Environmental Health Program Specialist

Job Title: Environmental Health Program Specialist

Department: Public Health Administration

Hiring Range: $26.70 - $31.17

Posted Internally and Externally

Job Posting End Date: December 06, 2022

This position will focus primarily in the Food and Lodging section of Environmental Health.

Purpose of the position: The primary purpose of this position is to conduct state mandated inspections of facilities under the jurisdiction of BCHHS Environmental Health division and performs specialized programmatic functions to ensure compliance with public health laws and rules.

Minimum Education, Training and/or Experience (required at time of hire): Bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours of course work in the physical or biological sciences and two (2) years of exposure in environmental health; or a Bachelor's or Master's degree in environmental health from a program which is accredited by the National Accreditation Council for Environmental Health Curricula of the National Environmental Health Association and one (1) year of experience in environmental health.

Additional Training and Experience: Required to attend and pass the centralized training provided by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Most work related skills will be developed through in service and on the job training. Additionally, must be able to pass the state authorization evaluation and test in order to perform duties. Preference for candidates who have already obtained appropriate authorizations.

License or Certification Required by Statute or Regulation: Registration is required by the N.C. State Board of Environmental Health Specialist Examiners under the provisions of Chapter 90A of the General Statues of North Carolina. Educational requirements in accordance with Chapter 90A must be obtained each calendar year to renew registration in order to maintain Registered Environmental Health Specialist status.

Essential Functions of the position:

• Enforce compliance with state, local, and federal environmental and public health laws and regulations.
• Investigate environmental related complaints, health related nuisances, and reports of food borne illness and contaminated food in order to prevent the spread of communicable disease.
• Perform routine inspections, visits, and critical violation visits to ensure that food and lodging facilities, swimming pools, institutions, child care centers, schools, tattoo artists and lead investigations are meeting standards as mandated by state laws and rules in order to reduce the incidences and threat of food borne illness, lead hazards, and other communicable disease.
• Perform specialized work in assigned programmatic functions regarding preparedness, HACCP/Variances, education & outreach, standardization, swimming pool plan review, restaurant plan review, tattoos, meth labs, childcare center plan review, institutions, festivals, and/or childhood lead poisoning prevention.
• Coordinate and plan educational programs, courses throughout the year at a frequency as determined by the program supervisor or division director.
• Seek corrective actions where needed and educate managers, operators and staff of various facilities and establishments on safe handling processes and sanitation procedures.
• Keep accurate and detailed inspection records as mandated by the state that include the violation observed, food code citation, and method of correction.
• Assist EPI team and others staff in the event of a food borne outbreak.
• Seek legal remedies under the advice of the program supervisor and division director to abate health nuisances or prosecute individuals for failure to comply with public health laws and rules.
• Participate in On-Call rotation to respond to Environmental/Public Health Emergencies.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Extensive knowledge of environmental health laws, rules, and procedures, as well as a complete understanding of the concepts of public health law.
• Extensive knowledge of regulations, inspection and investigation procedures, and applicable remediation techniques and procedures for assigned program area.
• Considerable knowledge of microbiology; biology, chemistry, food science, food sanitation, food borne diseases, communicable diseases, solid waste management, institutional sanitation and entomology.
• Working knowledge of the design of on-site waste water treatment systems, food sanitation, food borne diseases, communicable diseases, vector control, protection of water supplies, solid waste management, lead hazard remediation and institutional sanitation as applicable to area of assignment.
• Working knowledge of the responsibilities of other agencies involved in environmental health work.
• Ability to plan and present educational workshops and planning programs for large groups in a professional and informative manner, utilizing the latest audio visual aids and teaching techniques available.
• Ability to analyze and comprehend a variety of technical and administrative regulation, records, and reports.
• Ability to effectively communicate potential concerns and corrective measures to business and property owners and the consuming public in matters related to protecting and promoting public health.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and deal tactfully with a wide range of the public while enforcing public health laws and regulations.

In order to uphold internal pay parity and equity, salaries are non-negotiable for new and current Buncombe County employees. All new employees are paid according to their years of relevant education and experience above minimum requirements for the position and employees have the opportunity to obtain pay increases via cost of living increases and promotions.

Buncombe County Government realizes the importance of a diverse professional workforce and the need to foster a responsive and innovative organizational culture, one that fully engages all of our employees, honoring and building on each employee's unique experiences, opinions, and perspective.

It is the policy of Buncombe County to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, age, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other legally protected class under federal or NC State law. In addition, Buncombe County expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment or discrimination.

Applicants for employment are invited to participate in the affirmative action program by reporting their status as a protected veteran or other minority. In extending this invitation, we advise you that: (a) workers (applicants) are under no obligation to respond but may do so in the future if they choose; (b) responses will remain confidential within the human resource department; and (c) responses will be used only for the necessary information to include in our affirmative action program. We are a company that values diversity. We actively encourage women, minorities, veterans and disabled employees to apply. Refusal to provide this information will have no bearing on your application and will not subject you to any adverse treatment.