Environmental Health Specialist

About the role

Lake County Public Health Agency (LCPHA), an EOE employer, seeks a full-time Environmental Health Specialist to join our Consumer Protection (retail food, tobacco, schools and childcare) inspection program. This is either an entry-level inspector position within the Lake County Environmental Health Program where training is provided, or a position for someone with previous experience and training.

Responsibilities

• Counsels, educates, and consults with retail food establishments, tobacco retail establishments, schools and childcares regarding health and safety regulations.
• Conducts retail food, temporary events with food, and retail tobacco compliance inspections in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations and ordinances.
• Conducts retail food establishment plan reviews and pre-operational inspections as required.
• Manages administrative duties related to retail food licensing and utilizes provided software to manage permits.
• Works closely with CDPHE to ensure all regulations are met in Lake County.
• Issues retail food licenses and permit reviews for special events.
• Works with the schools, childcare, retail food industry, and the public to reduce environmental health related health and safety risks.
• Performs investigations of public complaints related to health and safety.
• Conducts epidemiological investigations related to school, childcare, and retail food illness outbreaks and complaints and trains in pandemic or illness related emergency preparedness.
• Serves on and participates with various committees and professional groups dealing with environmental health regulations, community safety, and emergency preparedness.
• Travel and attend environmental health trainings, meetings, workshops, and conferences which may include overnight travel as needed.
• Updates Environmental Health web pages and posts to Public Health social media to provide public information, reduce environmental health-related safety risks, and raise awareness of special health issues.
• Cross-trained to work Public Health front desk and assist with administrative duties and Vital Records when necessary.
• Fosters teamwork and open communication among staff; participates in office meetings, team-building activities, and trainings.
• Performs other duties, as assigned.

Requirements

General qualifications: - Bachelor's degree in public health, environmental health, environmental science, natural sciences, or closely related field. Equivalent experience may be substituted for education. - Public contact experience in a service-related field with the ability to remain flexible and sensitive to a clientele diverse in age, ethnicity, and maturity. - Preferred CDPHE Standardized Retail Food Inspector or FDA Standardized Retail Food Inspector - Preferred NEHA REHS/RS credential or ability to obtain credential. - Ability to work as part of a team. Effectively communicate and work with co-workers, clients, other agencies, and the public. - Ability to assess situations and make prudent and appropriate decisions; ability to apply conflict resolution and problem-solving skills to minimize negative personal impact. - Ability to effectively manage time and maintain organization with keen attention to detail; ability to complete quality work amidst multiple, competing priorities. - Superior verbal and written communication skills and effective listening skills.

Qualifications

Additional qualifications: - Six (6) months to acquire the necessary experience and certification to obtain the full-title of Environmental Health Specialist – Consumer Protection. - Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred. - Majority of time spent in the field. - Exposure to hazards related to restaurant environments including but not limited to chemicals, cooking byproducts, and noise. - Physical demands: prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer, prolonged periods of standing or walking, frequent bending, kneeling, reaching, or climbing, ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds, occasionally pushing, pulling, or moving objects, use of hands for repetitive motions such as typing, writing, or operating equipment, visual acuity to read and produce accurate documents and materials, hearing ability sufficient to respond to spoken communication, ability to climb stairs, ability to operate motor vehicles, standard office environment with controlled temperature and lighting, work performed in a loud, noisy, or distracting environment, exposure to fumes, chemicals, or hazardous materials, interaction with the public, sometimes in high-pressure or emotionally charged situations, travel to offsite locations or satellite facilities, work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven, or high-volume environment, may be required to work occasional outreach events on weekends or evenings.

Skills

Not applicable

Benefits

Employee Benefits | Lake County, CO

Pay

Competitive salary, depending upon experience.

Schedule

Full-time, in person position.