Environmental Health Specialist III

Environmental Health Specialist III

Are you looking for a place to apply your knowledgeable background in Environmental Health? Use your professional knowledge, leadership, and technical experience to make a difference in the health of the residents of Pierce County. We invite you to apply for our Environmental Health Specialist III position in Onsite Sewage/Water Resources part of the Environmental Health Division. This is a Regular, Full-Time (1.0 FTE) position.

This position is the fifth level in the Environmental Health Specialist (EHS) series and works under the direction of an EHS Supervisor or Program Manager. An employee assigned to this classification works independently as a subject matter expert (SME) and technical lead, mentoring and training technical staff. Assignments are general in nature with minimal specificity regarding how to proceed with assignments. Unusual problems or situations may be discussed with a manager depending on the impact.

Career Path Options:

• Program Manager I
• Program Manager II

Essential Functions:

• Customer Service: Provide customer service to the public and industry professionals on environmental health topics, applications, permits, applicable fees, and related codes in person, over the phone, and through written communication.
• Conduct and Oversee Complex Inspections and Regulatory Compliance Assessments: Conduct and oversee complex inspections and assessments of permitted facilities, field sites, and regulatory applications (e.g., food establishments, schools, solid waste facilities, land development, plan review) to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. Perform comprehensive investigations of various facilities and environmental incidents (e.g., foodborne or waterborne illnesses), including hazardous spills or disease outbreaks.
• Documentation and Reporting: Prepare detailed reports and communication, maintain accurate records of inspections, incidents, and data; potentially provide expert testimony in court related to documentation. Accurately input information and documentation into database systems and maintain detailed records.
• Education and Consultation: Provide educational outreach, consultation, and training to communities, businesses, and individuals on environmental health issues, best practices, regulatory requirements, and safe procedures.
• Program Coordination, Training, and Staff Mentorship: Coordinate the activities of an assigned environmental health program, which includes planning, organizing, and coordinating work with the department and with external partners such as federal, state, and local agencies. Provide operational guidance, technical oversight, comprehensive training, mentorship, and review the work of a team of environmental health specialists, pool inspectors, and permit technicians, to include office work, field work, and other aspects of the regulatory process. Document performance to share with the direct supervisor, provide feedback, and often provide input on performance evaluations.
• Contribute Subject Matter Expertise in Policy Development and Program Planning: Assist in the development, recommendation, and interpretation of new or revised regulations, ordinances, and program procedures. Assist in the development of program goals, objectives, and performance measurements, and provide programmatic data to evaluate effectiveness.

Examples of Key Duties:

• Conducts complex field inspections to monitor and evaluate facilities and operations for compliance with health and safety regulations.
• Conducts complex field and office reviews for a variety of plan applications and code review including septic systems, water systems, food service establishments, schools, camps, water recreation facilities, and others.
• Provides complex technical oversight to other Environmental Health Specialists and Technicians as they perform field investigations and plan reviews.
• Serves as technical expert in legal proceedings, depositions, hearings, and public meetings as needed.
• Trains department staff on policies and procedures for program needs.
• Acts as operational lead including mentorship, reviewing work product, and giving input on performance evaluations.
• Acts as lead inspector for high profile sites.
• Composes reports, public health advisory information, and public relations materials for education and dissemination to the public.
• Responds to challenging inquiries and explains complex regulatory requirements to consultants, engineers, land use professionals, and other agencies.
• Gives input on contracts, grants, and program expenditures.
• Answers staff and client questions and concerns to ensure compliance with regulations.
• Works with state and local agencies to develop codes, including cross-state policies.
• Operates various office and field equipment to collect site samples and data.
• Creates process workflows and documentation.
• Interprets and applies relevant laws and regulations to departmental policies and procedures.
• Provides educational outreach to the public and other groups including workshops, newsletters, and public events.
• Composes and presents statistical, narrative, and graphical reports on their area of focus.
• Coordinates with other environmental health programs, agencies, and private industries as needed.
• The work you do might require you to participate in the Title XIX Medicaid Claiming Program.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Safety & Emergency Preparedness:

• Adheres to all workplace and trade safety laws, regulations, standards, and practices.
• Understands and properly follows established procedures in preventing and responding to unsafe or emergency situations. Identifies and reports potentially unsafe practices or conditions.
• Operates equipment, tools, machinery, and vehicles safely and understands processes for reporting an accident or injury.
• Understands and applies knowledge and skills necessary to successfully perform assigned emergency response role during an emergency.

When public health responds to an emergency, you may be assigned duties and responsibilities that are outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time and reporting to a location other than the department with different working conditions and physical requirements. You are expected to participate in emergency preparedness activities including our emergency notification system, WA SECURES. Drills and real-world events may take place at any time.

What You Bring to the Table:

• Intermediate knowledge of standard Microsoft Office programs and databases.
• Knowledge of local, state, and federal laws applicable to the body of work.
• Advanced and technical knowledge of environmental health principles, practices, and techniques.
• Skilled in planning, organizing, and leading work activities to meet established objectives.
• Skilled in coaching, mentoring, training, and educational outreach.
• Intermediate knowledge of math and science and their application to environmental health principles.
• Skilled in collecting, organizing, analyzing, compiling, recording, and assessing data.
• Skilled in maintaining sensitive and confidential data and using discretion when sharing information.
• Skilled in communication:
• Listens to others and communicates in an effective manner.
• Asks questions in ways that enhance the clarity, quality, and reliability of information.
• Understands and learns from what others say, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Grasps the meaning of written information and applies it to work situations.
• Conveys ideas and facts using language the audience will best understand, taking into consideration the audience and nature of the information.
• Writes in a clear, concise, and organized manner for the intended audience.

Foundational Competencies:

• Knowing and managing oneself: Understands that all equity, trauma-informed, and restorative practices start with oneself. Exercises a high degree of self-reflection, personal accountability, resilience, flexibility, and adaptability. Is willing to learn, apply, and model agency values and ethical standards.
• Restorative practices and conflict resolution: Articulates through words and actions authentic commitment to create an environment in which all people are treated with dignity and respect and afforded equal opportunities and impartial treatment. Centers work inequity and trauma informed and restorative practices to achieve and maintain collaboration and teamwork and to effectively work with historically underrepresented and/or underserved populations to advance community health. Utilizes restorative practices to address harm and promote healing to strengthen relationships between individuals and social connections within communities.
• Collaboration and engagement: Provides balanced and objective information to help teammates, partners, and the public understand problems, alternatives, opportunities, and solutions. Works directly with partners within the Department, in the community, and members of the public affected by the work to obtain feedback and understand diverse points of view, concerns, and aspirations. Identifies preferred solutions together, incorporating advice and recommendations to the maximum extent possible.
• Evidence informed practices and decision-making: Applies evidence informed practices and methodologies to achieve the greatest impact in