Land Use Environmental Health Specialist II

Salary $79,018.36 - $96,049.26 Annually Location Santa Rosa, CA Job Type Full-Time Department Permit Sonoma (PRD) Job Number 22/06-2612-OC&TLPT Position Information

Grow your environmental health specialist career with the County of Sonoma. Starting salary up to $46.02/hour ($96,049/year), a cash allowance of $600/month, and a competitive total compensation package!* Permit Sonoma is currently recruiting to fill Land Use Environmental Health Specialist positions at either the I, II, or Senior level. If you are interested in applying at the other levels of this opportunity, you must apply to the separate, concurrent recruitments being conducted for those levels.
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 your contributions work to better our shared community. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• A hybrid telework schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve
• Eligibility for 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
• Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County paid 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• An annual Staff Development/Wellness Benefit allowance of up to $850 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement fully integrated with Social Security
• May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment

Join Our Team

Sonoma County contains numerous soil types and is at the forefront of innovative and experimental septic systems. Currently, across the county, approximately 4,000 permitted, non-standard systems are being monitored. As a Land Use Environmental Health Specialist in Permit Sonoma, you will provide a unique level of expertise in the evaluation and permitting of septic systems and water well construction. You will also work with the public to encourage sound sanitary practices; assess and approve permits for land development, including private sewage systems and water wells; and provide consultation, information, and educational services regarding soils and groundwater concerns. Additionally, Land Use Environmental Health Specialists plan check and conduct inspections of assigned geographic areas. Please visit our website to learn more about the valuable services we provide the community we serve - our community!

Please note that qualified candidates for these positions must be certified by the State of California as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS), per California Health and Safety Code Sections 106600-106735. Additionally, the ideal candidates will also possess:

• Land-use development experience, particularly with wells and/or septic systems
• A high level of professionalism, and excellent customer service skills
• Good judgment and the ability to make sound decisions, particularly in compliance situations
• The ability to work independently, as well as in a team environment
• A desire to work in a fast-paced work environment, and the ability to effectively address competing priorities

Since the State of California Department of Public Health oversees the REHS process for this position, applicants without current REHS certification will not be considered as qualified for this position. For additional information about how to meet CA requirements, and how out-of-state equivalency determinations are made by the State, please visit
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DRSEM/Pages/EMB/REHS/REHS.aspx.
Bring Your Commitment to Public Service to the County of Sonoma

The County of Sonoma is the place to live, grow, and build your career legacy. When you join the County of Sonoma, you'll have the freedom to explore the beauty of our county - its picturesque coastline, majestic redwoods, historic towns, fine dining, award-winning wineries, and a wide variety of entertainment and cultural activities. For additional information about the beauty of our community and the valuable services and support that the County provides our communities, please visit sonomacounty.ca.gov and sonomacountyconnections.org.

Permit Sonoma is currently recruiting to fill a full-time Land Use Environmental Health Specialist position and a part-time Land Use Environmental Health Specialist time-limited position that is currently funded through June 30, 2024, at either the I, II, or Senior level. The employment list established from this recruitment may 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. The Civil Service title of this position is Environmental Health Specialist II.

*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 Memorandum of Understanding (ESC MOU) and our Employee Benefits directory.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED. Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Any combination of education, training, and experience that would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities stated herein. Normally, this would include graduation from an accredited college or university with a degree in environmental health science, biology, chemistry, physics, microbiology, or related subjects, as required by state law, and one year of working level professional experience in the field of environmental health and safety regulation and enforcement (e.g. working as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist, a Registered Sanitarian, an Environmental Sanitarian, a Public Health Sanitarian, a Certified Environmental Health Professional, or as an equivalently recognized professional).

License: Possession of a valid certificate of registration as an Environmental Health Specialist as required by the State of California's Health and Safety Code.

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.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Considerable 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.

Working knowledge of: principles of general chemistry, physics, microbiology and biology; environmental research and statistical methods; methods of gathering and analyzing data; basic building construction materials and principles relating to environmental health requirements.

Knowledge of: hazardous materials management and emergency response protocols.

Ability to: plan, organize and carry out research, analyze and evaluate data, and make recommendations based on findings; detect unsanitary conditions and public health hazards and secure their correction through education, voluntary compliance or legal enforcement; prepare and maintain comprehensive reports and records; communicate verbal and written ideas clearly and logically; establish and maintain effective relationships with other governmental officials, the public and administrative and professional personnel.
Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application 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 and should 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 visit Getting-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 questions may be 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 & 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 & 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 at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), 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. Continuous recruitments may close without notice at any time that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. 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: CG
HR Technician: KC