Environmental Health Specialist - Registered - Associate

Placer County offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees. The following information represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change. Applicants should inquire as to the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Human Resources Department.

To administer and enforce federal, state and local statutes, ordinances and regulations related to public health and sanitation; to encourage sound sanitary and environmental health practices; and to protect the environment and the public.

This is the second level class in the Registered Environmental Health Specialist series. This class is distinguished from the Assistant Registered Environmental Health Specialist by the assignment of more complex duties. Employees at this level receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise, are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies within the work unit and are often assigned special projects requiring advanced knowledge of statues, ordinances, and regulations related to public health and sanitation. Positions in this class are flexibly staffed and are normally filled by advancement from the Assistant level upon demonstration of competency and knowledge involving the administration and enforcement of statutes, ordinances, and regulations related to public health and sanitation. In some cases, depending on the complexity of duties and job performance, an employee may remain classified as an Assistant Registered Environmental Health Specialist indefinitely.
The Associate Registered Environmental Health Specialist is distinguished from the Senior Registered Environmental Health Specialist in that the latter is an advanced journey level where incumbents perform the most complex and specialized work in environmental health and act in a lead capacity assigning, directing, and reviewing the work of an environmental health team.

Receives direction from the Supervising Environmental Health Specialist and may receive technical and functional supervision from the Senior Registered Environmental Health Specialist. May exercise technical and functional supervision over assigned technical, clerical, and less experienced professional staff.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Inspect and evaluate restaurants and other retail food establishments, public bathing, spa, and other recreational and institutional facilities that are of a more complex nature; provide food handling education and other relevant public health and sanitation information; and participate in state-mandated food recalls.
• Participate in environmental review process of assigned projects; identify and evaluate concerns regarding discretionary entitlement applications; process environmental assessment questionnaires and environmental impact reports; provide information regarding public health and sanitation issues involved in projects to proponents, the public, and public hearing bodies.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other County employees, and the public using principles of good customer service.
• Provide collection and information services for household hazardous waste; respond to hazardous materials release/threatened release and provide technical assistance as part of an emergency response team; and respond to complaints or requests for service from public regarding hazardous materials/waste storage, use, or disposal in business, institutional, or private residential settings.
• Conduct investigations and assessments and respond to complaints involving issues of environmental health and sanitation; work with affected parties in resolution of problems and issues; prepare cases for referral to the District Attorney or conduct immediate enforcement actions; and coordinate with other County divisions and departments and other public agencies and jurisdictions to protect the public health.
• Provide information to the public regarding more complex environmental health and sanitation issues and respond to questions and inquiries in the office, by telephone, in person at field sites, or through educational presentations; prepare staff and regulatory reports and correspondences; and establish and maintains appropriate and accurate files and records.
• Inspect and evaluate facilities that handle hazardous materials and hazardous wastes; review hazardous materials business plans for regulatory compliance; inspect above ground containers and underground storage tanks; and approve plans for and monitor underground storage tank removal and installation.
• Evaluate existing sewage disposal and water treatment installations and facilities for regulatory compliance; evaluate need for expansion or replacement of treatment systems; evaluate well sites and well construction for code compliance and acceptance as domestic water supply; and test and assess public drinking water potability.
• Conduct site assessments as part of environmental review process; develop recommendations for approval or denial; make environmental health findings to County Planning Department and draft comments as opinion from Environmental Health Division; and represent the Division in public hearings as directed.
• Conduct site evaluations of proposed developments, including soils testing, to determine site capability for sewage disposal; evaluate submitted designs and proposed septic systems relative to site conditions; evaluate feasibility of proposed subdivisions and set conditions for approval; and recommend approval or denial of variances and appeals.
• Conduct compliance inspections of public drinking water systems and evaluate laboratory testing data related to state and federal safe drinking water standards.
• Evaluate solid waste handling and disposal facilities; review and recommend approval of or note exceptions to engineering reports regarding construction, operation, monitoring, and closure/post closure maintenance and use; and respond to complaints and inquiries from the public regarding solid waste handling and disposal.
• Perform related duties as assigned.
• Conduct plan checks of new or remodel construction plans for restaurant, pool and spa facilities, and hazardous materials storage and monitoring systems relative to regulatory compliance; investigate complaints about sewage and various public health nuisances; conduct epidemiological investigations; handle housing and vector complaints; and investigate food borne illnesses.

Required License or Certificate:

• May need to possess a valid driver’s license as required by the position. Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.
• Possession of registration as an Environmental Health Specialist issued by the State of California Department of Public Health.
• Within six (6) months of assignment to hazardous materials enforcement, Certificate of Completion of Training of forty (40) Hour OSHA Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Materials Categorization, Advanced Class.

Training & Experience Rating (100%)

Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training, and experience will be evaluated using a pre-determined formula. Scores from this evaluation will determine applicant ranking and placement on the eligible list.

Length of Probation:

• All permanent appointments to this classification shall serve a probationary period of twelve (12) calendar months or two thousand eighty (2,080) hours, whichever is more.

Bargaining Unit:

• Professional

Prior to the date of hire, applicants must undergo a fingerprint test by the Department of Justice, pass a medical examination (which may include a drug screening and possibly a psychological evaluation), sign a constitutional oath, and submit proof of U.S. citizenship or legal right to remain and work in the U.S. For some positions, applicants may also be required to submit proof of age, undergo a background investigation (which may include a voice stress analysis and/or a polygraph), and/or be bonded. Additionally, positions in law enforcement classifications and those supporting law enforcement functions will be required to complete a conviction history questionnaire prior to or during the interview process. Applicants for positions with access to Medi-Cal billing software or who are licensed providers must clear the Federal Exclusion List, credentialing, and social security verification. Failure to clear these requirements may result in an employment offer being withdrawn.

Placer County offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process.

Thank you for your interest in employment with Placer County. Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are prohibited and that all employees, applicants, agents, contractors, and interns/volunteers shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, transfer, and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, race (including traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, ancestry, religion (including creed and belief), national origin, citizenship, physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including parental status, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), political orientation, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Please contact the Human Resources Department at least 5 working days before a scheduled examination if you require accommodation in the examination process. Medical disability verification may be required prior to accommodation.