Environmental Health Specialist

The Environmental Health Specialist will provide technical assistance to individuals, business and groups across the County of Delaware that ensure compliance with existing local and state public health and environmental codes, regulations, and policies. Under the Administrator of Environmental Health, the Environmental Health Specialist will implement the operational strategies for environmental services within the County.

• Conducts routine/required inspections and/or audits to ensure compliance of existing local and state public health and environmental codes, regulations, and policies. 
• Provides health education and technical assistance to individuals and/or groups regarding compliance with current local public health and environmental codes, regulations, and policies. 
• Investigates complaints regarding environmental health problems and environmental health hazards and initiates enforcement or corrective actions as required. 
• Collaborates in the development and delivery of programs and activities that promote health and prevent disease, in settings including, but not limited to the Health Department, homes, community organizations and businesses, schools, and the community in general. 
• Responds to public complaints and inquiries on environmental or public health matters. 
• Collaborates in the development of and contributes to individual, team, and Departmental quality improvement, performance management and evaluation activities.

• Provides environmental health information, interpretation, technical assistance and regulatory compliance advice to individuals, groups industry organizations, the public and other agencies regarding local public health environmental codes, regulations, policies, and identified environmental health problems. 
• Provides orientation to staff, students and other health and human service professionals in the community regarding environmental public health practices. 
• Participates in Delaware County Health Department research and demonstration projects that seek to improve the health of communities and determine new ways to address health issues. 
• Contributes to a work environment that fosters ongoing educational experiences regarding public health for colleagues, nursing and other health-related students, healthcare professionals and members of the community.
• May collect water sample for laboratory analysis to ensure compliance of existing local and state public health and environmental codes, regulations, and policies. 
• May participate in response teams to prevent, minimize, and contain adverse health events and conditions resulting from communicable diseases; food-, water-, and vector-borne outbreaks; chronic diseases; environmental hazards; injuries; and health disparities.
• Perform other duties, tasks and special projects, as required.

• Bachelor’s degree or higher.
• Six months experience in conducting on-site inspections to identify, assess and control actual or potential environmental health risks.
• Six months experience in enforcing compliance with laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures.
• Six months experience in narrative report writing.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of environmental sanitation; knowledge of diseases and their transmission and control.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local laws pertaining to public health. Knowledge of current health code construction requirements and health regulations.
• Knowledge of other departments' regulations concerning food establishments, day care centers and swimming pools.
• Knowledge of the structure and functions of public health organizations and community interrelationships.
• Knowledge of current social and economic problems related to public health.
• Skill in conducting sanitation inspections and surveying.
• Skill in reading and interpreting building plans and blueprints.
• Excellent communication skills. Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely through oral and written communication.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to review material for detail and to translate plans and designs into a working construct.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and prepare reports.
• Ability to deal tactfully and effectively with the public and other government personnel. Ability to enforce regulations with fairness, firmness, and tact.
• Ability to analyze sanitation defects and calculate costs involved in corrections.
• Ability to perform a variety of physical movements such as walking, climbing, crawling, kneeling, seeing, squatting, stooping, and twisting of the body.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to pass a background check
• Ability to interact appropriately and effectively with a wide range of persons
• Ability to maintain and handle confidential information
• Ability to follow protocol, procedures, and established guidelines
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances and needs
• A strong work ethic and ability to manage a demanding and changing workload
• Strong relationship-building skills

Physical Demands: