POSITION: Environmental Health Specialist II

DEPARTMENT: Health

WORK SCHEDULE: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., M-F

STATUS: Full-time

FLSA STATUS: Non-exempt

To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function of the position satisfactorily. The requirements listed in this document are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Steuben County provides reasonable accommodations to qualified employees and applicants with known disabilities who require accommodation to complete the application process or perform essential functions of the job unless the accommodations would present an undue hardship.

Incumbent serves as Environmental Health Specialist II for Steuben County Health Department, responsible for enforcing federal, state, and local public health regulations and performing specialty functions in various public health areas as assigned and as needed.

DUTIES :

Conducts inspections of retail food establishments, such as restaurants, markets, schools, fairs, mobile food vendors and food vending machines, including reviewing potential health violations and hazards, collecting samples, advising personnel on proper sanitation of equipment and other necessary procedures, taking appropriate action to ensure compliance with all requirements, completing reports, and processing applications for food establishment permits, receiving fees, and providing receipts.

Conducts inspections of public and semi-public swimming pools, including reviewing potential health violations and hazards, taking appropriate action to ensure compliance with requirements, completing reports, processing applications for pool operating permits, receiving fees, and providing receipts.

Oversees inspections of new, replacement, and repairs for residential on-site sewage systems, including reviewing potential health violations and hazards, taking appropriate action to ensure compliance with requirements, completing reports, processing applications for on-site sewage permits, receiving fees, and providing receipts.

Conducts inspections of commercial on-site septic systems as requested by the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH), including reviewing potential health violations and hazards, taking appropriate action to ensure compliance with requirements, completing reports, notifying IDOH of findings, and processing applications for on-site sewage permits, receiving fees, and providing receipts.

Conducts private water well placement inspections, including reviewing potential health violations and hazards, taking appropriate action to ensure compliance with requirements, collecting water samples for testing by a certified laboratory, completing reports, and processing applications for well permits, receiving fees, and providing receipts.

Conducts plan reviews in all environmental health program areas, including, but not limited to, residential on-site sewage systems, retail food establishments and public and semi-public swimming pools. Reviews documents, such as property plats, maps, soil reports, construction blueprints, scaled drawings and equipment plans, and conducts periodic on-site inspections before and during construction to ensure continuing compliance with applicable requirements.

Receives, investigates, and resolves public health complaints regarding potential code violations, including, but not limited to, food establishments, foodborne illness, public and semi-public swimming pools, waterborne illness, housing, environmental spills, trash, dead animals, septic/sewers, and other related public health hazard concerns. Completes on-site inspections, including photographing sites and locations, sending warning and abatement letters, conducting follow-up investigations, and working with appropriate individuals to resolve conflicts or take legal enforcement action as required to ensure compliance.

Assists the public, including, but not limited to, investigating complaints, conducting record searches for environmental information, providing technical information in various public health programs, presenting educational talks to community groups, and conducting public health education programs and training.

Maintains current knowledge of public health issues by reading professional publications and attending meetings, professional workshops, training seminars, and conferences as required.

Provides expert testimony in court proceedings.

Maintains professional memberships.

Responds to public health emergencies on a 24-hour basis.

Performs related duties as assigned.

**I. JOB REQUIREMENTS : **

High School Diploma or HSE with three (3) or more years of relevant professional experience in public health, emergency preparedness or program management at the county, state, or federal level. Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Environmental Science, Biology or related field preferred.

Possession of or ability to obtain and maintain required certifications and training, including FEMA ICS 100, 200, and 700, Indiana Onsite Wastewater Professionals Association (IOWPA) Installers certification, and Servsafe Food Manager certification.

Through knowledge of and ability to make practical application of federal, state, and local rules and regulations governing public health with ability to conduct investigations, perform testing and sampling procedures, and assure compliance with all legal requirements.

Working knowledge of basic chemistry, biology, and bacteriology, and ability to inspect sites of potential code violations, conduct effective investigations of environmental complaints, and ensure compliance with legal requirements.

Working knowledge of and ability to properly operate various instruments and equipment, including computer, multi-function printer, cellular device, handheld GPS device, tablet, soil auger, tape measure, thermometers, chemical test kits, compass, tile probe, and scientific calculator.

Working knowledge of standard English grammar, spelling and punctuation, and ability to prepare written reports and documents, plan and present meetings, agendas, public speaking presentations and news releases as appropriate.

Ability to collect, record, and analyze data and test samples, prepare and maintain accurate Department documents and reports, and make related arithmetic calculations.

Ability to read, research and interpret various technical documents, such as blueprints, project plans and specifications, soil profiles, topographic maps, and operate geographic information systems (GIS) to ascertain information.

Ability to use appropriate universal health and safety precautions to avoid contamination in high-risk environments, including proper use of protective equipment.

Ability to physically perform essential duties of the position.

Ability to provide public access to, or maintain confidentiality of, Department information and records according to state requirements.

Ability to understand, memorize, retain, and carry out written or oral instructions and present findings in oral or written form.

Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with co-workers, other County departments, regulating agencies, property owners, and the public, including being sensitive to professional ethics, gender, cultural diversities and disabilities.

Shall comply with employer and Department policies and work rules, including, but not limited to, attendance, safety, drug-free workplace, and personal conduct.

Ability to effectively resolve conflict with learned conflict resolution techniques in highly volatile situations and events.

Ability to represent the Health Department and the County as a competent, knowledgeable and subject matter expert in public health.

Ability to interview to obtain information, review citizen complaints, and conduct follow-up investigations.

Ability to analyze and evaluate data and make determinations.

Ability to work alone with minimum supervision and with others in a team environment, often under time pressure and on several tasks at the same time.

Ability to competently serve the public with diplomacy and respect, and emotional competency, including occasional encounters with irate/hostile persons.

Ability to properly operate standard office equipment, including computer, calculator, printer, telephone, copier, and scanner.

Ability to occasionally work extended, evening, and weekend hours, and travel out of town for workshops, training seminars, and conferences, sometimes overnight.

Ability to respond to public health emergencies on a 24-hour basis.

Ability to testify in legal proceedings/court.

Possession of a valid driver's license and demonstrated safe driving record.

DIFFICULTY OF WORK :

Incumbent’s duties are broad in scope and of substantial intricacy, involving many variables or considerations with interrelationships difficult to ascertain. Incumbent performs according to standard Department policies and procedures and standard practices of the profession, exercising independent judgment in applying guidelines and technical/scientific knowledge to specific cases and circumstances.

RESPONSIBILITY :

Incumbent monitors various sites for compliance with federal, state, and local rules and regulations regarding public health, referring to Chief Environmental Health Specialist or Administrator with unusual or unprecedented situations, such as non-compliance cases resulting in legal action or technical issues beyond incumbent’s expertise. Work is reviewed for soundness of judgment and compliance with Department policy.

PERSONAL WORK RELATIONSHIPS :

Incumbent maintains frequent contact with co-workers, other County departments, regulating agencies, property owners, and the public, for the purposes of exchanging and explaining information, coordinating daily operations, conducting investigations and resolving problems. Incumbent frequently persuades code violators to improve conditions/operating procedures to obtain/maintain code compliance.

Incumbent reports directly to Chief Environmental Health Specialist.

PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK ENVIRONMENT :

Incumbent performs duties in a variety of settings, including a standard office environment and in the field, involving sitting/walking at will, crouching/kneeling, bending, reaching, lifting/carrying up to 50 pounds close/far vision, color/depth perception, keyboarding, speaking clearly, hearing sounds/communication and handling/grasping/fingering objects. Incumbent may be exposed to physical and health hazards normally associated with field work including, but not limited to, construction sites and food establishments, with possible exposure to sewage, chemicals, animal/insect bites, inclement weather, dust, dirt and heavy machinery. Safety precautions must be followed at all times to avoid injury to self and others. Incumbent may encounter irate/hostile individuals.

Incumbent is occasionally required to work extended, evening, and weekend hours, and travel out of town for workshops, training seminars, and conferences, sometimes overnight.

Incumbent responds to public health emergencies on a 24-hour basis.