ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSPECTOR - Hazardous Materials and Waste (6120) - San Francisco Department of Public Health

Company Description

The Department of Public Health prioritizes equitable and inclusive access to quality healthcare for its community and values the importance of diversity in its workforce. All employees at the Department of Public Health work to advance equity, inclusion, and diversity with a specific lens and focus on race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, disability, and immigration status. 

• Application Opening – November 21, 2025
• Application Deadline - December 31, 2025
• Salary:  $129.038 - $156,754 Annually
• Appointment Type: Permanent Civil Service
• Recruitment ID: CBT-6120-H00177 [REF58545Z]

The Mission of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) is to protect and promote the health of all San Franciscans. The Population Health Division (PHD) provides core public health services for the City and County of San Francisco: health protection, health promotion, disease and injury prevention, and disaster preparedness and response. 

The eligible list from this Class Based Test (CBT) announcement will be used to fill future vacancies in this class for the duration of the eligible list.

Job Description

Under direction, the Environmental Health Inspector in the Hazardous Materials and Waste Program specialty conducts inspections and surveillance of business establishments, facilities, industrial plants, hazardous materials and waste sites, medical providers and laboratories, and other related sites in order to rectify violations and enforce established regulations.

Essential duties include:

1. Enforces provisions of the local health code; State health and safety, industrial relations, administrative, and penal codes, and other environmental hazards.
2. Investigates and conducts complaint investigations involving facilities requiring permits to operate, including various types of hazardous materials and waste facilities; investigates cases including those being prepared for hearings before the Director of Health; takes necessary action to abate illegal health, sanitary and safety conditions; appears as witness in court litigation when required and testifies in cases involving hazardous materials and waste management, and other related compliance matters. 
3. Documents and issues violations; coordinates efforts with applicable city departments in the enforcement of appropriate hazardous materials, hazardous waste, and medical waste codes; makes follow-up inspections to assure ordered corrections have been made. 
4. Oversees the opening and closure of new hazardous materials and waste facilities; determines if facilities meet criteria for regulation under one or more of the local or delegated Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) program elements. 
5. Conducts routine inspections and investigations of hazardous materials and waste facilities to determine compliance with applicable codes, laws and regulations; conducts field tests and acquires samples for laboratory analysis; 
6. Manages an inspectional district of assigned facilities; issues violations and orders corrective actions;
7. Drafts complaints for the purpose of administering administrative civil penalties; appears and testifies at compliance hearings;
8. Reviews plans and applications for the repair/upgrade and/or closure of underground storage tanks;
9. Reviews and processes documents submitted in the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS); and
10. Provides information and education to the public, business owners and operators and/or their agents regarding proper hazardous materials and waste management, and medical waste management.

The 6120 Environmental Health Inspector Hazardous Materials and Waste specialty may perform other duties as assigned/required.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

1. EDUCATION*:  Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with at least 30 semester units in, OR a major in one or more of the following disciplines*:

• Biology or microbiology;
• Chemistry, chemical engineering;
• Physics, physical science;
• Environmental science;
• Geology or soil science;
• Environmental health;
• Environmental or sanitary engineering;
• Toxicology;
• Industrial hygiene;
• Hazardous materials management;
• Fire science, fire technology.

2. EXPERIENCE: 

• Two (2) years of experience in hazardous materials, hazardous waste, site mitigation