Director of Environmental Health

To learn more about this amazing opportunity, please, view the Director of Environmental Health Brochure.

The County of Riverside is seeking an innovative, strategic, and experienced leader to serve as its next Director of Environmental Health. This executive level position oversees a dynamic department dedicated to protecting public health, safety, and the environment through progressive, community focused environmental health programs.

The Department of Environmental Health operates with an annual budget of 40 million and carries out its mission by implementing efficient and effective regulatory services across a broad range of environmental health areas. The Director provides leadership to three major divisions, District Environmental Services (DES) Division, Environmental Protection & Oversight (EPO), and Business Operations & Finance, each staffed by highly trained professional, technical, and support personnel operating from multiple branch offices countywide.

The DES Division, the largest within the department, administers seven major programs focused on compliance through education and partnership with regulated businesses. The EPO Division, comprised of the Environmental Resources Management and Hazardous Materials Management Branches, oversees key programs involving hazardous materials, water systems, land use, and emergency response. The Hazardous Materials Management Branch (HMMB) also serves as the County’s Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA).

The Business Operations & Finance Division provides essential administrative, fiscal, and analytical services that support the entire department’s operations and mission.

The Director will guide these divisions in advancing regulatory compliance, enhancing program effectiveness, and ensuring alignment with State and local environmental health mandates. This role requires a forward-thinking leader capable of strengthening partnerships, driving innovation, and fostering a culture of service excellence.

The ideal candidate for Director of Environmental Health is a seasoned and forward-thinking executive with a proven record of leadership in a large Environmental Health department, division, or comparable regulatory entity. This individual brings deep expertise in environmental health operations, land‑use development, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory compliance paired with the strategic vision needed to guide a complex, countywide public health organization.

The successful candidate will be an influential leader capable of advancing high‑impact initiatives, strengthening regulatory programs, and representing Riverside County with professionalism and authority. Overseeing large, multi‑disciplinary teams and directing professional, technical, and administrative staff across multiple locations.

Riverside County Department of Environmental Health (RCDEH) is one of California’s most comprehensive and geographically expansive environmental health agencies, serving a vast and diverse region that includes one of the state’s largest counties. With a broad regulatory portfolio, RCDEH oversees complex programs that protect public health, ensure environmental safety, and support responsible land use and economic development. The department delivers services through multiple divisions, highly specialized program areas, and strategically located branch offices, enabling effective oversight of urban, rural, and remote communities alike.

RCDEH’s scale, scope, and regional influence make it a critical leader in advancing environmental health practices across Southern California.

• Provide executive leadership in planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating all Environmental Health programs; ensure policies, procedures, and operational methods are effective, consistent with departmental goals, and aligned with countywide public health and environmental standards.
• Direct the development, administration, and oversight of the Environmental Health annual budget and program plan; ensure alignment with strategic priorities, regulatory mandates, and fiscal integrity.
• Represent the County in discussions with state and federal agencies regarding…