Fabrication Coordinator

About Harris County Public Health

Harris County Public Health (HCPH) includes a network of more than 1,100 public health professionals working together to improve health outcomes for the third most populous county in the United States. HCPH provides a multitude of services such as medical and dental services, community programming, and health education for the approximately 2.3 million people in unincorporated Harris County. Through its core values of innovation, engagement, and health equity, HCPH strives to bring meaningful solutions to public health issues while keeping Harris County healthy and vibrant.

• Transparency - We share information openly and honestly so that staff, partners, and the community understand our actions and the reasons behind them.
• Integrity - Our actions reflect strong ethical principles, ensuring we remain trustworthy, accountable, and consistent with our mission.
• Respect - We foster a supportive environment by valuing diverse perspectives, listening intentionally, and treating people with dignity in every interaction.
• Impact - We focus our efforts on activities that improve health, reduce disparities, and create meaningful, measurable outcomes for the communities we serve.
• Collaboration - We actively partner across teams, disciplines, organizations, and communities to align our efforts toward common goals.

About the Role

Under the supervision of the Mosquito & Vector Control Division (MVCD) Office of Directors, the Fabrication Coordinator facilitates the daily operations of all MVCD sections, provides education/training, performs duties that facilitate the inventory and orderly function of the various kinds of equipment needed for surveillances, field operations, and research. The Fabrication Coordinator will play a key role in maintaining novel equipment, ensuring operational efficiency, and coordinating training, developing reporting, and training staff in drone operations for MVCD.

Responsibilities

• Perform operational duties including the assembly, building, modification, repair, and support of both routine and novel equipment to support the mission of MVCD.
• Coordinate fabrication projects across all MVCD sections and test fabricated equipment for efficiency and functionality to support optimization for use.
• Conduct mosquito surveillance, including site surveys, trap setup, and retrieval.
• Obtain permissions for trap placement from public and private entities.
• Record and enter field data for surveillance programs.
• Identify mosquitoes in the field and report findings.
• Prepare trapping materials and support supply usage (dry ice, batteries, etc.) for surveillance, field operations, and research.
• Train and assist employees in specimen processing.
• Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), provide cost assessments, maintain records of fabrication expenditures, support re-purposing to optimize budget needs, and equipment.
• Submit requisitions to support fabrication or maintenance of equipment needed for MVCD operations.
• Evaluate, report, maintain, train, and operate the MVCD drone (unmanned aircraft) in alignment with the HCPH MVCD Drone Policy.
• Lead both the testing and support development of new traps for surveillance or MVCD research.
• Support the Testing and Evaluation (T&E) Field Cage Test (FCT) to ensure functionality of equipment as needed.
• Procure supplies and manage inventory for old, new, and experimental surveillance equipment for all vectors.
• Train employees as needed in lab, field operations, proper maintenance and use of equipment, and provide fabrication expertise as needed for operations or special fabrication projects.
• Perform other duties as assigned, including special tasks involved in responding to an emergency event or ad hoc requests from the Directors office in support of the MVCD mission.

Requirements

• Education: High School Education or G.E.D. equivalent.
• Experience: At least four (4) years of experience in the related field of Entomology, Biology, or Public Health.
• Licenses/Certifications:
  • Valid Driver’s License (Texas upon hire).
  • Must obtain a Pesticide Noncommercial Applicator License from the Texas Agriculture Department within one year of employment.

Skills

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite programs including Office 365 (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, etc.).
• Excellent written, verbal communication, and organizational skills.
• Excellent data management for recording, entering, analysis, and reporting on operations, inventory, and drone policy.
• Familiarity with vector biology, habitat, and environmental factors to support design and fabrication.
• Knowledge of mosquito morphology for adults and larvae to genus.
• General knowledge of mosquito biology (e.g., habitat, breed, behavior, life cycle).
• Knowledge of drone operations.
• Understanding of metalwork, construction, and basic electronics to modify and maintain equipment.
• Ability to attain Texas pesticide applicator license.

Core Competencies

• Data Analytics and Assessment Skills: Ability to use data to analyze community health needs and support decisions that improve community health outcomes.
• Communication Skills: Using clear and effective communication to engage audiences, address misinformation, and build trust, supporting informed decisions and stronger public health outcomes.
• Health Advancement Skills: Applying principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion to public health, addressing systemic barriers, and promoting fair access to resources for healthier communities.
• Community Partnership Skills: Collaborating with communities to address the systems and policies affecting health, fostering engagement, shared ownership, and sustainable improvements in well-being.
• Public Health Science Skills: Using public health science and evidence-based approaches to develop and improve policies and programs, ensuring effective delivery of the 10 Essential Public Health Services.

Preferences

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in Fabrication, Engineering, or Biology.
• Licensure: Pass the Part 107 FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) exam to obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate within 18 months of employment.
• Experience: At least five (5) years of related work experience in the related field of Fabrication, Engineering, or Biology.

Schedule

This is a Regular | Full-Time position. 40 hours per week.

• Days and hours of work are Monday – Friday @ 07:30 AM – 04:30 PM.
• Must be willing to flex work hours when required, including weekends.
• Able to travel within Harris County as needed.

Work Environment

The job will have office, field, and lab work.

• Office work: Computer, visual aid usage, filing paperwork, generating documents, etc.
• Field work: Operating a county vehicle safely, appearing/participating/representing MVCD at a variety of functions, conducting outreach and training.
• Fabrication lab work: Working with machinery, using proper personal protective equipment (PPE) when working with high temperature, sharp tools while demonstrating or evaluating novel creations.

May consist of indoor or outdoor venues.

Physical Demands

• Must be able to lift at least 70 lbs.
• Must be able to sit and drive with occasional breaks.
• Must be able to stand for extended periods with occasional breaks.
• Must be able to work nights, weekends, and holidays as required to accomplish the mission of MVCD.
• This position requires working outdoors for extended periods in high heat and humidity while performing duties in a variety of environments, including spoil sites, ship channel locations, asphalt and concrete surfaces, unpaved roads, wooded habitats, fabrication laboratories, and other field locations.

Work Location

Harris County Public Health: Mosquito & Vector Control Division - 3330 Old Spanish Trail, Houston, Texas 77021.

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.