ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II - 42003436 (FOR INTERNAL AGENCY EMPLOYEES ONLY)

State of Florida • Jacksonville Beach, FL

3d • $48,215 - $55,447 • Onsite

About The Position

The Environmental Specialist II works for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Division of Food Safety, Bureau of Quality Management. This internal agency opportunity is open only to current FDACS employees. Headquarters may be located in one of the listed Florida counties, and the employee must reside in an area permitted under Division Policy A-10. The role conducts food-establishment inspections, food sampling, regulatory enforcement, and staff training under applicable Florida laws and rules. Occasional travel is required, and some work may occur evenings, weekends, or holidays, with overnight or extended travel.

The position implements food-safety training and prepares new employees for standardization. It also conducts regulatory inspections of food establishments, evaluates food processes and sanitation controls, documents deficiencies, explains applicable requirements, and takes enforcement actions when warranted. Other duties include inspecting and sampling foods, investigating complaints and food-borne illnesses, maintaining inspection test equipment, completing administrative records, attending designated training, and performing related assignments.

Employees involved in food-establishment inspections under Chapter 500, Florida Statutes, must pass and maintain the training and certification required by Rule 5K-4.021, Florida Administrative Code, within 12 months of appointment. A valid Class E driver license is required. The successful applicant must pass a background screening, including fingerprinting.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent plus one year of experience in environmental protection, regulation, or health; a physical or natural science; agriculture; or engineering; or a high school diploma or equivalent plus six months of experience as an Environmental Specialist I or higher with the State of Florida; or a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Possession of a valid Class E driver license.
• Employees appointed to positions conducting food-establishment inspections under Chapter 500, Florida Statutes, must pass and maintain the training and certification required by Rule 5K-4.021, Florida Administrative Code, within 12 months of appointment.
• Must reside in an area specified in Division Policy A-10.
• Occasional travel is required; some tasks require evening, weekend, and/or holiday activity, including overnight and/or extended travel.
• Must pass a background screening, including fingerprinting, as a condition of employment.
• Knowledge of biological, chemical, physical, and environmental factors affecting food safety and related control measures.
• Working knowledge of the current electronic database system and food-related statutes and rules.
• Ability to evaluate food-establishment structures, environments, equipment, methods, and controls for regulatory and sanitation compliance.
• Knowledge of specialized food processing, major classifications of food-borne pathogens, their growth requirements and food substrates, related controls, and application of these factors to HACCP plans.
• Knowledge of food additives, preservatives, coloring agents, and chemicals used in or incidental to food processing and storage.
• Skill in documenting sanitation and regulatory discrepancies and advising management on corrective action.
• Knowledge and proficiency in examining and testing foods for compliance, including use of test kits and equipment.
• Ability to exercise professional judgment and conduct inspections and enforcement actions appropriately.
• Accuracy and timeliness in preparing reports.
• Ability to lift and carry 50 pounds.
• Knowledge of personal computer hardware and software, skill in using personal computers, and ability to troubleshoot basic hardware and software operation problems.
• Ability to train and instruct others in regulations and procedures using sound communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Implement the food-safety training program and prepare new employees for standardization.
• Conduct district training for new personnel using a risk-based inspection methodology, provide training at district meetings, and retrain personnel as required.
• Assist with researching and writing training modules for district and annual meetings, online training, and other parts of the training process.
• Accompany inspectors on re-inspections, follow-up visits, and recurring problematic-firm visits when needed, and model and explain risk-based inspection practices.
• Conduct regulatory inspections of food establishments under FDACS jurisdiction for compliance with regulatory, sanitation, and consumer-protection requirements.
• Evaluate food processing methods, production controls, equipment and structural design and maintenance, and personnel practices to assess food safety and sanitary conditions.
• Perform inspections or reviews for contract and cooperative-agreement programs with federal partners, including FDA and USDA.
• Conduct initial inspections of food establishments and assess their processes and activities to determine applicable food-safety requirements.
• Apply science-based knowledge to evaluate compliance for specialized processes and foods, including reduced-oxygen packaging, low-acid food processing, seafood processing, acidified foods, and potentially hazardous foods.
• Prepare inspection reports documenting deficiencies; explain public-health laws, rules, and standards; and advise establishment management on corrective actions.
• Initiate stop-sale and stop-use orders, release notices, movement of goods under stop-sale orders, and other documents when indicated by inspection findings.
• Inspect and sample foods for compliance with consumer-protection standards, review labels and advertising for possible misrepresentation, select samples for laboratory analysis, and investigate suspected adulteration or other violations.
• Operate, calibrate, and maintain inspection test equipment, including thermometers and sanitizer test kits, and train new employees in food evaluation and sampling.
• Investigate consumer complaints and food-borne illnesses; complete follow-up reporting; respond to consumer information requests; inspect new businesses and fire- or flood-damaged establishments; inspect foods in vehicles involved in accidents; and participate in multi-agency investigations, special projects, and emergency response.
• Exercise professional judgment and take appropriate enforcement actions while applying relevant statutes, rules, and legal requirements.
• Prepare and submit accurate, timely inspection, sample-collection, consumer-complaint, activity-monitoring, travel, expense, and other required reports and documents.
• Attend designated training sessions and courses, follow department policies and procedures, and perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Annual and sick leave
• Nine paid holidays and one personal holiday each year
• State group insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and supplemental insurance
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Tuition waivers

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED