Director of Environmental Health (HELP Program)

About the role

The work involves responsibility for planning, directing, and administering the environmental health programs and performing environmental engineering duties of the Cayuga County Health Department. The position entails administration, management, and direction of the environmental health division of the County Health Department; advising local officials and the general public in regard to environmental health problems involving environmental engineering practices and the measures necessary for improvements and compliance with legal requirements; providing leadership in promoting public health through application of environmental health practices; enforcing the provisions of local and state Public Health Laws, State and County regulations, and Sanitary Codes in relation to environmental health matters.

Responsibilities

• Plans, develops, directs and administers the environmental health programs and supervises the work of subordinate staff;
• Prepares budget for and evaluates environmental health programs;
• Directs compliance with the provisions of the Public Health Law, Local Laws, State Sanitary Code, County Sanitary Code, and Watershed Rules and Regulations relating to indoor and outdoor air quality, environmental exposures, public water supplies, sewerage and waste disposal, operation of water treatment plants, operation of swimming pools, bathing beaches, mobile home parks, camps, hotels, motels, migrant labor housing, children’s camps, tanning salons, restaurants, and institutional food establishments, approval of realty subdivisions, tobacco, water quality, lead poisoning prevention, public health nuisances and related matters;
• Directs rabies control programs and activities;
• Analyzes bulletins, regulations, and scientific reports, and other informational material regarding new developments in environmental science and engineering in order to initiate and execute necessary changes and adaptations;
• Prepares public information and speaks to news media, government officials, the public, and professional organizations regarding environmental health and environmental engineering issues and concerns;
• Investigates, studies, analyzes, and evaluates a variety of environmental problems in order to apply engineering knowledge to develop solutions;
• Responds to environmental emergencies such as toxic spills, floods, loss of water supply, and other problems, and organizes staff to cope with indicated needs;
• Interprets the results of laboratory examinations of air, water, sewage, soil, leachate, dust, mold, paint, and other samples;
• Directs Board of Health hearings for violations of environmental health laws and regulations;
• Reviews engineering plans and reports for remedial clean-up projects involving ground water pollution, construction of water treatment plants and components, realty subdivision proposals, and wastewater treatment systems for compliance with applicable standards;
• Researches, prepares, revises, and evaluates technical reports, studies, and environmental assessments and plans including recommendations on environmental health and environmental engineering problems;
• Makes environmental health investigations of outbreaks of disease;
• Represents the Department of Health on all matters and problems related to environmental health;
• Serves as a liaison and maintains relationships with local, state, federal and other recognized agencies concerning environmental problems and issues;
• Formulates environmental health policies;
• Researches, reviews, and prepares reports on federal, state, and local polices, rules and regulations involving current technical environmental matters;
• Prepares local laws and rules and regulations applicable to environmental health and water quality;
• Supervises, prepares, and assists in the preparation of grant applications for state and federal funds regarding environmental health;
• Participates in public health preparedness activities as trained and assigned;
• Utilizes appropriate methods for interacting effectively and professionally with persons of all ages and from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, lifestyles and physical abilities;
• Prepares training classes for wastewater treatment system inspectors;
• Utilizes appropriate methods for interacting effectively and professionally with persons of all ages and from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, lifestyles and physical abilities.

Requirements

• Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York Registered college or university with a Bachelor's degree in environmental, chemical, civil, public health or related engineering, and 4 years of experience in an engineering discipline;
• Possession of a valid New York State professional engineering license.

Special Requirements

• Possession of an appropriate level NYS Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.