Environmental Health Specialist

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Employee benefits:

Dshs offers insurance coverage and other benefits available through the state of texas group benefits plan administered by the employee retirement system of texas (ers). To learn more about all the benefits available to you as a dshs employee and other dshs opportunities for early career pathways, visit the dshs careers page.

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Functional title: environmental health specialist

Job title:

sanitarian i

Agency: dept of state health services

Department: region 6/5

Posting number: 11148

Closing date: 05/19/2026

Posting audience: internal and external

Occupational category: life, physical, and social science

Salary group: texas-b-18

Salary range: $3,793.41 - $5,921.25

Pay frequency: monthly

Shift: day

Additional shift:

Telework: not eligible for telework

Travel: up to 80%

Regular/temporary: regular

Full time/part time: full time

Flsa exempt/non-exempt: nonexempt

Facility location:

Job location city: houston

Job location address: 5425 polk st

Other locations:

Mos codes: 8056,43hx,4e0x1,68s,740a,74a,74d,92w,mssr,mst

Job description:

Under the supervision and technical review of the sanitarian iii, environmental health program manager. Performs advanced food service and environmental sanitation inspections in region 6/5s jurisdiction. Conducts inspections of permitted and non-permitted food service facilities, with special focus on mobile food vehicles, but also to include retail food facilities, public schools and vendors at temporary events. Performs environmental sanitation inspections for compliance with regulations for youth camps, including swimming pool, public interactive water feature, playground, food facility, and private water supply inspections.

Conducts activities utilizing the fda food code, texas food establishment rules (tfer) and other applicable texas health and safety codes and regulations. Conducts investigations in response to consumer complaints, foodborne illness outbreaks, and environmental health complaints involving recreational sanitation, institutional sanitation, field sanitation, and public health nuisances. Evaluates findings, documents facility compliance, and makes recommendations for compliance using rules and regulations.

Works with supervisor to provide technical assistance and consultative services to schools, retail food establishment owners, managers and operators, local health departments and to the general public. Required to respond to public health emergencies and events. Required to use software during inspections, meet minimum workload measures, and conduct investigations and submit reports in a timely manner. Position works under supervision with latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgement.

Sanitarian i or environmental protection specialist i (understaffed).

Essential job functions:

Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency policy and performs other duties as assigned.

(70%) inspects permitted and non-permitted establishments, including public school cafeterias, to ensure conformance with regulatory requirements. Inspects retail food service establishments, retail food stores, mobile food establishments and other food establishments to ensure conformance with regulatory and accepted sanitary requirements. Performs

Environmental sanitation inspections for compliance with regulations for youth camps, mass gatherings, and field sanitation. Evaluates the sanitation conditions at facilities and recommends corrective steps. Prepares and submits inspection and survey reports to retail food and public sanitation quality assurance. Documents findings using assigned inspection software, including taking digital photos in accordance with agency protocols. Prepares and submits inspection and survey reports to the consumer protection division using electronic inspection software.

Meets monthly inspection expectations and processes all reports in a timely manner. Jurisdiction includes 16 counties in region 6/5s, primarily in austin, colorado, liberty, waller, walker and wharton counties.

(10%) investigates consumer complaints concerning retail food service and food store facilities; investigates foodborne illness outbreaks and prepares related reports and evaluations; and complaints involving public health nuisances, recreational sanitation, institutional sanitation, field sanitation, mass gatherings, and public lodging in areas not covered by a local health department. May provide technical assistance to local health departments in food sanitation and environmental sanitation areas as requested.

Documents

Complaint investigations and other field investigations in accordance with protocols.

(10%) completes required number of…