Environmental Health Specialist

Overview

Purpose of the Job:
The purpose of this job is to protect the health of Gila County citizens, their families and visitors to the County by conducting compliance and complaint inspections of food establishments, new/revised onsite wastewater systems, swimming pools, hotel/motels, children’s camps, day care centers, schools as well as investigating public health nuisance complaints to ensure compliance with State and Local health codes and ordinances.

• Inspects restaurants, hotels/motels, food stores, food manufacturing and storage facilities, food vending machines and other permitted facilities for appropriate refrigeration temperature, signs of pest infestation, cleanliness and proper food protection; reviews and instructs employees on proper hygiene and food handling/processing techniques; inspects food service operations at schools, daycare centers, mobile food vendors, and temporary food operators. Reviews the design of the new septic system and conducts progress and final inspections for conventional and alternative septic systems;
  
  conducts new well approval inspections. Reviews soil evaluations and PERC tests for each new septic system. (20%)
• Responds to complaints to the public regarding garbage, debris, sanitary problems, vermin and related issues; makes on-site visits to validate the nature of the complaint; follows-up with enforcement activities as required; issues notices of violation as required. (10%)
• Inspects dwellings, mobile home parks, schools, day-care centers, organized camps, public/semi-public swimming pools, family care centers and public buildings for conformance with public health codes; issues citations as required and provides information for mitigation or improvement; conducts inspections and/or responds to environmental complaints regarding homes, wells, water tankers, stores and pet shops. Inspects septic hauling pumper trucks. (10%)
• Provides education and information to food establishment owners, operators and food workers relating to food handling processes and health codes. (10%)
• Monitors and investigates potential/actual food borne illness complaints and outbreaks; and ensures compliance with environmental regulations, ordinances, laws and standards. (10%)
• Identifies hazardous foods and environments; examines biological specimens. (10%)
• Issues permits for operation of food establishments, bars, cafes, food processing operations, butchers, mobile vendors, temporary booths for special events, stores, pet shops, hotels/motels, onsite wastewater systems, and swimming pools; and provides information to enforcement personnel regarding environmental standards; advises government, industrial and individual owners regarding community health and vector control. (10%)
• Conducts vector borne disease surveillance activities including mosquito trapping and monitoring for West Nile virus. (10%)
• Prepares and maintains environmental documentation, records and files; submits required reports; maintains accurate records and files related to area(s) of assignment. (10%)
• Performs other duties as assigned. (10%)

This position has no responsibility over any types of budget.

Provides project research support on process improvement projects.

This position trains colleagues, explains County procedures or processes and negotiates and persuades.

This position creates or edits documents, internal memos, emails, press releases and reports.

Interacts regularly with the general public, external contacts such as vendors, bankers, attorneys or other professionals, and other institutions, over the telephone, by email, and/or in person.

Frequently (More than 25% but less than 40% in a year)

MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIRED
Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Health or Public Health Administration or related field. Incumbents in this position are required by State Law to have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree; the Incumbent is also required to…