Environmental Health Specialist Educator

The Environmental Health and Education 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. Additionally, this position promotes health through education initiatives and health behavior change programs. Responsibilities include developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating programs and public health initiatives, establishing, leading, and maintaining community partnerships, and managing work plans and timelines. Under the Administrator of Environmental Health, the Environmental Health Education Specialist will implement 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. 
• Responds to public complaints and inquiries on environmental or public health matters.
• 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. 
• Develops, implements, manages, and evaluates programs and public health initiatives, establishing, leading, and maintaining community partnerships, and managing work plans and timelines.

• Develops and implements strategies, initiatives, and activities for individuals, families, and population groups that promote health and prevent disease, injuries, and disabilities in settings including, but not limited to, homes, community organizations, businesses, schools, and the community in general to improve community resilience.
• Gathers, organizes, interprets, and maintains data for program monitoring, reporting, evaluation, and improvement.
• Plans and conducts workshops, presentations, and training programs for individuals and groups.
• Evaluates outcomes, effectiveness of plans, and makes changes as necessary.
• Employs data-driven decision-making to determine pertinent program priorities, goals, and objectives.
• Searches for funding opportunities and assists in the development of grant proposals, work plans, goals and objectives related to existing and future programs/projects.
• Develops a working knowledge of other Department services and programs and provides information to the public as appropriate.
• Attends community outreach events to promote education and services within the health department, including the Mobile Health Unit. 
• Attends trainings, courses, seminars, and conferences as approved by Health Director or designee, to maintain knowledge of current trends and to develop skills necessary to assure duties are performed satisfactorily.

• Collaborates in the development of and contributes to individual, team, and Departmental quality improvement, performance management and evaluation activities.
• Provides environmental health information as a liaison for (not sure about liaison) 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. This may include but not limited to the Health Homes Division of DCHD, County Sustainability Office, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Penn State Extension, and the State Health Improvement Plan committee on Environmental Justice.
• 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 participates 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. 

• Participate in departmental and agency-wide committees, workgroups, quality improvement initiatives, accreditation activities, emergency preparedness efforts, and special projects as assigned DCHD expects all employees to actively contribute to organizational initiatives that support the Department's mission and strategic priorities.

• Perform other duties as assigned. 

Required Education and Experience

• 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, Skills, and Abilities

• 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.
• Knowledge of MS Office software (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• 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.
• 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:

• Alternating between standing and sitting.
• Climbing.
• Crawling.
• Crouching/stooping.
• Driving.
• Keyboarding.
• Kneeling.
• Near visual acuity.
• Sitting.
• Walking or standing.

*The selected candidate will be required to obtain, at their own expense, 3 forms of clearance, including PA State Police Criminal History Record Check; PA Child Abuse History; and FBI Criminal History Background Check including finger printing prior to employment.
**Delaware County Health Department requires all employees to have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination in the past 3 years. Proof of vaccination must be submitted before a candidate’s start date, if hired.