Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian
LANGLADE COUNTY POSITION DESCRIPTION
Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian
Department: Health Department
Reports to: Health Officer
Grade/Wage: Grade 14, $22.00-$30.00
FLSA Status/Hours: Non-Exempt/40 hours per week
Revised: 9/2022
Summary:
The purpose of this position is to serve as the Registered Sanitarian/Environmental Health Specialist for Langlade County. This position will promote and monitor individual, environmental and population health programs and contracts. The individual will provide the essential services of public health within a variety of settings. This position will: inspect properties and facilities within contracts, provide technical assistance and information, collect and analyze water samples, identify health and environmental hazards, assist in food-borne and water-borne illness outbreak investigations, provide community health education and promotion and ensures compliance with current local health environmental code, regulations and policies.
Essential Duties/Job Functions and Responsibilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily and in a timely manner. The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all inclusive. Other duties may be required or assigned.
Public Health Sciences
1. Conducts required inspections, surveys, water sampling and/or audits to ensure compliance of existing local and state public health and environmental codes, regulations and policies.
2. Provides health education and technical assistance to individuals and/or groups regarding compliance with current local public health and environmental codes, regulations and policies.
3. Investigates complaints regarding environmental health problems and environmental health hazards and initiates enforcement or corrective actions as required.
4. Collaborates in the development and design of programs and activities that promote health and prevent disease.
5. 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.
Community Dimensions of Practice
1. Educates the public on environmental health issues and the rationale for environmental health regulations.
2. Provides timely environmental health information, interpretation, technical assistance and regulatory compliance advice to individuals, groups, industry organizations, the general public and other agencies.
3. Contributes and participates to a work environment that fosters ongoing educational experiences regarding public health for colleagues, students, healthcare professionals and members of the community.
4. Provides orientation to staff, students, and other health department professionals in the community regarding environmental public health practices.
Analytical/Assessment Skills
1. Collects and analyzes water samples, conducts field tests and surveys, and provides environmental public health data; interprets results and makes recommendations for corrective action(s).
2. Assures data is collected within programmatic area; monitors and analyzes data obtained from other sources; prepares data for annual report, strategic plan, state reports;
3. Maintains program databases as assigned.
4. Collaborates and advocates for the development of environmental-best management practices, regulations and cost-effective options in collaboration with Board of Health, staff, businesses, agencies, and the public.
5. Adheres to ethical principles and Langlade County Health Department policy in collection, maintenance, use and dissemination of data and information.
Policy Development/Program Planning
1. Collaborates with the Health Officer in the development, implementation and evaluation of long- and short-range policies, procedures, plans and programs for environmental public health in Langlade County; and assure departmental resources are used appropriate to achieve priorities and goals.
2. Coordinates environmental public health activities with professionals and investigators from other agencies and jurisdictions, including, but not limited to, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection, Wisconsin Division of Public Health and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
3. Coordinates enforcement activities between other governmental agencies.
4. Reviews and provides consultation to the Board of Health on state and federal issues that with potential impact health.
5. Collaborates in the development of and contributes to individual, team, and agency quality improvement, performance management and evaluation activities.
Communication & Cultural Competency
1. Delivers targeted, culturally-appropriate information to help individuals and groups understand local environmental public health policies, regulations and code.
2. Utilizes appropriate methods for interacting effectively and professionally with persons of all ages and from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, lifestyles and physical abilities.
3. Educates local and state policy makers and community stakeholder on public health issues.
Financial Planning & Management
1. Collaborates in activities that contribute to the development of budgets and the efficient use of resources.
2. Seeks on-going funding opportunities to operate county environmental health programs.
Leadership & Systems Thinking:
1. Demonstrates knowledge of applicable professional guidelines for Licensed Environmental Health Practitioners and other Federal and State laws and regulations applicable to practice as an environmental public health professional in the state of Wisconsin.
2. Contributes to a work environment where performance management, continuous quality improvements in service and professional practice are pursued.
3. Participate in the public health emergency response training and exercises in support of disaster preparedness. This may require working a non-traditional work schedule or working outside normally assigned duties during a public health incident or emergency.
4. Assumes responsibility for own professional growth and development by pursuing education, participating in professional committees and work groups such as Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards, and contribute to a work environment where continual improvements in public health core competences is practiced.
Other
1. Performs public health emergency response duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
• Holds a valid Wisconsin registered sanitarian or REHS/RS credential OR
• RS-Eligible (meet one of the following):
o Holding a baccalaureate or higher degree in environmental health from an accredited college or university and completing at least 30 semester or 45 quarter hour academic credits in environmental, physical, biological, chemical, or environmental health courses.
o Holding a baccalaureate or higher degree in physical or biological sciences from an accredited college or university and completing at least 30 semester or 45 quarter hour academic credits in environmental, physical, biological, chemical, or environmental health courses.
o Holding a baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited college or university
o Holding an associate degree from an accredited college, community college or technical institute in environmental, physical, biological, or chemical sciences. OR
• RS-in training.
Certification Requirements
• Must be a Registered Sanitarian/Registered Environmental Health Specialist in the state of Wisconsin OR ability to obtain licensure within allotted time.
Additional preferred training and experience: Additional coursework or experience in: epidemiology, public facility plan review and inspections, water sampling and results interpretation, Emergency Preparedness/Incident Command System, HACCP, radon measurement and mitigation certification, pool operator certification, WI Food Code standardized.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
• Knowledge of environmental sciences and environmental public health principles
• Knowledge of and ability to comprehend and interpret applicable statues, regulations, ordinances, codes, policies and procedures
• Knowledge and ability to implement enforcement action when violations exist
• Ability to perform thorough investigations and inspections and to analyze and interpret them effectively to ensure public health
• Knowledge of safety procedures for handling hazardous materials
• Knowledge of data collection, analysis and interpretation techniques
• Demonstrates effective written and oral communications, including conveying technical information to non-technical community members
• Knowledge of conflict resolution techniques and its applications.
• Ability to demonstrate leadership, independent judgment, and critical thinking skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, general public, other departments, agencies and state officials and work with person with varying levels of education, understanding and values in a culturally sensitive manner.
• Must be able to meet required deadlines, which may be stressful.
Technological Skills:
• Demonstrates basic knowledge and use of computerized data management systems.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office programs and ability to use the Outlook, Access, Word and Excel functions.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or listen.
• The employee frequently is required to stand, walk and sit.
• The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Must be able to be fitted and wear NIOSH 95 mask.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Normal office working environment with little or no discomfort.
• Community sites including travel to and from field locations.
• The noise level in the work environment will range from quiet to moderately loud.
Langlade County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective employees and incumbents to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
https://www.co.langlade.wi.us/government/employment/category_general/
Deadline Note: Until Filled