Water Coordinator

Location: PHO Corporate Office & Toronto Laboratory, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, ON

Department: Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Customer Service

This posting is to fill a current vacancy.

The Role

To coordinate and support the delivery of standardized, accurate, timely, and cost‑effective water testing services for Public Health Ontario (PHO), ensuring alignment with regulatory accreditation, quality and public health requirements. Liaises between PHO, Public Health Units (PHUs), the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), and other external stakeholders regarding drinking water testing services.

Candidates may be able to work from one of our PHO locations in Ontario.

Key Responsibilities

• Organizes and coordinates water testing activities across PHO’s laboratory to support standardized, high‑quality, and cost‑effective service delivery.
• Acts as a key liaison between PHO, PHUs, the MOH, the Ministry of the Environment, MECP, and other external stakeholders regarding drinking water testing services.
• Engages with internal and external stakeholders to build and maintain effective working relationships, assess service needs, and gather feedback on the effectiveness of the water testing program, including supporting the development and review of customer service surveys, analyzing feedback, and recommending opportunities for service improvement.
• Provides expert consultation and guidance to PHO staff, PHUs, ministries, and private citizens on the appropriate use and limitations of water testing, including water testing methodologies, organism identification, and public health implications in collaborations with microbiologists.
• In collaboration with PHO subject matter experts, develops training materials and delivers training sessions for internal and external stakeholders (e.g. PHUs) on water testing practices, procedures, and emerging developments.
• Delivers advice, training, and clear explanations to internal and external stakeholders on key aspects of the PHO’s water testing program, contributes subject‑matter expertise to the development and review of policies and procedures related to water testing.
• Provides professional guidance, coaching, and subject‑matter advice to PHO staff on policies and procedures impacting the water testing program, the appropriate use of PHO’s water testing resources, and the application and interpretation of regulatory and accreditation requirements.
• Supports drinking water quality assurance, licensing, and accreditation activities, including internal and external audits, proficiency testing, inter‑laboratory comparisons, customer feedback review, quality indicator monitoring, risk management and corrective and preventative actions, in collaboration with QRA and CS, microbiologists, and senior management.
• Monitors water testing quality assurance activities to identify trends, risks, and emerging issues, and provides evidence‑based recommendations to senior management to support continuous improvement of the water testing program.
• Supports regular review and updating of client guidance documents related to specimen collection and submission to ensure compliance with quality and regulatory/accreditation requirements.
• Monitors and analyzes testing volumes, turnaround times, positivity rates, and other key performance indicators across PHO laboratory locations, identifying trends and recommending opportunities for service improvements.
• Responds to requests for water testing‑related data and records requirements under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).
• Reviews and evaluates emerging scientific literature, standards, and best practices related to water testing and assesses potential impacts on PHO’s water testing programs, informing senior management and microbiologists as appropriate.
• Supports the development, review, and implementation of policies, procedures, and methods to improve the quality, effectiveness, and cost‑efficiency of water testing services, participating in internal and/or external committees as a subject matter expert.
• Develops and refines laboratory procedures based on accepted scientific methods to optimize the accurate isolation and identification of organisms of concern.
• Coordinates procurement‑related activities in support of the water testing program, including advising on equipment needs, vendor evaluations, and technical requirements in collaboration with PHO scientists, microbiologists, and the procurement department.
• Provides input into laboratory budget requirements/procurement activities and contributes to the development and refinement of laboratory procedures, ensuring efficient resource utilization, and reliable results to support public health decision making.
• Arranges and coordinates calibration and verification services for designated laboratory equipment used in water testing.
• Acts as the point person for customer service tools (e.g. Private Water Testing Systems Interactive Voice Response, PHO Water Testing Portal and Collaborative SharePoint Site) to ensure seamless operation and assists with testing and troubleshooting as required.
• Develops and delivers clear, timely communications and materials to stakeholders to explain changes impacting the water testing program, mitigate service impacts, and support continuity of service.
• Participates in collaborative committees.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge And Skills

• Ability to clearly communicate complex technical and scientific information to both technical and non‑technical audiences, including guidance on water testing methodologies, result interpretation as provided by microbiologists, test limitations, and public health implications derived from authorized sources.
• Knowledge of clinical and environmental laboratory techniques and procedures related to water testing, including laboratory safety practices and quality principles, with experience supporting standardized clinical and environmental testing methods and laboratory equipment.
• Knowledge of policies and procedures and applicable drinking water legislation, including the Ontario Safe Drinking Water Act, the Health Protection and Promotion Act, associated regulations, and ISO/IEC 17025, with the ability to interpret and apply these requirements to support compliance.
• Knowledge of provincial and federal water regulations, safety standards, and compliance requirements.
• Proficiency in the use of computer application systems, including word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, laboratory information systems (LIS), and SharePoint, Teams or similar collaboration platforms used to support PHO’s water testing programs.

Education And Experience

• A degree from a university of recognized standing in clinical microbiology, environmental microbiology, or a related discipline.
• At least three (3) years of relevant experience in a clinical and/or environmental laboratory setting, with demonstrated experience supporting drinking water testing activities and providing technical guidance or consultation to internal and external stakeholders (or an equivalent combination of education and experience deemed satisfactory to PHO).

Attributes and Competencies

• Ability to make program‑level decisions related to the water testing program within established policies and guidelines, and identifies issues that fall outside the existing framework, briefing senior management and/or microbiologist(s) to support informed decision‑making.
• Strong consultation, interpersonal, and communication skills, with the ability to engage, collaborate, and influence outcomes with diverse internal and external stakeholders, including PHO staff, PHUs, ministries and other partners.

Duration: Permanent

Hours of Work: Full time, 36.25 hours per week

Compensation Group: Ontario Public Service Employees Union

Compensation Range :$45.53 - $55.58

Posting Date: 01-26-2026

Closing Date: 02-10-2026

Please note: applications will be received no later than 11:59pm on the date preceding the closing date as indicated on the Job Requisition.

Note: Internal candidates will be considered first.

While we thank all applicants for their interest, only those selected to move forward in the recruitment process will be contacted. Any information obtained during the course of recruitment will be used for employment recruitment purposes only, and not for any other purpose.

PHO is committed to ensuring equity in employment. Our goal is to create a diverse, inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve and to ensure our services and communications are accessible to all individuals. Any candidate who requires a job posting in an alternative format may email a request to HR_Inquiries@oahpp.ca. Once an applicant has been selected for an interview, they can inform PHO about any accommodations they may require at any stage of the interview process.