Public Health Inspector

Job Status: Temporary Full-Time

Union: CUPE 12.3

Number of Positions: 1

Hours of Work: 35

Location: Wish Centre

Closing Date: November 24, 11:59pm EST. Applications received after this deadline will not be accepted.

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent has an opening for one (1) temporary full-time Public Health Inspector in the Public Health Unit division. The temporary opportunity is for a period up to June 2027.

Job description

The Public Health Inspector applies preventive and public health knowledge, techniques, and skills to reduce the incidence of communicable diseases, occupational illnesses, food-borne disease, and health hazards in the public in accordance with Ministry of Health Ontario Public Health Standards, associated Ministry Protocols and Guidelines, the Health Protection and Promotion Act and its Regulations, and any other pertinent legislation. The Public Health Inspector: conducts public health inspections; enforces health protection regulations and applicable by-laws; promotes public health principles; and works with government and stakeholders to support healthy policies and environments that support health. This position supports the ongoing operations of the Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit.

Essential responsibilities

• Demonstrate Chatham-Kent's core values and competencies
• Adhere to principles, standards, professional/ personal boundaries, and codes of conduct established by CIPHI and organizational policies
• Apply in practice, key knowledge, critical thinking skills, and aptitudes related to the environmental public health sciences
• Use equipment, techniques, and procedures to conduct inspections/investigations, and collect appropriate samples
• Participate in ongoing professional development opportunities and maintain current professional knowledge of environmental public health sciences, regulations, techniques, procedures, equipment, sampling, and documentation
• Use legal and regulatory discretion when dealing with issues and problems in environmental public health practice and apply progressive enforcement actions applicable to the situation when hazardous practices, related illnesses, or non-compliance activities have been identified
• Apply systematic inspection processes and risk assessments to any premises and conduct audits where applicable
• Apply investigative procedures in the follow-up and management of individual disease reports, food-borne illness, disease outbreaks, animal incident reports, food recalls, environmental inspections, suspect health hazards, and Ministry directed incidents
• Access, analyze, and evaluate information (investigations, inspections, emergencies, data, facts, sample results, surveillance data and disease trends, concepts, theories) to make evidence informed decisions, prepare reports, conduct investigations, and make recommendations for corrective action, risk management and/or policy and program development
• Analyze and evaluate policies, programs, and lessons learned in environmental public health to assess program effectiveness and develop a plan to ensure continuing quality assurance (includes incidents of outbreaks and emergencies)
• Liaise with stakeholders (Ministry, community, agencies, individuals, media), establish partnerships, and create collaborative approaches to promote common education or advocacy initiatives through shared resources and responsibilities
• Assess the needs of learners (internal and external), develop programs, protocols, and strategies, and teach environmental public health concepts to all ages, genders, cultures, and backgrounds in various settings with available resources
• Use teaching as part of the regulatory functions of environmental public health program delivery activities
• Explain and share knowledge, tools, expertise, and experience to build capacity, improve performance, and enhance the quality of the working environment (e.g. mentorship/preceptorship of students)
• Use appropriate strategies and techniques to manage conflicts
• Apply cultural sensitivity while maintaining the protection of public health
• Participate in the development of operational plans, objectives and work plans and document activities
• Support the learnings of Public Health Inspector students

Essential qualifications

• Bachelor of Applied Science in Environmental Health; or equivalent
• Up to 2 years recent and relevant experience is preferred
• Working knowledge of the software program Hedgehog
• Strong computer skills, specifically Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) (or other similar software program)
• All employees will be required to complete their Health & Safety and other on-line mandatory training on or before their first day of employment; other training (including Health & Safety policies) may also be required

Other qualifications

• Knowledge of continuous quality improvement principles and/or experience participating in CQI projects is an asset
• The ability to communicate both written and oral French language is an asset

Certifications, memberships, licenses

• Required: Certificate in Public Health Inspection (Canada) in good standing, CPHI(C), issued by the Board of Certification of the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors

Work environment/hours of work

• This position works both indoors and outdoors
• This position works occasional evening and weekend hours, on-call after hours and on weekends

Working Remotely

This position has been approved for remote working, at the discretion of the supervisor based on the Working Remotely Policy.

This position may be required to attend on-site meetings in order to complete essential responsibilities of the role. As per the Working Remotely Policy, employees scheduled to work remotely on a certain day may occasionally be called to a municipal onsite work location on short notice. Employees must remain flexible to accommodate municipal requirements and be prepared to be called in on short notice.

Driver's licence/vehicle requirements

Because this position would be required to travel, a valid Province of Ontario driver's license with a reliable motor vehicle is necessary.

Background check requirements

Because of the environment this position will be working in, the successful candidate will be required to furnish an original Police Information Search (criminal reference check) (working with vulnerable persons) prior to commencement of employment; you must be 18 years of age or older to obtain a vulnerable police check

Essential physical and/or safety requirements

• Mask Fit testing (N95)
• Standing: constant standing inside, outside (investigation, inspection)

Benefits

This temporary full-time position has an hourly wage of $47.02 and will receive vacation and statutory benefits in accordance with the Employment Standards Act.