ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST - 40001150, 40008251

Durham County Government; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 54,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

Durham County Government is seeking an Environmental Health Specialist to inspect and enforce state and local environmental health laws across food services, lodging, institutions, and daycare centers. This role focuses on protecting public health within Durham County.

The ideal candidate will perform mandated inspections, investigate complaints, and maintain inspection records while educating facility operators on health requirements to prevent violations.

Qualifications

• 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.
• A four-year or Master’s degree in environmental health from an accredited program and one year of experience.

Responsibilities

• 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 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.

Skills

Environmental health laws

Microbiology basics

Public health knowledge

Analytical thinking

Office software

Education

Bachelor's in physical/biological sciences

Master’s in environmental health (accredited)

2 years environmental health experience

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Join Durham County Government Durham County Government is home to over 2,000 dedicated professionals working together to deliver essential services that strengthen and support our vibrant, diverse community. As the heart of a fast-growing region, we offer meaningful careers across a wide range of fields—giving you the opportunity to make a real impact where you live, work, grow, and play. Learn more at www.dconc.gov.

Department

PUBLIC HEALTH

Date Posted

AUGUST 5, 2026

Closing Date

OPEN UNTIL FILLED

Salary Range

$54,312.00- $92,264.00

Position Number

40001150, 40008251

Job Type

FULL-TIME

• This posting is subject to close without prior notification.**
• Current REHS Candidates strongly preferred**

General Description

The primary responsibilities of this position involve inspection and enforcement of state and local environmental health laws, rules and regulations that apply to food services, lodging, institutions and day care centers.

Duties And 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.

Required

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.