Environmental Health Specialist I/II

Kings County; Hanford (CA); On-site; USD 56,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Kings County in California seeks Environmental Health Specialists I/II to protect community health across environmental programs. You will conduct inspections, enforce health and safety regulations, respond to concerns, and guide in areas like drinking water, waste, and land use.

Level I or II may apply; education and licensing requirements are specified, and travel or irregular hours may be required. This role offers a meaningful public service path.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in biological or physical sciences with 30 semester units of basic science.
• Environmental Health Specialist I requires no prior experience.
• Environmental Health Specialist II requires 1 year of related experience.
• License: California driver's license at time of appointment.
• Certification: EH Specialist I trainee or II registration as required.

Responsibilities

• Inspects retail food establishments, pools, water systems, and medical waste facilities for code compliance.
• Enforces health codes and issues violation notices as needed.
• Provides education to property owners, employees, and the public on regulations.
• Performs plan review and approval of food facilities, body art facilities, pools, septic systems, and wells.
• Compiles data and prepares reports on inspections and investigations.
• Maintains records and prepares written reports and correspondence.
• Provides training to less experienced staff and volunteers.

Skills

Regulatory enforcement

Inspecting facilities

Report writing

Public communications

Education

Bachelor's degree in biological/physical sciences

Job description

Environmental Health Specialist I/II

Level I: $55,723 - $67,995 Annually
Level II: $61,568 - $75,150 Annually

We are seeking Environmental Health Specialists I/II to help protect community health across a wide range of environmental programs. Incumbents will conduct inspections, enforce health and safety regulations, respond to environmental concerns, and provide hands-on guidance in areas like consumer protection, hazardous materials, drinking water, wastewater, solid waste, and land use. Whether you’re building your skills or working independently as a registered specialist, you’ll make a real impact in keeping our community safe and compliant.

Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

Some duties, knowledge, skills, and abilities may be performed in a learning capacity for entry-level (I Level) positions.

• Performs regulation and enforcement of environmental health safety laws, rules, and regulations; interprets the more specialized environmental health regulations, rules, and policies related to environmental health program areas.
• Inspects retail food establishments, public swimming pools and spas, water systems and medical waste facilities for compliance with applicable health codes; visually inspects for conformance with applicable codes and regulations; collects required food and water samples; follows up on complaints; writes and issues violation notices.
• Conducts housing, detention facilities, and school inspections and issues corrective action and violation notices.
• Provides educational information to property and business owners, employees, and the public on environmental health regulations and safety; instructs food service workers on the proper handling of food.
• Performs plan review and approval of food facilities, body art facilities, commercial swimming pool facilities, septic systems, and water wells.
• Compiles data for and prepares comprehensive reports related to inspections, investigations, and studies completed.
• Provides general information to the regulated community and public regarding department policies, procedures, and regulations; receives and responds to inquiries, requests for assistance, concerns, and complaints from the public regarding division activities and programs.
• Confers with officials of other public agencies and persons with private business.
• Participates in community education and public information efforts.
• Maintains files, databases, and records related to citations and violations; prepares a variety of written reports, memoranda, and correspondence.
• Provides training to less experienced staff and volunteers as assigned.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Please note: Work experience for the last 15 years must be included in the work history portion of your application. It is also important that your application show all the relevant education and experience that you possess, even if it extends beyond the required past 15 years.

A resume may be attached, but is not a substitute for completing the application and supplemental questions. Failure to submit a completed application may eliminate you from the recruitment.

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Education:

• Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in biological or physical sciences, environmental health science, or a closely related field, including 30 semester units, or equivalent, of basic science.

Experience:

• Environmental Health Specialist I: None required.

• Environmental Health Specialist II: One (1) year of increasingly responsible experience performing duties at a level equivalent to the classification of Environmental Health Specialist I with Kings County.

Licenses:

• Possession of a valid California driver's license issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles at the time of appointment.

Certifications:

• Environmental Health Specialist I: Possession of a letter of acceptance as an Environmental Health Specialist Trainee from the California Department of Health Services.

• Environmental Health Specialist II: Possession of a valid California Department of Health Services certificate of registration as an Environmental Health Specialist to be maintained throughout employment.

Special Requirements

Qualify for security clearance through a background investigation and fingerprint check. Ability to work irregular hours including evenings, weekends and holidays, work on-call and overtime as necessary, and travel within and outside the County. Ability to become medically certified to use personal protective equipment including respirators.

Veteran’s Preference Available upon request

Veteran's Preference Application. You must submit a certified DD-214 and a new request form for each application submission prior to the closing date.

Tentative Recruitment Process

Final Date to Apply: October 30, 2026

Human Resources Oral Boards: TBD
Department Interview: TBD

(1) Screening committee (pass/fail) and/or

(2) Written examination (pass/fail) and/or

(3) Oral examination (100%) This may include a written practical component (100%) to determine placement on the eligible list. Note: Those applicants who are among the top 40 written test scores will be invited to participate in the oral examination process.