General Summary$69,763 - $93,468
This is a hybrid position
Are you passionate about protecting public health and helping create safer, healthier communities? Join the Oakland County Health Division as an Environmental Health Specialist and use your technical knowledge and problem-solving skills to address environmental health concerns throughout the County.
What You'll Do
- Perform elevated blood lead investigations in homes and/or businesses to identify lead hazards for remediation
- Implement and enforce the County Sanitary Code and state laws related to environmental health.
- Conduct field inspections of food establishments, group lodging and care facilities, home sites, and recreational areas to identify concerns and recommend actions that protect public health
- Perform soil evaluations for onsite sewage disposal systems and review data to determine the feasibility of onsite water supplies
- Represent Environmental Health Services before the Sanitary Code and Food Service Appeal Boards on appeals involving sewage disposal systems, water supplies, and food service facilities
- Maintain accurate inspection records and reports, document sanitation concerns, and make recommendations regarding licensure and code violations
- Use County and department software to document findings and complete assignments
Why You'll Love It Here
- Make a direct impact on the health and wellbeing of Oakland County residents
- Enjoy varied work that combines field inspections, technical evaluations, and public health problem-solving
- Apply your expertise to essential services, including food safety, safe water, and proper sewage disposal
- Support the Health Division's mission to promote and protect the health and wellbeing of our community
- Be part of the Health Division's Culture of Care, where your work contributes to a shared commitment to community health
Minimum QualificationsEXPERIENCE, TRAINING, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES
REQUIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
1. a. Possess a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in Environmental Health; OR
b. Possess a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in public health, environmental science, or environmental policy, and have earned 30 semester/45 quarter hours of college credit in basic science coursework (per National Environmental Health Association credentialing requirements);
OR2. a. Possess a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in physical or biological sciences, or a closely related field; AND
b. Have had at least one (1) year of full time, supervised experience in environmental health.
3. Possess a valid motor vehicle operator's or chauffeur's license.
ADDITIONAL DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
- Reasonable knowledge of the professional practices and procedures in the field of environmental health.
- Reasonable knowledge of the County Sanitary Code and state laws relating to environmental health.
- Reasonable ability to compile statistics, decipher pertinent information, and present oral and written technical reports to officials and other interested groups or individuals.
- Reasonable ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with administrators, professional and non-professional Health Division personnel, officials and staff of local governmental and private organizations, and the public.
- Some ability to cope with difficult and/or emergency situations requiring immediate decisions in accordance with departmental policies and objectives.
- Some ability to exercise mature judgment and initiative in analyzing problems and recommending solutions.
- Familiar with current word processing, spreadsheet, database, e-mail, and Internet software.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
- Must maintain a valid United States motor vehicle operator's or chauffeur's license.
- Must submit to immunizations as required by the Health Division and to periodic tuberculin skin tests or chest x rays at County expense.
SUPERVISION EXERCISED
- None. May train and/or assist lower-level sanitarians.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
- Performs on-site inspections and investigations of food service establishments to observe food handling procedures, cleanliness of premises, sewage and waste disposal practices and other conditions related to local sanitary codes, state and federal laws, or regulations.
- Inspects public and private water supplies, restaurants, soils, pools, day care centers, schools, collecting samples when necessary for analyses to ensure compliance with applicable Federal, State, and County Public Health Statutes, Codes, Rules, and Regulations.
- Investigates the difficult complaints regarding possible health hazards, such as poor ventilation, food contamination, insect or rodent infested areas, sewage problems and polluted waters, collecting samples for analysis, documenting steps taken and results. Uses persuasive skills for conflict situations, advises compliance with existing regulations and laws, steps to be taken to eradicate problem areas and recommends legal action if necessary to enforce compliance.
- Performs routine inspections of State of Michigan licensed campgrounds.
- Performs site evaluations for residential and non-residential on-site sewage disposal systems.
- Performs final inspections on routine on-site sewage disposal systems.
- Responds to complaints that are difficult to resolve, complex in nature, and/or referred by lower-level personnel.
- Represents Environmental Health Service's position on all appeals in regard to on-site sewage disposal systems, on-site water supply systems and food service facilities before the Sanitary Code and the Food Service Appeal Boards.
- Provides educational instruction and materials to the public and conducts training seminars to personnel involved in various functions and activities regulated by Environmental Health Services.
- Makes recommendations regarding licensing/permits or rescission of licensing/permits for routine Environmental Health programs based on compliance to the County Sanitary Code and state laws.
- Counsels and/or assists local government in conducting residential housing inspections relating to elimination of actual and/or potential safety hazards in new or existing homes, industries, and construction sites.
Coordinates surveys and/or investigates complex insect and/or rodent problems. - Performs routine evaluations of Type II water supplies for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
- Performs routine inspections of public swimming pools.
- Maintains records and reports of sanitation matters and makes recommendations regarding licensure or code violations.
- May conduct any activity typically assigned to lower-level Environmental Health personnel.
- Utilizes current county-wide and/or department specific software to complete assignments.
ESSENTIAL MENTAL & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Ability to communicate accurately to convey information using tact and diplomacy.
- Ability to operate a motor vehicle and/or be a passenger.
WORKING CONDITIONS
- May be required to travel to other locations during the course of work.
- Work is performed in a typical office environment, licensed building establishments, and outdoors.
- Position may require walking over rough or uneven terrain and exposure to environmental elements including heat, cold, rain and wind.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The primary purpose of this job description is to set a fair and equitable salary range for this job classification. Generally, only those key duties necessary for proper job evaluation and/or labor market analysis have been included. Other duties and responsibilities will be assigned by the supervisor.
Additional Minimum QualificationsUnion*BU87 - United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 889: Health & Human Services Non-Supv (UAW)
*If applicable
