Lab Technician

Job Description

Job Description

This is a temporary assignment at the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) for a Material Lab Tester.

This position has the potential to go permanently.

Pay will depend on the classification issued by TXDOT.

Must have Laboratory work experience.

Essential Duties:

• Performs routine material tests and inspects manufacturing processes and plant equipment in a manufacturing plant to ensure materials conform to Department specifications; as required, moves material samples.
• Records test data on worksheets and performs calculations to convert raw data into specific units of measurement.
• Secures, logs in, and prepares samples of raw materials or manufactured materials at various stages of production for testing.
• Specializes in testing a particular type of material.

Experience: 2 years of laboratory work, material inspection, or other engineering-related activities. (Experience can be satisfied by full-time or prorated part-time equivalent). Related college education or relevant technical training may be substituted for experience on a year- per- year basis.

Competencies:

• Materials used in highway/bridge construction and maintenance
• Laboratory testing procedures and methodologies
• Communicate effectively
• Follow verbal and written instructions
• Aggregates and asphalt
• Applicable inspection methods, procedures, and techniques
• Soil types

The Materials and Tests Division provides service and expertise in materials quality and technology for the Texas transportation system. The division is responsible for developing and maintaining TxDOT’s specifications and test procedures, testing materials for compliance with specifications, and administering the Quality Monitoring and Quality Assurance Programs. It assists in the field in resolving materials-related problems and implementing the use of new or improved materials.

Research of sampling and testing rates listed for project tests in the following Guide Schedule shows that the Department’s and the Contractor’s risk of either rejecting “good” material or accepting “bad” material ranges from 20% to 40%. To reduce this risk, we recommend that the sampling rate be increased during initial production. A four-fold increase in testing frequency will generally reduce risk to approximately 5%. The intent of increasing testing at the start of production is to ensure that the Contractor’s processes are in control and to establish acceptability requirements early. There is a need to increase the frequency of testing for high-variability materials, and when testing results do not meet specifications. The Engineer may require the Contractor to reimburse the Department for costs resulting from failing test results, in accordance with the specifications. Materials incorporated in TxDOT projects are subjected to various quality assurance procedures, such as testing (as outlined in this document), certification, quality monitoring, approved lists, etc. The Engineer and testing staff should familiarize themselves with materials to be used before work begins by reviewing the specifications, the “Materials Directory” and SiteManager’s “Assistant,” and this document. Discuss material testing requirements with the Contractor. Other testing required by the specifications, but not shown in the Guide Schedule, should be performed at a frequency necessary to provide adequate confidence that materials meet specifications. NOTE: For non-exempt federal-aid (Federal Letter of Authority [FLOA]) projects, use the “Letter of Certification of Materials Used " to document reasons for material acceptance when a test fails. For all other projects, document the justification and explanation for acceptance of materials that fail project tests in the project file. Assuring the quality of the product and proper incorporation of materials into the project begins with proper sampling practices. Sampling, testing, and construction inspection must be performed collaboratively to ensure the specific attributes of the finished product reflect quality workmanship. Sampling guidance for hot-mixed asphalt is contained in Tex-225-F, Random Selection of Bituminous Mixture Samples, and the respective specification for that material. All remaining materials are covered by method and materials specifications, to which the following applies. Since the Department performs all project acceptance testing, Contractor test results are not used in the acceptance decision. As such, the Department is verifying the quality of the product as opposed to the quality of the Contractor’s test result. 1 For acceptance testing, especially that which directly determines payment for the Contractor, sampling personnel should provide randomness in sampling by avoiding patterned sampling routines. Examples of such sampling practices are as follows: Soils/flexible base* : Vary sampling between stockpiling operations, completed stockpile, windrow, and project site. Vary the time of day at which sampling is performed. Aggregates* : Sample aggregates nearest the point of incorporation into the work. Vary sampling between stockpiling operations, completed stockpile, belt sampling, and, if deemed necessary, railroad cars/trucks. Vary the time of day at which sampling is performed. Concrete (structural and miscellaneous) : Always sample as near as practicable to the point of placement. For strength testing, vary the time of day or the number of trucks from which the concrete is sampled. Tests for slump, air, and temperature should be done often to ensure the consistent control of the concrete production (not applicable to miscellaneous concrete).

Our State set-asides require us to maintain a ratio 75%-25%

This means 75% of our employees must have either a disability or a barrier to employment to qualify.