You are viewing a preview of this job. Log in or register to view more details about this job.

Environmental Health Specialist

Kitsap Public Health District
Email

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST

Drinking Water & Onsite Sewage Program

OUR ROLE: Do you want to do meaningful work that has a real impact in our community? Please come join our team-oriented, family-friendly organization of over 130 talented public health professionals. We work hard every day to keep Kitsap County safe and healthy.
 
DEFINITION: Under the direction of the Drinking Water & Onsite Sewage Program Manager, the incumbent is responsible for performing environmental health services, mandated by local, State, and federal regulations governing drinking water supplies and onsite sewage systems. The specific functions of this position are to protect the public from coming into contact with sewage and ensuring that ground and surface water are not contaminated. Failure to perform tasks essential to the position could result in the negative impact of the public's health. It is the responsibility of this position to see that drinking water supplies and onsite sewage systems are developed, constructed, and maintained appropriately in accordance with State and local regulations. The incumbent will initially perform program duties with an emphasis on onsite sewage system Monitoring and Maintenance (M&M) regulations and compliance.
 
STATUS: Regular Status, Full Time Appointment - 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday. Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required.
 
BENEFITS: The District offers a comprehensive health benefit plan which includes medical, dental, and life coverages, including several voluntary plan selections through The Standard, Aflac, and Met Life. The District provides medical and dental coverage contribution percentages of the average medical and dental insurance premium costs for full time employees as follows: Employee @ 100%, Employee & Spouse @ 90%, Employee & Child(ren) @ 90%, and Full Family coverage @ 85%. Benefits include generous paid time off, and twelve paid holidays per year. Includes participation in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), a defined benefit retirement plan managed by the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems as well as Social Security. Several deferred compensation retirement savings plans are also offered.

OTHER: After a successful initial trial service period, generally after completion of at least three months and up to six months, a limited teleworking agreement may be established as mutually beneficial.  

Essential Functions

  • Enforces onsite sewage system and Monitoring & Maintenance (M&M) regulations. Strives to gain voluntary compliance, when possible, from violators.
  • Reviews septic system Monitoring & Maintenance inspection reports for compliance with septic regulations.
  • Performs M&M data entry as assigned. Monitors M&M contract status.
  • Investigates M&M related complaints.
  • Issues Notice and Order to Correct Violation letters to non-compliant property owners. Issues Civil Infractions as needed.
  • Responds to public inquiries and provides information to the public regarding Onsite Sewage and M&M rules and regulations.
  • Reviews Property Conveyance Inspection and Water Status Report applications.
  • Reviews drainfield aeration applications and monitors contract status for two years.
  • Reviews design applications for onsite sewage disposal to determine compliance with state and county regulations.
  • Conducts onsite sewage system installation inspections for onsite sewage systems to determine compliance with state and local regulations.
  • Conducts wellsite inspections for private and public water supplies to determine compliance with state and local regulations.
  • Reviews building site applications to determine compliance with state and local drinking water regulations.
  • Conducts plan reviews for new, expanding, and existing non-expanding private and public water supplies.
  • Prepares water status reports for drinking water supply compliance status.
  • Represents the District in interagency meetings and activities as assigned or as needed.
  • Establishes and maintains effective communications and working relationships with outside agencies, community organizations, industry professionals, news media, and the public.
  • Provides technical assistance to the public, and federal, state, and local agency personnel, and District staff on program related activities.
  • Conducts public education and outreach events/activities to promote adequate onsite systems operations and maintenance.
  • Prepares technical reports, activity reports, and other correspondence, and performs related work as assigned or as needed.
  • Develops program-related educational materials and makes educational presentations to community groups and the public.
  • Keeps current on onsite sewage, drinking water and water quality issues, technologies, and regulations.
  • Attends meetings with federal, state, and local agencies.
  • Accurately completes and submits electronic time record on a weekly basis.
  • With the Program Manager and colleagues, works to develop, encourage, and sustain a team-oriented work environment.
  • Demonstrates cultural competency and embeds health equity into all aspects of assigned work and associated interactions.
  • Models a Go Lean Six Sigma organizational culture that promotes the practice of respect for people, openness, trust, safety, transparency, collaborative problem solving, managing with data, in the pursuit of incremental continuous quality improvement and assurance.
  • Responds to public health emergencies as required by the District.
  • Establishes and maintains cooperative, effective working relationships with coworkers, other employees, and the public, using principles of good customer service.
  • Reports for work with regular, reliable, and punctual attendance.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

 PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS

  • Work is performed both indoors in an office environment and in the field.
  • Requires the ability to communicate with others orally, face-to-face and by telephone.
  • Requires manual and finger dexterity and hand-eye-arm coordination to write and to operate computers and a variety of general office equipment. Requires mobility to accomplish other desktop work, retrieve files, and to move to various locations.
  • Requires visual acuity to read computer screens, printed materials, and detailed information. Essential duties may involve occasional kneeling, squatting, crouching, stooping, crawling, standing, bending, climbing (to stack, store or retrieve supplies or various office or field equipment).
  • While performing field work, the incumbent is regularly required to work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions and walk on rough, uneven or rocky surfaces. The incumbent is frequently required to stand and/or walk for extended periods of time.
  • Required to use hand-to-eye coordination, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls. The incumbent is frequently required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and smell in the performance of field and office duties.
  • Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
  • Duties, including off-site visits, require the incumbent to carry supplies and/or equipment up and down stairs as well as into and out of a vehicle on a daily basis.
  • May occasionally be required to work a varying schedule which may include evenings and weekends.
  • Duties require carrying a cell phone or other electronic device as well as being available to work as needed to meet District needs.
  • The nature of the work also requires occasionally working in environments which may include exposure to toxic or hazardous gasses, chemicals, or bio-substances and wearing protective clothing or apparatus.
  • Exposure to individuals from the public who are upset, angry, agitated and sometimes hostile, requiring the use of conflict management and coping skills.
  • Frequently required to perform work in confidence and under pressure for deadlines, and to maintain professional composure and tact, patience and courtesy at all times.
  • The environment is dynamic and constantly changing, resulting in continually re-evaluating and shifting priorities.

Education & Experience

Environmental Health Specialist 1

  • Bachelor's degree in environmental health or environmental science, or a bachelor's degree with a minimum of 45 quarter hours (30 semester hours) in physics, chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, microbiology, epidemiology, biostatistics, and college-level algebra or higher mathematics.

Environmental Health Specialist 2-RS

  • Bachelor's degree in environmental health or environmental science, or a bachelor's degree in a related field with a minimum of 45 quarter hours (30 semester hours) in physics, chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, microbiology, epidemiology, biostatistics, and college-level algebra or higher mathematics; and
  • Two or more years of experience as an environmental health specialist in a public health agency or in the armed forces.

Degrees must be from appropriately accredited institutions.

KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES
Knowledge of: 

  • The field of assignment sufficient to perform thoroughly and accurately the full scope of responsibility as illustrated by example in this description.
  • Principles, procedures, functions and practices in the environmental health field. Program planning, preparation of public health advisory information and education programs and development of codes, ordinances, policies and procedures; recordkeeping; and complex mathematics.
  • Methods and techniques of conducting research, analysis and report preparation.
  • Correct English usage including grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
  • Communication business practices including electronic, telephone or direct public contact.
  • Computer operation and a variety of software including word processing, spreadsheet, database and other applications related to the area of assignment.

 Ability to:

  • Listen attentively and communicate effectively and persuasively, both orally and in writing, in clear, concise language appropriate for the purpose and parties addressed, concerning complex or sensitive matters, including making presentations to diverse audiences.
  • Conduct field inspections, analyze findings and prepare logical findings and recommendations.
  • Use tact, discretion, respect and courtesy to gain the cooperation of others and establish and maintain effective working relationships with rapport with co-workers, volunteers, other programs, officials, representatives of other agencies and businesses, and diverse members of the public.
  • Read, understand, interpret and apply appropriately the terminology, instructions, policies, procedures, legal requirements and regulations pertinent to the area of assignment.
  • Assure that absolute confidentiality is maintained as required and sensitive information is handled appropriately.
  • Fulfill the commitment of the District to provide outstanding customer service.
  • Organize, prioritize and coordinate work assignments. Work effectively in a multi-task environment. Take appropriate initiative. Apply good judgment, creativity and logical thinking to obtain potential solutions to unique problems and to make reasoned decisions within the scope of knowledge and authority or refer to the appropriate person.
  • Be attentive to detail, consistently follow written and oral instructions and guidelines, maintain a high degree of accuracy and complete records, make complex mathematical calculations, check data, and prepare and review material in reports and correspondence.
  • Proficiently and accurately operate office and other equipment standard to the area of assignment.
  • Utilize computers, databases and related software and automated equipment to produce worksheets and reports, typing with sufficient speed and accuracy to accomplish assignments in a timely manner.
  • Communicate orally and in writing to a variety of audiences in a clear, comprehensive, effective and professional manner.
  • Gather and analyze data and develop clear, concise and comprehensive reports, correspondence and other written materials.
  • Exercise discretion and sound independent judgment in decision making.
  • Coordinate, organize, and prioritize work, follow directions, instructions and protocol in the course of duties assigned.
  • Work both independently and cooperatively within a collaborative team-oriented environment.
  • Maintain current knowledge for assigned areas and adapt to new technologies, keeping technical skills up to date.

Licenses, Certificates & Other Requirements

  • Environmental Health Specialist 2-RS requires possession of a valid Registered Sanitarian (RS) License from the Washington State Board of Registered Sanitarians or the National Environmental Health Association.
  • Acquisition of a valid Registered Sanitarian credential is recommended within two (2) years of hire.
  • Possession of a valid State of Washington Wastewater Treatment Systems Inspector Certificate of competency must be attained at a time established by the District, generally within eighteen months of hire.
  • Performance of job duties requires driving on a regular basis, a valid Washington State driver's license, the use of the incumbent's personal motor vehicle, and proof of appropriate auto insurance.

All required certificates, registrations, or licenses must be maintained in an active status without suspension or revocation throughout employment.
 
To view the posting and to complete and submit the required electronic application, please visit the Careers section of our website at kitsappublichealth.org or go to GovernmentJobs.com.