SANITARIAN II

City of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 68,000 - 83,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Chicago seeks a Sanitarian II for the Chicago Department of Public Health - Food Safety & Regulatory Services. The role performs inspections of food establishments and pools, enforces safety codes, and prepares detailed inspection reports.

Four vacancies, starting salary $75,336 with field-based duties across Chicago. Eligible applicants must have a biology/public health-related degree with 9 semester hours in biosciences or two years’ regulatory inspection experience.

Qualifications

• Degree in Biology, Public Health, Environmental Health, or related field plus 9 semester hours in biosciences.
• Two years of work experience in food safety or regulatory inspections with 9 semester hours in biosciences.
• Valid Illinois driver’s license and automobile insurance; Food Service Sanitation Certification within 60 days of hire.
• Some positions may require specialty certifications (e.g., Pool Operator, pest control).

Responsibilities

• Inspect food establishments to enforce safety, sanitation codes and licensing requirements.
• Inspect swimming pools and spas to enforce environmental health codes.
• Issue citations for violations and collect samples for lab analysis as needed.
• Prepare inspection reports and maintain supporting documentation.
• Assist in training lower-level sanitarians and respond to inquiries about violations.

Skills

Food safety inspections

Public health knowledge

Regulatory compliance

Education

Biology/Public Health/Environmental Health degree with 9 semester hours

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

BID/JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

SANITARIAN II

Number of Positions: 4

Starting Annual Salary: $75,336.00

NOTE: At the time of processing, you must provide a copy of your transcripts to verify you have 9 semester hours in biological or related sciences.

This position is open to the public and all current City employees covered under the City's collective bargaining agreement with AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY, AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES (AFSCME) - BARGAINING UNIT 1, 3, 4 & 5. Only employees in City job titles in this bargaining unit are eligible to bid.

Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59pm CDT on 08/15/2026

Chicago Department of Public Health: Mission

CDPH works with communities and partners to create an equitable, safe, resilient and Healthy Chicago.

Vision:

Everyone in Chicago thrives and achieves their optimal health and wellness.

Values:

• Anti-Racism: We are committed to dismantling systemic racism to create an organizational culture that actively supports anti-racist efforts and is committed to recognizing, addressing, and eradicating all forms of racism within the department and in the community.
• Informed Decision Making: We collect, share, and operationalize data to support public health decisions and actions to improve health and achieve our mission. CDPH leverages appropriate data infrastructure and technology to drive decisions and assess performance.
• Teamwork: We cultivate belonging and respect for our colleagues and community partners. We act responsibly and work cooperatively to ensure effective communication. We encourage each other to grow and achieve our common goals.
• Excellence: We value creativity, innovation, and exploration; and continuously seek ways to improve processes and systems by working together with integrity, honesty, compassion, and transparency.

Food Safety & Regulatory Services (4 vacancies)

Under supervision, conducts inspections of establishments that process, prepare, and/or serve food to enforce food safety, sanitation codes, and licensing requirements and conducts inspections of swimming pools and spas to enforce environmental health codes and licensing requirements, and performs related duties as required.

Essential Duties:

• Inspects the physical condition of food establishments (e.g., restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, wholesalers, special or summer food events or programs, and kitchens in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, etc.) to enforce food safety and sanitation codes and licensing requirements.
• Inspects the physical condition of swimming pools and spas (e.g., indoor, outdoor) to enforce environmental health codes and licensing requirements.
• Inspects equipment for proper bacterial sanitization, hygiene practices, and temperature control.
• Issues citations for violations of food safety and sanitation codes.
• May collect samples for laboratory analysis.
• Conducts exterior inspections of establishments in response to complaints involving possible sanitary violations (e.g., overflowing garbage dumpsters, rodent activity, etc.).
• Advises owners or managers on safety standards, existing violations, regulations regarding various environmental, health, and safety issues and methods for compliance.
• Re‑inspects establishments cited for violations to ensure corrective actions have been taken. Testifies in Administrative Hearings regarding violations.
• Conducts special inspections in conjunction with other city departments and agencies and in response to potential cases of food‑borne illnesses, as required.
• Prepares and maintains inspection reports, records and supporting documentation (e.g., photos).
• Responds to inquiries on health code violations, complaints and compliance methods. Assists in training lower‑level Sanitarians to conduct inspections.
• Additional duties may be required for this position.

Location

Chicago Department of Public Health - Food Safety & Regulatory Services, Health Protection Bureau

Address

2133 West Lexington, 2 nd Floor

Shift

Monday - Friday

Hours

8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Hours May Vary) Evenings and Weekends are required as needed. These are field based positions that require Sanitarian IIs to work in all communities in the City of Chicago.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Exposure to outdoor weather conditions
• Exposure to fumes or dust
• Exposure to oily or wet environment

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Some lifting (up to 35 pounds) is required.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods of time.
• Ability to climb staircases, ladders, and/or step stools.

THIS POSITION IS IN THE CAREER SERVICE

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Education, Training, and Experience:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with an Associate's, Bachelor's degree or higher in Biology, Public Health, Environmental Health, or a directly related field, plus nine (9) semester hours in the biological or directly related sciences.

Should the above criteria not be fulfilled, the following options are acceptable:

• Two (2) years of work experience in food safety or regulatory inspections, plus nine (9) semester hours in the biological or related sciences.

Licensure, Certification, or Other Qualifications:

• A valid State of Illinois driver's license is required.
• Must have the permanent use of an automobile that is properly insured, including a clause specifically insuring the City of Chicago from accident liability.
• Food Service Sanitation Certification within 60 days of hire.
• Some positions may require specialty certification or training (e.g., Illinois Swimming Pool Operator certificate and/or Illinois Structural Pest Control Technician license).

NOTE: To be considered for this position you must provide information about your educational background and your work experience. You must include job titles, dates of employment and specific job duties. (IF you are a current City employee, Acting Up cannot be considered). If you fail to provide this information at the time you submit your application, it will be incomplete, and you will not be considered for this position. There are three ways to provide the information: 1) you may attach a resume; 2) you may paste a resume; or 3) you can complete the online resume fields.

Educational & Employment Verification:

Please be advised that if you are selected to be hired you must provide, upon request, adequate information regarding your educational and employment history as it relates to the qualifications of the position for which you are applying. If you received your degree internationally, all international transcripts/diploma must be accompanied by a Foreign Credential Evaluation. If the City of Chicago cannot verify this information, any offer extended to you will be withdrawn and you will not be hired.

NOTE: At the time of processing, you must provide a copy of your transcripts to verify you have 9 semester hours in biological or related sciences.

Selection Requirements :

This position requires applicants to complete an interview which will include a written exercise and/or a skills assessment test as part of the interview. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the oral and written parts of the interview will be selected.

Desired Skills

• Previous experience conducting inspections of establishments that process, dispense and purvey food and dairy products for compliance with state and local laws regulating public health and licensing requirements.
• Previous experience in food sanitation
• Previous experience preparing and maintaining documents and inspection reports on investigations.
• Previous experience with techniques for inspecting food and dairy establishments.
• Previous work experience using Microsoft Office Suite

For Information on our employees benefits please visit our benefits website at: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/benefits-office.html

For Information on our salary and title structure visit our classifications website at: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/dhr/supp_info/JobClassification/2025_Classification_and_Pay_Plan.pdf

APPLICATION EVALUATION: Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resource staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates. To learn more about our hiring practices click here.

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.

The City of Chicago in an Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Friendly, and Fair Chance Employer.

City of Chicago

Brandon Johnson, Mayor