Public Health Program Asst I

County of Thurston•Olympia, WA

8d•$4,033 - $5,364

About The Position

The salary for this position is: $4,033 - $5,364 monthly. Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) is recruiting for a part-time (0.5 FTE) Public Health Program Assistant I for our Environmental Health Division. Please note: This is a part-time position, and the salary is 50% of the posted salary. As a Public Health Program Assistant I, you will provide administrative services for the water laboratory within our Environmental Health division. This position is responsible for providing timely results to area drinking water providers and regulators, as well as monitors and regulators of non-potable surface and ground water. This role is essential for the laboratory operation, and if you are a detail-oriented professional with high ethical standards, we would love to hear from you! Essential functions may include, but are not limited to, the following: Provide timely laboratory results and information to the general public, Group A and B water systems, and the Department of Health and Ecology by telephone, email, letter, or in-person Organize information and enter laboratory data into databases Create and maintain databases, billing accounts, and prepare invoices and reports Follow up, track, ensure quality, and provide results to meet regulatory requirements Provide laboratory testing supplies, information, and excellent customer service to customers Provide courier service to multiple sample drop-off locations in Thurston and Mason counties Perform other work as required or assigned, including, but not limited to, a 24/7 response during public health emergency situations and disease outbreak investigations To view the full job classification, click here: Public Health Program Assistant I WORKING CONDITIONS: Work Environment – Primarily laboratory or office setting in Olympia, Washington Schedule – Part-Time Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm, with the potential option of alternative or compressed schedules and/or remote working Travel Requirements – Weekly laboratory courier service in Thurston and Mason counties. Occasional longer distance travel may be required to attend meetings or trainings Customer Interactions - Daily interactions with Thurston County staff and the public WHO WE ARE: Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) is Thurston County’s local health jurisdiction and human services department and is responsible for protecting the health and promoting the well-being of all people who live, work, and play in Thurston County. We value diversity and strive to foster a sense of belonging, honoring the unique experiences, cultures, skills, backgrounds, identities, and perspectives of our employees and community. As an agency actively working to address health equity, we aspire for everyone to have the opportunity to attain their highest level of health, regardless of their individual circumstances. Thurston County values the diversity of the people it hires and serves. Inclusion to us means fostering a workplace in which individual differences are recognized, appreciated, and responded to in ways that fully develop and utilize each person’s talents and strengths. We are dedicated to recruiting and developing a talented workforce from various cultures, lifestyles, backgrounds, and perspectives who are committed to our vision and core values. Thurston County Racial Equity and Inclusion Webpage WHAT WE OFFER OUR EMPLOYEES: Work-Life Balance: We are committed to ensure that our staff experience the reward of public service, while also sustaining a routine that suits each individuals’ lifestyle. Plan For Your Future: As a member of our team, you will enjoy great employee benefits, including a retirement plan, pre-tax savings accounts, as well as comprehensive health care and dental/vision care for you and your family. Please visit Thurston County Employee Benefit Plans for more information. Paid Leave: Full-time regular employees earn paid vacation in addition to paid holidays . Robust Training Program: Employees are encouraged to attend County paid training to help them further their career, learn new skill sets, and stay on top of emerging trends in our industry. We also encourage our staff to participate in professional organizations and attend conferences. Flexible Work Schedules: Some of the options that employees may take advantage of include alternative or compressed schedules and/or remote working. Deferred Compensation: The County offers 3 voluntary deferred compensation plans for employees who would like to set aside additional deferred tax dollars into a retirement savings plan. Flexible Spending Account (FSA ) : Employees can take advantage of Section 125 flexible spending accounts for out-of-pocket health care and daycare expenses with pre-tax dollars. Public Service Loan Forgiveness: This is a federal program which allows full-time public service employees who have made qualifying payments for certain loans, to get their student loans repaid. Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Why you’ll love it here: Thurston County is located between Seattle and Portland in Western Washington’s South Puget Sound Region. Perched in between the mountains and the ocean, the area boasts the perfect blend of year-round outdoor activities including boating, hiking, skiing, and more. The region is also home to the state capitol city of Olympia, known for its many restaurants, microbreweries, coffee shops, farmer’s markets, kids’ activities, history, and art events. Discover more about life in Thurston County at Experienceolympia.com . Message to potential applicants: We understand that some potential applicants are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the functions or skills listed in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and we understand that may be someone who will learn some of these skills on the job. If you are interested in this position, and meet the minimum qualifications, we encourage you to go ahead and apply! Feel free to think about how you will bring your own set of skills to the role and tell us about the potential that you hold.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Two years of related office experience, which included general office practices and arithmetic, basic bookkeeping, customer service, filing, etc.
Must have the ability to operate a personal computer and applicable software to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Nice To Haves

Ability to multi-task with a high level of attention to detail
Excellent customer service skills
Ability to provide courier services in a County vehicle
Create an environment where employees and partners can safely express needs or concerns and where employees can make and correct mistakes
Effectively interact with sensitivity while working with persons from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, ethnic, and professional backgrounds, and persons of all ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, and lifestyles
Thrive in a fast-paced, robust organization maintaining a positive work environment
Serve the public in a timely, complete, accurate, and professional manner while ensuring that written and verbal communication is clearly understood by others
Maintain cultural competency to support diverse perspectives in developing, implementing, and evaluating policies, programs, and services that affect the health of the community
Strong oral communication for networking and interpersonal relationships
Excellent written communication including the ability to craft correspondence, reports, and articles or web postings with minimal grammatical and syntax errors
Use strategic thinking and planning for goal setting and evaluation
Effectively plan, organize, and manage competing priorities and challenges under pressure
Create a sense of mission by articulating and modeling confidentiality, professional values, and ethics with honesty and integrity
Operate with a high degree of flexibility, initiative, attention to detail, and commitment
Delegate and use persuasion and negotiating skills for shared responsibility and acceptance of change

Responsibilities

Provide timely laboratory results and information to the general public, Group A and B water systems, and the Department of Health and Ecology by telephone, email, letter, or in-person
Organize information and enter laboratory data into databases
Create and maintain databases, billing accounts, and prepare invoices and reports
Follow up, track, ensure quality, and provide results to meet regulatory requirements
Provide laboratory testing supplies, information, and excellent customer service to customers
Provide courier service to multiple sample drop-off locations in Thurston and Mason counties
Perform other work as required or assigned, including, but not limited to, a 24/7 response during public health emergency situations and disease outbreak investigations