Senior Chemist

Are you looking for the right career and lifestyle move?  Do you want to make an impact on the future of the community you live in?  Here's your opportunity to kick a career goal while you enjoy an incredible lifestyle on the beautiful Barrington Coast. 

The role

The Senior Chemist sits within the Water Management and Treatment (WMAT) department and is responsible for delivering high-quality scientific chemistry services to meet the needs of MidCoast Council and external customers. This role leads and manages the chemistry function of the laboratory, ensuring services are efficient, compliant, and aligned with regulatory and accreditation requirements.

The position provides technical leadership, specialist chemistry advice, and oversight of laboratory operations, while supervising and developing the chemistry team and fostering a positive and high-performing work culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the chemistry area of the laboratory to meet operational, regulatory, and customer requirements
• Supervise and support the chemistry team, promoting performance, training, and professional development
• Provide a range of laboratory analytical services, including reporting and authorisation of results
• Deliver specialist chemistry advice to internal and external customers
• Coordinate and manage sampling programs and projects in line with NATA accreditation and regulatory standards
• Manage the maintenance, calibration, and performance of chemistry laboratory equipment

Essential Requirements

• Bachelor of Science with a major in Chemistry, or extensive relevant experience demonstrating equivalent competency
• Strong technical expertise in:
• Chemical analysis, preferably within a water or wastewater testing laboratory
• Laboratory instrumentation, including FIA, automated analysers, TOC, IC, UV/Vis, and ICP
• Method development and validation
• Sampling techniques

What we offer?

We are committed to the growth of our employees and have a range of benefits available to support wellbeing and career development. Click here to find out more. 

Looking to relocate? From housing and transport to community connections and personalised support - discover a range of local services designed to make your move to the MidCoast region easier.  Learn more here.

Salary: Commencing salary circa $94,500 p.a. plus superannuation 

Location: Upon commencement your normal place of work will be the MidCoast Council Bootawa Laboratory located at 299 Bootawa Dam Road. You may also be required to be based from other Council sites across the MidCoast Council region. 

Tenure: Permanent, Full time 

Closing date: Sunday 8 March 2026 at 11.30 pm.

Want to know more?

Please review the position description in PDF or Word formats

For questions relating to the position requirements please contact Keira Anderson-King, Coordinator Scientific Services, who is the hiring manager for this role. Keira can be reached on (02) 7955 7518 or at keira.anderson-king@midcoast.nsw.gov.au

For enquiries regarding the application process contact Margot Broadfoot, Human Resources Officer, who is the HR representative for this role. Margot can be reached on (02) 7955 7334 or at margot.broadfoot@midcoast.nsw.gov.au.

How to apply: 

• When responding to the questions below, please include detailed and relevant examples of your skills and experience. Using the STAR method can help you prepare clear and concise responses using real-life examples. For more information regarding the STAR method, please click on this link.
• Please avoid using AI to generate responses to answer the questions in your application.
• You have the option to save your application prior to submitting, however please ensure you don't forget to submit your application before the closing date.
• Click the "NEXT" button at the bottom of the application form to attach your resume. We recommend using Pdf formatting where possible.
• Attaching a Cover Letter is not a requirement of the application process. However, there is an 'optional field' to attach a Cover Letter, if you wish to do so.
• We will be in touch via email.

Our organisation

At MidCoast Council our people are our most important resource and we believe that we can only reach our full potential when you reach yours. This is the place for those who seek to play a role in the community and have an enthusiasm to learn and grow. Here you can make a real difference.

Our community is our customer and is at the centre of everything we do.  We value, support and empower our people to deliver positive results for our community.

Right now, we are investing heavily in our organisation, and our people. Our Administration Centre is a state-of-the-art facility designed to inspire innovation, creativity and collaboration. The building has been named ‘Yalawanyi Ganya’ which means “sitting/meeting place” in the Gathang language of the indigenous people across the MidCoast Region.

About the MidCoast Region

From lakes and estuaries to white sandy beaches to world heritage mountain wilderness, the MidCoast region offers an attractive lifestyle for everyone. Our community is characterised by its welcoming attitude, growing economy and natural beauty. These are the pillars of the quality of life we value. 

Our commitment

At MidCoast Council we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities. Our aim is to provide all of our staff with an inclusive, safe and healthy working environment. We never discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age or marital, veteran or disability status. If you have a disability and need to request any adjustments to assist with the application process, or to discuss workplace adjustments you may require, please contact the HR representative.

Council also recognises the skills and attributes of veterans and welcomes applications from ex-service personnel.

We respectfully ask that recruitment agencies do not contact us at this stage.