Environmental Health Specialist I

Virginia Information Technologies Agency•Chesapeake, VA

1d•$44,192 - $47,108•Onsite

About The Position

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is seeking an Environmental Health Specialist I to join their team in Chesapeake, Virginia. This role supports the VDH's mission to protect and improve the health of people in Virginia by providing public health services to the Chesapeake community. The specialist will work in consultation with supervisors to ensure program elements are conducted according to VDH regulations, state, and local policies. This position involves implementing quality assurance plans, responding to reports using epidemiological research, on-site evaluations, and field testing. The role also includes performing various environmental health duties such as food safety inspections, ensuring proper sewage disposal and well maintenance, preventing disease transmission from rabies, monitoring public facilities, and conducting sanitary inspections.

Requirements

Basic knowledge of biology, epidemiology, chemistry, mathematics, and statistics.
Ability to interpret complex federal, state, and local environmental health policies, regulations, and laws.
Skill in communication, both oral and written; ability to deal with the public and resolve conflict in a regulatory setting.
Experience preparing thorough documentation and reports of regulatory activities.
Skill as an educator/trainer of environmental health principles.
Ability to interpret and enforce laws and regulations governing environmental health programs.
Ability to analyze information and make recommendations; to receive, understand, and perform tasks as instructed by supervisor; to perform physically demanding tasks.
Must be DPOR licensed master alternative onsite soil evaluator or master conventional onsite soil evaluator, VDH standardized in food or National Shellfish Sanitation Program State Standardized Inspector to qualify as EHS II.
A valid State Driver's License is required to operate a state vehicle or if operating a personal vehicle while conducting business on behalf of the agency.

Nice To Haves

Computer software knowledge preferred

Responsibilities

Assure that all elements of the program are conducted according to VDH regulations, state and local policies.
Implement and promote quality assurance plans by complying with all applicable agency standards established by regulation and policy.
Respond to reports using epidemiological research (interviews, case histories, sample collection), on-site evaluation, field testing, and interpretation of laboratory results.
Perform food-related field duties to ensure state and local mandates are met; record, submit, and update establishment profiles and risk data; issue permits and monitor permit status; conduct plan reviews for new and existing facilities.
Protect public health from disease transmission and groundwater pollution associated with raw or partially treated sewage by ensuring the proper location, evaluation, design and construction, and operation and maintenance of Sewage Disposal Systems and Private Wells.
Prevent human illness and disease transmission from rabies by understanding the virus and implementing the Virginia Guidelines for Rabies Prevention and Control and all other applicable laws, regulations, and policies.
Monitor swimming pools, child and adult care facilities, hotels and motels, and migrant labor camps.
Document observations and corrective actions on the appropriate inspection report.
Conduct EH sanitary inspections upon request.
Conduct general environmental complaint investigations for assigned program area(s) with follow-up enforcement action taken when necessary.
Respond to environmental complaints to include but not limited to rodents, insects, and general environmental concerns.
Achieve resolution of complaints within a reasonable timeframe.