Environmental Health Specialist Trainee

County of Sonoma (CA); Santa Rosa (CA); On-site; USD 109,000 - 127,000; Full time

Job summary

The County of Sonoma is seeking Environmental Health Specialist Trainees to promote public health and safety. This role involves conducting various inspections and ensuring compliance with health regulations, while also providing valuable support to the community. Ideal candidates will possess a relevant degree and relevant knowledge in sanitation and public health principles.

Benefits

Salary Advancement

Career Advancement

Paid Time Off

Health Premium Contributions

Staff Development/Wellness Pay

Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement

Retirement benefits

Paid Parental Leave

Student Loan Debt Relief

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited college is required.
• Possession of a valid California Driver’s License is necessary.
• Must have a valid letter of eligibility as a trainee.

Responsibilities

• Conduct inspections and investigations across various health programs.
• Ensure compliance with health regulations through routine inspections.
• Prepare inspection reports and communicate findings.

Skills

Knowledge of sanitation science

Effective written and verbal communication skills

Ability to think critically

Education

Degree in environmental health science, biology, chemistry, physics, or microbiology

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

We are seeking Environmental Health Specialist Trainees who are dedicated to promoting a healthy and safe environment! Apply today!

Starting salary up to $52.52/hour ($109,615/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

The Department of Health Services is currently recruiting to fill two full-time and one part-time Environmental Health Specialist positions at either the Trainee, I, or II levels. If you are interested in being considered at the different levels of this opportunity, you must apply to the separate concurrent recruitments being conducted for each level.

Please Note:The EHS Trainee positions require possession of a valid letter of eligibility issued by the State of California to start an EHS Trainee program. For more information on the requirements and process to obtain a letter of eligibility, please visit theCA Registered Environmental Health Specialist Program website.

About the Positions

We are seeking motivated individuals to join our team as Environmental Health Specialist Trainees who want to build their careers in Environmental Health. These roles are vital to protecting public health and ensuring community well-being by conducting inspections, investigations, and enforcement following County and State environmental health regulations. As an Environmental Health Specialist Trainee, you will:

• Perform inspections and investigations across a wide range of programs, including but not limited to: Food Facilities, Recreational Facilities, Medical Waste, Water Systems, Solid Waste, Body Art, Cannabis Facilities, Beach Monitoring, Storm Water, Childhood Lead Prevention, Disaster Preparedness, Organized Camps, and Detention Facilities

• Ensure compliance with County and State health and safety regulations through routine inspections, complaint responses, documentation, enforcement actions, and public education

• Prepare thorough inspection reports, interpret relevant health codes, and communicate findings and corrective actions to stakeholders

• Interact regularly with the public, businesses, and regulatory partners, often providing guidance and support in diverse environments

As an ideal candidate for these positions, you will be curious, detail-oriented, driven to learn, and possess many of the following:

• Knowledge of sanitation science, public health principles, and relevant environmental health laws and regulations

• Experience or training in environmental health programs and public health enforcement

• A dedication to helping promote a healthy and safe environment

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint) and general computer skills

• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and presentations

• The ability to think critically, research regulatory issues, and analyze field findings

• The ability to build collaborative relationships with the public, team members, and partner agencies

Work is primarily performed Monday through Friday, with occasional evenings and weekends to inspect temporary events or respond to complaints. Many inspections are outdoors and require working in varying environmental conditions, including beaches, waste sites, and food service facilities.

As an EHS Trainee, your employment would be limited to a maximum of 36 months. Within that period, you are expected to obtain a certificate of registration as an Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) issued by the State of California. After you obtain your California REHS certificate, and based upon your performance and mastery of the Trainee position, you would then be eligible for promotion to Environmental Health Specialist I, within three years from your appointment as an EHS Trainee. EHS Trainees serve a one-year probationary period.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Career Advancement - With time and good performance, the opportunity for advancement to Environmental Health Specialist I ($44.71-$54.36/hr)
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals and 12 paid holidays
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions- 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $850 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement- County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement- A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Student Loan Debt Relief – County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Engineers and Scientists of California (ESC MOU) and ourEmployee Benefits Directory.

This Environmental Health Specialist Trainee employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list.Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Any combination of education, training, and experience that would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities stated herein. Normally, this would include:

Experience: There is no experience requirement.

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a degree in environmental health science, biology, chemistry, physics, microbiology or a related subject, as required by state law, to obtain registration as an Environmental Health Specialist.

Special Qualifications:Possession of a certificate issued by the state of California indicating that the person is an approved Environmental Health Specialist Trainee by the time of appointment, and possession of a valid certificate of registration as an Environmental Health Specialist as required by the State of California's Health and Safety Code within thirty-six months of appointment.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required, depending upon assignment, to perform the essential job functions of the position.

The positions advertised on this announcement require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Knowledge of: sanitation science, requirements and procedures and the methods and procedures used in inspecting, investigating and correcting unsanitary conditions; federal, state and local laws and regulations governing environmental health and safety; principles and practices of public health; principles of general chemistry, physics, microbiology and biology; methods of gathering and analyzing data.

Ability to: learn to plan, organize and carry out research, analyze, and evaluate data and make recommendations based on findings; learn to detect unsanitary conditions and public health hazards and secure correction through education, voluntary compliance, or legal enforcement; prepare comprehensive reports; communicate verbal and written ideas clearly and logically; establish and maintain effective relationships with other governmental officials and the general public.

• Yourapplication information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visitGetting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire be completed.

Responses to supplemental questionswill or maybe scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination(weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online atwww.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax [phone]), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: SZ

HR Technician: KK