligibility List established for this classification may be used to fill other regular and temporary vacancies at the discretion of the City.

THE SCHEDULE

The timeline dates are subject to change. Candidates will be notified as necessary.

• Monday, February 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. - Application Deadline. Applications and supplemental questionnaires must be submitted by this date to be considered for the position.
  
• Week of February 2, 2026 - Candidates will be notified by email of their status by this date.
  
• Week of February 16, 2026 - Oral Panel Interviews are tentatively scheduled for this date. Qualifying candidates will be notified by email or phone if they are invited to the panel interview process.
  
• Department Selection Interviews will be scheduled promptly after the oral panel interviews have been completed. Qualifying candidates will be notified by email if they are invited to the panel interview process .
  
• February 2026 - Candidates will be notified of the outcome of the interview by this date.
  

Additional Information

For additional information on the duties and responsibilities of the position, refer to the job descriptions located on the City’s Career Page at City of Ventura Jobs or by viewing here Laboratory Assistant .

To learn more about the City’s hiring process, visit the City of Ventura Hiring Process page .

Questions? Contact the Recruitment Team at:

recruitment@cityofventura.ca.gov or (805) 654-7802.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if you need an accommodation in a selection process, please notify the Human Resources Department in writing by the final filing date of the position you are interested in. The Human Resources address is: 501 Poli Street, Room 210, Ventura, CA 93001, (805) 654-7853, e-mail: recruitment@cityofventura.ca.gov.

The City is an equal opportunity employer and strives to attract qualified applicants from all walks of life without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state and/or local law. We aim to create an environment that celebrates and embraces the diversity of our workforce. We welcome you to join our team!

• 

• City of Ventura

• 805-654-7853

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