ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The functions listed below are those that represent the majority of the time spent working in this position. Management may assign additional functions related to the type of work of the position as necessary.

• Perform State mandated, unannounced sanitation inspections of Food, Lodging, and Institution, Childcare and Tattoo facilities.
• Investigate complaints from the public, medical referrals and community illness reports concerning suspected violations of environmental laws, rules and regulations.
• Complete and maintain necessary records of these inspections and/or complaint investigations.
• Conduct consultative visits with current, or potential, establishment owners/operators to build rapport as well as to educate on Environmental Health requirements.
• Take appropriate permit action when facilities fail to comply with minimum sanitation standards, and/or when an imminent health hazard exists.
• Perform office duties involving correspondence with the public.
• Collect routine water samples for all regulated facilities.
• Provide field training for new employees and other public health personnel.
• Participate in educational programs that are required to retain REHS status (minimum 15 hours of continuing education per year).
• Perform other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Working knowledge of environmental health laws, rules, and procedures, as well as a complete understanding of the concepts of public heath law.
• Practical knowledge of microbiology, biology, chemistry, food science, epidemiology, soil science, entomology, and basic engineering technology as applied to environmental health practices.
• General knowledge of community resources.
• Working knowledge of the responsibilities of other agencies involved in environmental health work.
• Working knowledge of inspection methods and investigation techniques as applied in environmental health.
• Ability to analyze and comprehend a wide variety of technical and administrative regulations, records, and reports.
• Ability to develop and express ideas and opinions concisely, comprehensively, and clearly in oral and written from.
• Ability to independently plan and schedule work activities.
• Ability to apply environmental health knowledge and techniques in the investigation of environmental health problems.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and deal tactfully with clients while enforcing public health laws is a must.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team is essential.
• Effective oral and written communication skills highly desired.
• Computer use is essential with working knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

Graduation from a four-year college or university with 30 semester of course work in the physical or biological sciences and two years of exposure in environmental health; or a four-year or Master’s degree in environmental health from a program which is accredited by the National Accreditation Council for Environmental Health Curricula of the National Environmental Health Association and one year of experience in environmental health.

SPECIAL NOTE:

• Must be able to enter a correctional facility.
• This is a generalized representation of positions in this class and is not intended to identify essential functions per ADA. Examples of work are primarily essential functions of the majority of positions, but may not be applicable to all positions.
• Appointees must be eligible and apply for registration as an Environmental Health Specialist Intern within 60 days of employment.
• Appointees may remain registered as an Environmental Health Specialist Intern until registration as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist or up to two years, whichever comes first.

SPECIAL CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be a Registered Environmental Health Specialist in North Carolina .
• Must possess a valid North Carolina driver's license with a three-year acceptable driving record.

PREFFERED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Registered Environmental Health Specialist candidates with current State authorizations in food and lodging are preferred.
• Bilingual skills (Spanish) desired.

To further the mission of the Durham County Department of Public Health (DCoDPH) to partner with our community to advance health equity, protect the environment, and promote health and wellness for all, DCoDPH is implementing the employee vaccination and tuberculosis screening policies. All DCoDPH employees are considered healthcare personnel (HCP) working in a health care setting with the potential for exposure to patients and/or infectious materials and, therefore, are required to comply and provide documented proof of the following:

• Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR) vaccination/immunity
• Varicella-Zoster Virus (Chicken Pox) vaccination/immunity
• Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis)
• Tuberculosis (TB) baseline screening within the last twelve (12) months prior to employment
• Hepatitis B vaccination/immunity – only required for DCoDPH employees with potential Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) exposures.

Identified DCoDPH HCP with potential Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) exposure have an additional requirement for the Hepatitis B vaccination. Required vaccination, serological testing to determine immunity, and baseline tuberculosis screening are available for all Public Health employees who elect to become DCoDPH patients upon request and at no cost.

Proof of vaccination and tuberculosis screening must be provided to Human Resources within seven (7) business days prior to the date of employment.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT COMPLIANCE:

Durham County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires Durham County to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.

BACKGROUND CHECK STATEMENT:

This position may be subject to a background check, which could include, but is not limited to, criminal history (employment-related and/or SBI fingerprint-based), credit history, motor vehicle records, educational verification, and checks of the sexual offender registry, depending on the specific requirements of the role. A conviction record does not automatically disqualify an applicant from employment consideration, unless otherwise required by applicable state law.