About the Position

The County of San Luis Obispo Public Health Department is hiring Environmental Health Specialists. The Environmental Health Division's mission is to contribute to a better everyday life through the implementation of environmental public health protection programs that prevent the transmission of disease and exposure to harmful levels of environmental contaminants. Click here to learn more about how we serve the community.

Environmental Health Specialist (EHS) is a professional class series responsible for program activities related to the protection of the environment and public health. Incumbents perform a wide variety of duties in the inspection, education, investigation and enforcement of federal, state, county and local laws and ordinances pertaining to environmental health issues; and do other related work as required.

Incumbents in the Environmental Health Specialist position may be assigned to a generalist role or specialty program area. Specialty program areas may vary, but can include cross connections, small water systems and land use, environmental health information technology, and Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) Programs. Incumbents may be required to attend training specific to their specialty assignment and, in some cases, will be required to obtain additional certification or training in accordance with federal and state law.

In addition, incumbents may be required to serve on the Hazardous Incident Response Team.

To view the complete job description for EHS I, click here.
To view the complete job description for EHS II, click here.
To view the complete job description for EHS III, click here.

The recruitment may be used to fill future permanent, substitute, limited term, and temporary positions, both full-time and part-time throughout the County.

The Ideal Candidate

NOTE: A letter from the California Department of Public Health certifying the applicant is eligible to be an EHS Trainee is required for the EHS I position prior to employment with the County of San Luis Obispo (https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DRSEM/Pages/EMB/REHS/REHS.aspx). A Registered Environmental Health Specialist certification is required for the EHS II / III positions.

Minimum Qualifications:
A combination of education, training, and experience resulting in the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. An example of qualifying education and experience includes:
Environmental Health Specialist I: Graduation from an accredited four-year college with a degree in the biological or physical sciences and a letter from the State of California certifying eligibility to be an Environmental Health Specialist Trainee.

Environmental Health Specialist II: The above, plus: one year of progressively responsible professional work experience in an environmental health program.

Environmental Health Specialist III: The above, plus two years of progressively responsible professional work experience in more than one environmental health program; OR one year of experience as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist and one year experience in one environmental health program area.

In addition, required Licenses and Certificates are:

Certain positions within this classification may require driving. When driving is an essential function of the position, a valid CALIFORNIA driver license will be required at the time of appointment and must be maintained throughout employment.

Environmental Health Specialist I: Must obtain State of California Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) certification within 24 months from date of appointment.

Environmental Health Specialist II/III: Must possess current State of California Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) certification.

Additional State Mandated Training:
All Environmental Health Specialists assigned to the CUPA program are required to possess HAZWOPER 40 Hour training certification.

All Environmental Health Specialists assigned to conduct underground storage tank (UST) inspections must obtain International Code Council California UST Inspector certification within 180 days of starting work in the UST program.

All Environmental Health Specialists assigned to conduct aboveground tank (AST) inspections must obtain Aboveground Petroleum Storage Act certification.

All Environmental Health Specialists assigned to the Cross Connection Control program are required to possess Cross Connection Control Program certification.

All Environmental Health Specialists assigned as a California Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) Lead Inspector/Risk Assessor must be certified by the California State Department of Public Health.

Hazardous Incident Response Team:
All Environmental Health Specialists assigned to the Hazardous Incident Response Team must possess HAZWOPER 40 Hour training certification, 4 hour OSHA First Responder Operations (FRO) training certification, and must pass an annual medical monitoring examination AND must possess Hazardous Materials Technician 160 Hour certification or attend next available training following appointment to the Hazardous Incident Response Team.

Other Specifications:

Stand by and overtime may be required if assigned to on-call duty for responding to environmental or public health hazards; overtime may also be required to carry out weekend or afterhours duties as assigned.

How to Apply

Applications, including answers to supplemental questions, must be submitted online by the final filing date.

Most County recruitments require you to respond to supplemental questions as part of the application process. We recommend that you review these questions prior to beginning your application.

An initial application review will be conducted. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and are best qualified will be invited to participate in selection activities which may include online assessments, performance exams, written exams, and interviews.

Final candidates will be required to have an in-depth background review performed before proceeding in the process. Please note that references will not be contacted until the end of the process.

If you have questions or would like to discuss the opportunity further, please contact Human Resources at hr@co.slo.ca.us. Confidential inquiries are welcomed.

For further information regarding the County of San Luis Obispo, visit our website at www.slocounty.ca.gov

Reasonable Accommodation Notice
Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment. Please call 805-781-5959 for assistance or e-mail hr@co.slo.ca.us for more information.

Veteran's Preference Points
If you are applying for employment with the County of San Luis Obispo and you served in the United States Armed Forces, you may be eligible for veteran's preference points as part of the recruitment process. Some dependents and survivors of eligible veterans may also be eligible for preference points. Click here for more information and to learn how to apply for this benefit. Please note that Veteran’s credits must be on file with the County of San Luis Obispo Veterans Services Office prior to the recruitment closing date indicated on the job announcement.

Equal Employment Opportunity
The County is an equal opportunity employer. Objectives are directed toward assuring equal opportunity in selection / promotion, pay, and job assignments. Recruitment and selection procedures have been established to ensure non-discrimination on the basis of political or religious opinions or affiliations, age, sex, race, color, national origin, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or other non-merit factors. In addition, the County complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act in hiring and retaining employees. For more information contact the Human Resources Department at (805)781-5959.

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Environmental Health Specialist