Job Description

The salary for this position is: $5,959.00 - $7,926.00 monthly.

Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) is recruiting for an Environmental Health Specialist II for our Environmental Health Division.

As the Environmental Health Specialist II - Water Pollution Identification & Correction Lead, you will work daily to ensure that: streams and marine shorelines discharges/outfalls that are determined to be failing the state water quality standard for E. coli bacteria are segmented and intensively sampled to locate polluted segments and then conduct door-to-door investigations to work with area residents to identify and correct sources. You will also conduct door-to-door sanitary surveys in our project areas to provide education on proper septic system maintenance, use of fertilizers, animal waste management, etc. You will also respond to public complaints regarding failing septic systems, poor animal waste management practices, etc., and work closely with the property owner/occupant to correct any problems you identify.

Essential functions may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Investigate, sample, evaluate, and act upon public complaints of conditions involving pollution, disease, illness, or contamination.
• Conduct environmental studies by gathering, evaluating and reporting on data.
• Manage and analyze data.
• Serve as project lead in one or more program areas; provide technical expertise to program staff and community partners and provide project recommendations and guidance.
• Work with other water quality staff to ensure monitoring and data meet high standards.
• Conduct sanitary surveys and dye tests on-site sewage systems.
• Maintain rigorous quality assurance/quality control standards.
• Document inspection results and prepare documentation needed for enforcement action for failing septic systems.
• Offer technical support and education to the public.
• Work with property owners and residents to correct conditions on their site that contribute to or have the potential to contribute to pollution.
• Conduct water quality monitoring in lakes, streams, groundwater, and marine waters.
• Interpret laws and policies, assist with program development, draft policies, and make recommendations for consideration by department management and the Thurston County Board of Health.
• Write technical reports.
• Perform other work as required or assigned, including, but not limited to, a 24/7 response during public health emergency situations and disease outbreak investigations.

To view the full job classification, click here: Environmental Health Specialist II

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Environment - Quiet office setting in Olympia, Washington.
• Schedule - Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm, with the potential option of alternative or compressed schedules and/or remote working.
• Travel Requirements - Occasional travel may be required to attend meetings or trainings and perform inspections and surveys in the field.
• Customer Interactions - Daily interactions with Thurston County staff and the public.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor of Science degree in environmental health, biology, bacteriology, or a related field.
• Three years of professional environmental health work experience requiring extensive publiccontact. Experience must include three of the following program areas: sewage, food, water, vector control, epidemiology, solid waste, and hazardous waste; demonstrated ability to perform as a lead special projects manager within a single program area.
• Current Washington State Driver's License or have requested and obtained an appropriate accommodation.
• May be required to posses a professional certification applicable to area of assignment (eg, Hydrogeologist, Waste Water Treatment System Inspection Certificate of Competency, Qualified Sanitary Surveyor, etc.).
• Must be recognized by the Washington State Sanitarian Registration Board as Registered Sanitarian within eighteen months of the date of hire.
• Ability to utilize a personal computer and related software packages to perform word processing, analysis, information retrieval and tracking.

DESIRED SKILLS:

Respect and Organizational Culture

• Create an environment where employees and partners can safely express needs or concerns and where employees can make and correct mistakes
• Effectively interact with sensitivity while working with persons from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, ethnic, and professional backgrounds, and persons of all ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, and lifestyles
• Thrive in a fast-paced, robust organization maintaining a positive work environment

Communication

• Serve the public in a timely, complete, accurate, and professional manner while ensuring that written and verbal communication is clearly understood by others
• Maintain cultural competency to support diverse perspectives in developing, implementing, and evaluating policies, programs, and services that affect the health of the community
• Strong oral communication for networking and interpersonal relationships
• Excellent written communication including the ability to craft correspondence, reports, and articles or web postings with minimal grammatical and syntax errors

Goal Setting and Accomplishment

• Use strategic thinking and planning for goal setting and evaluation
• Effectively plan, organize, and manage competing priorities and challenges under pressure
• Create a sense of mission by articulating and modeling confidentiality, professional values, and ethics with honesty and integrity
• Operate with a high degree of flexibility, initiative, attention to detail, and commitment
• Delegate and use persuasion and negotiating skills for shared responsibility and acceptance of change

OTHER RELATED RECRUITMENT INFORMATION:

Questions about this recruitment? Please contact the PHSS hiring team at: [email protected] or (360) 867-2569

This position is:

• Represented by a union
• Eligible for benefits
• Eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Grant funded

Items required for consideration:

• Application
• Resume
• Letter of interest
• Possess a current Washington State Driver License or have an appropriate accommodation
• Proof of licenses/certifications
• Please note: The candidate selected for this position is required to show proof of the following immunizations by their agreed upon start date:
  • Measles/mumps/rubella (MMR)
  • Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap/TD)

Please note: Information in this announcement is subject to change without notice at any time during the length of the job advertisement.