Environmental Health Specialist I

Ciwmjobs; Suffolk (VA); On-site; USD 46,000 - 49,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid holidays

Retirement plans

Job summary

Virginia Department of Health in the Western Tidewater Health District seeks an Environmental Health Specialist I to inspect and regulate public health facilities in Suffolk and Southampton County. You will schedule inspections, oversee compliance, and communicate effectively with customers and team members.

The entry-level trainee position offers on-the-job training across areas such as food sanitation, soil evaluation, shellfish program, and disease investigations, with advancement to EH

Qualifications

• Ability to communicate effectively with the public and partners.
• Proficient in basic computer software programs.
• Workload management skills to meet demands.
• Knowledge or experience in the environmental health program area.
• Prepared to obtain credentials within 18 months in relevant programs.

Responsibilities

• Inspect, enforce, investigate and apply environmental health regs.
• Provide oversight to food establishments, camps, hotels, daycares, and marinas; inspect 100–120 food facilities regularly.
• Perform rabies investigations and respond to environmental complaints and emergencies.
• Travel to district offices; work may include weekend duties.

Skills

Communication

Time management

Public interaction

Team collaboration

Customer service

Education

Bachelor's degree or related field

Job description

Title: Environmental Health Specialist I

State Role Title: Environmental Specialist I

Hiring Range: $45,800 - $48,682.50

Pay Band: 4

Agency: Virginia Department of Health

Location: WESTERN TIDEWATER -TW

Agency Website: www.vdh.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

Do you enjoy working with the public? The Western Tidewater Health District is currently seeking a qualified Environmental Health Specialist who will primarily work in the food safety and tourist establishment programs. The district services the City of Suffolk, Isle of Wight County, Southampton County, and The City of Franklin. This is a multi-hire recruitment. The positions will be based in the Suffolk and Southampton Count Health Departments.

We are seeking a highly motivated employee to join a team of professionals committed to providing Environmental Health protection within the Western Tidewater Health District. The successful candidate will be self-motivated and able to work independently by scheduling inspections and providing oversight and compliance of all assigned facilities. Must be able to communicate effectively and positively with customers and team members.

Environmental health duties are performed at the entry level as a trainee. Employees are typically new hires in formal and on-the-job training in one or more areas such as food sanitation, on-site soils evaluation, private well inspection, rabies abatement, communicable disease investigation, and migrant labor camp inspection, classification of shellfish growing areas and investigation of general environmental complaints. Employees receive close supervision and guidance. Must be able to complete the applicable training in the VDH Food program and be able to obtain VDH Standardization in Food within 18 months: Employees are then moved to the Environmental Health Specialist II position upon successful completion.

Duties for this opening include:

• Inspection, enforcement, investigation, and implementation of regulations in all areas of environmental health.
• Provide oversight and direct service to food establishments, migrant labor camps, campgrounds, hotels, daycares, marinas, their owners, and their patrons. This position will inspect approximately 100 - 120 food establishments in addition to campgrounds, hotels, and district-wide temporary events.
• This position will perform rabies investigations.
• This position will also respond to general environmental complaints and emergency response situations.

Enforcement activities are carried out under close supervision, pending completion of required knowledge, skill and abilities training and certification. Work assignments may be narrow or broad and may require travel to other district offices and occasional weekend duties.

The Virginia Department of Health offers 12 paid holidays, medical, dental, vision and life insurance, retirement plans (including 401a Cash Match and 457 Deferred Compensation Plan) as well as sick, family/personal, and annual leave.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ability to communicate effectively with the public as well as other internal/external partners and staff; proficient in basic computer software programs
• Time management skills necessary in order to meet workload demands
• Knowledge and/experience in assigned program area
• Ability to influence behavior of foodservice employees/management, provide services in professional, courteous manner, present educational programs to adults; uses a customer-service oriented approach to assignments and works effectively as a team member
• Must be able to complete training in the VDH Soils program, VDH Food program or VDH Shellfish program and be able to obtain credentials in one of the following within 18 months: VDH Standardized in Food, DPOR Conventional Onsite Soil Evaluator (COSE), DPOR Alternative Onsite Soil Evaluator (AOSE) or National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) State Standardized Inspector
• A valid State Driver's License is required to operate a state vehicle or if operating a personal vehicle while conducting business on behalf of the agency

Additional Considerations

Graduation from college with a degree related to the duties of the position preferred or equivalent experience in environmental health