ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST III

Job Description:

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST III

Description

Position/Program Information

EXAM NUMBER:

PH5672D

FIRST DAY OF FILING:

Thursday, May 20, 2021 at 8:30 a.m., Pacific Time (PT)

This examination will remain open until the needs of the service are met and is subject to closure without prior notice.

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT:

Open Competitive Job opportunity

No out-of-class experience will be accepted

DEFINITION:
Performs specialized environmental health inspections and investigations of complex environmental health problems; or assigned to develop and conducts specialized studies, trainings, investigations and makes recommendations as to findings; compiles information, evaluates present procedures and drafts proposed ordinances, division policies, regulations and guidelines in the area of specialization; may review and make recommendations involving environmental impact reports, and new legislation.

CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS:
Positions allocable to this class receive administrative and technical lead from a Chief, Environmental Health Specialist and may receive technical lead from an Environmental Health Specialist IV. Incumbents perform one of the following two assignments. Incumbents assigned to a County-wide specialized environmental health program independently perform complex technical inspections and investigations to identify and solve environmental health problems in food, mobile food vehicles, water and sewage, plan check, multiple family dwelling housing and institutions, garment and laundering industry, solid waste, water pollution, vector management, and public swimming facilities. Positions in this class may also provide technical lead to professional staff performing in environmental health work or be assigned to develop and implement staff training programs or conducts specialized studies, investigations and makes recommendations as to findings, and complete reports. Incumbents assigned to a District Office exercise technical lead over an assigned staff of environmental health personnel and related support staff. Incumbents are concerned primarily with guiding, reviewing, and expediting the work of subordinates to ensure technical competence and accuracy. May act in the absence of the Chief Environmental Health Specialist and perform delegated staff functions, as needed.

Essential Job Functions

Conducts periodic specialized technical field inspections and investigations of manufacturing, industrial, or other large scale facilities and institutions in such areas as food and drug, water, sewage control, multiple family dwelling housing and institutions, garment manufacturing, laundering facilities, public swimming facilities, water pollution control to determine compliance with relevant public health laws and regulations; completes reports of areas in violation.

Verifies the proper manufacture, storage, preparation and transportation of foods, drugs, and dairy products ensuring process is free from contamination, adulteration, or mislabeling; investigating suspected food poisonings and other complaints; inspecting such facilities as hotels, motels, jails, mental institutions, multiple family dwelling housing, and boarding homes for compliance with established environmental standards; approving plans for the construction of public swimming facilities and the installation and maintenance of facility equipment; ensuring that potable water meets Federal, State, local, physical, chemical, and bacteriological standards; approving sewage disposal installations and inspecting water treatment, sewage disposal and water reclamation plants; and conducting specialized testing procedures to ensure that no potentially dangerous connections exist between industrial equipment, industrial processing water and plumbing fixtures whereby toxic chemicals, sewage or contaminated water could be introduced into the domestic water supply system.

Meets with concerned parties from private industry and companies to provide current information on environmental procedures and public health laws, to discuss correction of deficiencies, to develop a corrective plan, and to obtain compliance through appropriate enforcement action, including quarantine, embargo, condemnation of food or drug products, the issuance of citations, and the confiscation of evidence of violation including equipment, and by providing expert testimony in criminal prosecution.

Develops and implements staff development and training programs designed to provide Environmental Health staff with current information on environmental health procedures and public health laws, and to improve the quality of environmental health inspections, investigations, and services to the public.

Performs administrative studies or analyses of public health laws and ordinances by comparing Federal, State, and local codes in a specific area such as food service to determine their impact on environmental health programs and operating methods.

Provides technical direction to district environmental health staff who are inspecting, investigating, and enforcing laws pertaining to environmental health and consumer protection by reviewing work, both administratively and in the field, advising on methods and techniques applied, and determining their effectiveness in enforcing applicable public health laws.

Conducts special investigations such as food poisoning; or provides support in the resolution of the more difficult investigations.

Reviews the preparation of evidence for the prosecution of environmental health cases on non-compliance with public health laws and regulations by ensuring that subordinate staff have prepared samples of adulterated foods according to prescribed methods, that the findings of tests conducted by laboratory technicians are available and in the prescribed format and that all material required by city or the District Attorney for prosecution has been provided.

Act in the absence of the District Chief Environmental Health Specialist, as needed.

Requirements

Minimum Requirements:
Two years' experience as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist* for a health department.

License Requirement Information:
A valid California Class C Driver License is required to carry out job-related essential functions.

• You MUST submit a copy of your valid California Class C Driver License with your application at the time of filing or within 15 calendar days of filing to HRExams@ph.lacounty.gov .
  • Successful applicants for positions that require driving must obtain and present a copy of his/her driving record from the California Department of Motor Vehicles before final appointment. Applicants should not present a copy of their driving history until asked to do so by the hiring department. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether an applicant’s driving history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job. License must not be currently suspended, restricted, or revoked.

Certificate Requirement Information:
*Certificate as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist issued by the California State Department of Public Health.

• You MUST submit a legible copy of the original certificate (not the pocket license) as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist issued by the California Department of Public Health with your application at the time of filing or within 15 calendar days of filing to HRExams@ph.lacounty.gov .
  • For information on how to obtain the certificate as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist from the California State Department of Public Health, call (916) 449-5661 or click on the link below : https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DRSEM/Pages/EMB/REHS/REHS.aspx

Physical Class:
3 - Moderate. Includes standing or walking most of the time, with bending, stooping, squatting, twisting, and reaching; includes working on irregular surfaces, occasionally lifting objects weighing over 25 pounds, and frequent lifting of 10-25 pounds.

Special Requirement Information:

• Experience is evaluated on the basis of a verifiable 40-hour work week.

Desirable Qualification:
Points will be awarded for additional experience as a registered environmental health specialist for a health department beyond the minimum requirements.

Additional Information

Examination Content:
Once we have determined that you meet our experience, license, and certificate requirements described above, our examination process will consist of an evaluation of experience based on application information, desirable qualification, and supplemental questionnaire information at the time of filing weighted 100%.

Applicants must meet our experience, license, and certificate requirements described above and achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on the examination (evaluation of experience) in order to be added to the Eligible Register (hiring list) for consideration of employment.

Passing this examination and being added to the Eligible Register (hiring list) does not guarantee an offer of employment.

NO PERSON MAY COMPETE IN THIS EXAMINATION MORE THAN ONCE EVERY TWELVE (12) MONTHS.

Vacancy Information:
The eligible register resulting from this examination will be used to fill vacancies in the Department of Public Health as they occur.

Special Information:
Appointees will be required to work evenings, weekends and holidays.

What to expect next:

• We ask that you submit an application through the "Apply" link at the top of the opportunity posting using your own user ID and password (using a family member or friend's user ID may erase a candidate's original application record). Applications must be filed online only. You can also track the status of your application using this website.

• Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the deadline as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty , you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.

• Applications will be processed on an "as-received" basis and those receiving a passing score on the examination (evaluation of experience) will be promulgated to the eligible register (hiring list) accordingly.

• The names of candidates receiving a passing score in the examination (evaluation of experience) will be placed on the eligible register (hiring list) in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of promulgation.
• Computer and Internet Access at Public Libraries: For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County https://lacountylibrary.org/reopening

Fair Chance Employer:
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment. The County will make an individual assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.

Equal Employment Opportunity:
It is the policy of the County of Los Angeles to provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons, regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or disability or any other characteristic protected by State or Federal law. All positions are open to qualified men and women pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. The County will follow all of its obligations under State and Federal laws regarding the provision of reasonable accommodations to applicants.

Have any questions about anything? Please contact us using the following information:

Teletype Phone: (800) 899-4099
Alternate Teletype Phone: (800) 897-0077
Exam Number: PH5672D

Department Contact Name: Exam Analyst
Department Contact Phone: (323) 659-6546
Department Contact Email: HRExams@ph.lacounty.gov

For detailed information, please click here

Salary:

$74,750.16 - $100,725.84 Annually