Environmental Health Specialist I or II - Food Safety

Clark County, WA•Vancouver, WA

60d•$30 - $46•Hybrid

About The Position

Positions of this class are responsible for protecting the health of citizens by enforcing environmental health rules and regulations in the County's service area. Employees are usually assigned to one of the following specialized areas: subsurface sewage disposal, retail food establishment, solid and hazardous waste, or water quality. Assists in other environmental health programs as assigned. Our department values our community's diversity and seeks ways to promote equity and inclusion within the organization and with the public. Our department also encourages applications from candidates with knowledge, ability and experience working with a broad range of individuals and communities with diverse racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds. This is a full-time position represented by LIUNA Local 335. This position has the option of a remote/hybrid work schedule possibility. However, the candidate selected must reside in OR or WA, no exceptions. Candidates must be available to perform frequent fieldwork responsibility throughout Clark County. The basic job duties of the Food Safety EHS include: Design/Plan Review - the EHS will review designs and plans such as food establishment floor plans, food preparation plans, and Toolkits of various topics. This review is critical to ensure the facility or infrastructure and operational plans are in compliance with State and Local requirements. Site Inspections - the EHS will ensure food establishment matches design and plan criteria and that operations are conducted in compliance with state and local codes. These inspections ensure processes and practices protect the public health and prevent injury. Enforcement of Regulation - an EHS will routinely initiate enforcement when regulations are not met. The goal is to ensure compliance with public health rules. It is common for an EHS to issue Follow-up inspections, Probation Inspection, and sometimes temporary Closure Notices. In some instances, the EHS will partner with other agencies that can improve the process or offer resources to the one with whom enforcement is being pursued. Complaint and Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigation - an EHS will investigate complaints and illness potentially associated with a food establishment by performing record research, site visits, interviews, and investigations. Investigations can include obtaining clinical specimens, collecting food samples, and tracing possible sources of contamination, and working with external partners. All complaint and outbreak investigations conclude with a written summary of findings. Technical Assistance - the EHS often provides technical expertise and education to property owners, business owners, food workers, the general public, entrepreneurs, county departments, and other stakeholders. This task can include significant research and communication. Subject areas most commonly include food safety practices, regulatory requirements, and facility requirements. The position may be asked to work in other EPH programs as needed. Organizational responsibilities include understanding and promoting the public health mission of the department; providing courteous, respectful, efficient customer service to all Public Health customers; honoring diversity of all department employees and constituents; participating in Emergency Preparedness activities and on-call rotations; striving for personal excellence in public health work.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science degree in environmental health or a closely related area.
Two years successful experience in obtaining compliance with environmental health standards (EHSII classification only - if hired, applicants with less than 2 years of directly applicable experience will be classifies as an EHSI).
Registration as a Sanitarian preferred.
Any satisfactory equivalent combination of experience and training which ensures the ability to perform the work may be substituted.
Principles, practices, and terminology of environmental public health.
Standard methods and techniques of inspectional work in environmental sanitation and public health.
Core competencies for Public Health Professionals.
Environmental public health laws, regulations, and investigative techniques.
Applicable rules and regulations for the field of Food Safety.
Bacteriology, chemistry, physics, biology, and other sciences as applied to environmental public health.
Key components of cultural competency; awareness of differences, attitude to examine believes and values, knowledge of differences and skills to work across cultures effectively and appropriately;
Effective verbal and written communication techniques.
Public relations techniques.
Work weekend, evening, and holiday shifts as assigned, on a scheduled rotation.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with the public, supervisors, co-workers, business establishments, and food worker.
Work independently with minimal supervision and attention to detail.
Work outdoors for extended periods under a wide variety of weather conditions.
Interpret, apply, and enforce applicable laws, regulations, requirements, and policies of the specialty area.
Recognize potential health hazards and prescribe corrective actions.
Work collaboratively with others to improve systems.
Express ideas effectively, in writing, in-person, on the phone, and virtually.
Gain cooperation through discussion and persuasion.
Effectively use various PC applications and office technology such as a smartphone, personal computer, Microsoft Office software, email, and internet to accomplish job functions.
Effectively and respectfully work with persons from diverse backgrounds including; age, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, socioeconomic status, physical characteristics, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, veteran status, health status, genetic predisposition, political belief, mental or physical ability.
Identify the role of cultural, social, and behavioral factors in determining the delivery of Public Health services.
Perform work duties that routine require lifting of at least 15lbs, stooping, bending, walking over sloped and/or uneven ground and other varied environments and conditions.
Possess a valid driver's license, insurance, and have access to reliable transportation.
Must be available to work weekend, evening, and holiday shifts on a pre-scheduled rotation.
Must successfully complete basic incident management courses and participate in emergency response trainings as requested.
Must be able to respond to public health emergencies or exercises at any time, except while on scheduled vacation or other leave.
Must protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal law.
Must adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines, including but not limited to timely completion of mandatory trainings.
Must adhere to the Department employee immunity policy and provide documents as requested.

Nice To Haves

Registration as a Sanitarian preferred.

Responsibilities

Resolves complaints concerning food borne illnesses by interviewing individuals, obtaining clinical specimens, collecting food samples, interviewing employees, tracing possible sources of contamination, consulting with state epidemiologist, evaluating findings and writing reports.
Conducts compliance inspections of restaurants, grocery stores, taverns, bakeries, meat markets, weekend events, and other retail food establishments according to assigned schedule.
Records violations found during inspections, evaluates findings, discusses with person in charge, and establishes short and long-term corrective actions.
Makes follow-up evaluations and initiates enforcement procedures when necessary.
Provides information on building requirements for new and remodeled food establishments and answers questions from the public regarding public health requirements for food service establishments.
Reviews plans for food establishments and conducts inspections to see that requirements are met.
Gives presentations to groups regarding the prevention of food borne illnesses and proper food handling procedures.
Participates on internal and external work groups, committees, and coalitions
Projects as assigned by manager, such as participating in grant writing or program evaluation activities.

Benefits

Clark County provides regular full-time and part-time employees with a comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, vision and dental insurance, paid leave, flexible spending accounts, life insurance and long-term disability, retirement, and deferred compensation.
Some types of employees in some positions and bargaining units might have different benefits and additional compensation.
More specific benefit information for the different bargaining units can be found at https://clark.wa.gov/human-resources/employee-benefits.
Also please refer to the specific bargaining unit contract for additional compensation at https://clark.wa.gov/human-resources/documents.

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