Environmental Health Specialist 1 (PN 20013799)

State of Ohio • Dayton, OH

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Ohio Department of Health is hiring an Environmental Health Specialist 1 in the Bureau of Environmental Health and Radiation Protection. The role conducts environmental health program evaluations, inspections, surveys, investigations, and enforcement activities in assigned areas, which may include food safety and agricultural labor camps. The position is headquartered in Montgomery County, Ohio, and requires the employee to provide their own transportation.

The specialist investigates complaints, advises complainants, local health departments, and industry, and conducts field investigations across assigned public health areas. The role also helps local health department staff resolve environmental science issues, supports foodborne outbreak investigations and investigations of illnesses associated with unsanitary conditions, prepares reports and correspondence using a personal computer, and assists in developing educational materials.

The position is permanent, full-time, and classified under the OCSEA union. Normal hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Compensation begins at $31.47 per hour at Pay Grade 32, Step 1, with an opportunity to increase to $32.84 per hour after six months of satisfactory performance and yearly raises thereafter. The selected candidate must obtain registration as an environmental health specialist in training or as an environmental health specialist before practicing environmental health, and no later than 90 days after employment begins. A criminal background check is required for the final candidate.

Requirements

• Obtain registration as an environmental health specialist in training or environmental health specialist before practicing environmental health, and no later than 90 days from the employment date.
• Meet one of the specified education and experience pathways: a bachelor’s degree with at least 45 quarter or 30 semester units of approved science courses and at least two years of full-time employment as an environmental health specialist; a bachelor’s degree with a major in environmental health science that included an approved internship and at least one year of full-time employment as an environmental health specialist; or a degree higher than a bachelor’s degree with the specified approved science coursework and at least one year of full-time employment as an environmental health specialist.
• Provide own transportation.
• Science coursework, where applicable, must be in biology, chemistry, physics, geology, mathematics, or statistics and be applicable to environmental health science.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in a physical or environmental science.
• Experience working with food safety rules and regulations.
• Experience working with government officials and/or local agencies.
• Experience providing technical assistance and/or consultation regarding food safety.
• Experience conducting inspections, investigations, or program evaluations.
• Experience preparing and delivering trainings and presentations.
• Experience gathering data and writing technical reports or letters.
• Experience using computer software such as Word and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Conduct program evaluations, inspections, surveys, investigations, and enforcement activities in assigned environmental health science areas.
• Investigate complaints and recommend courses of action to complainants, local health departments, and/or industry.
• Conduct field investigations in assigned public health areas and provide advice and consultation to local health departments and industry.
• Assist local health department staff in resolving environmental science issues, including food safety, radon, campgrounds, agricultural labor camps, body art, resident camps, pools and spas, private water systems, sewage treatment systems, hazardous and toxic substances, consumer product safety, and lead.
• Assist local health departments with foodborne outbreak investigations and investigations of illnesses associated with unsanitary conditions.
• Prepare reports and correspondence using a personal computer.
• Assist staff in developing educational materials.

Benefits

• Medical coverage.
• Free dental, vision, and basic life insurance premiums after completion of the eligibility period.
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, and sick leave, and 11 paid holidays per year.
• Childbirth, adoption, and foster care leave.
• Education and development opportunities, including employee development funds and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
• Public retirement systems, including OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS, and optional deferred compensation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level