Environmental Health Specialist

Title: Environmental Health Specialist

State Role Title: Environmental Health Specialists

Hiring Range: $45,114.00 - $47,324.00

Pay Band: 4

Agency: Virginia Department of Health

Location: CHESTERFIELD HQ

Agency Website: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/chesterfield/

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is dedicated to protecting and promoting the health of Virginians. The VDH is made up of a statewide Central Office in Richmond and 33 local health districts. The Chesterfield Health District provides public health services to the residents of Chesterfield County, Powhatan County, and the City of Colonial Heights.

The Chesterfield Health District is seeking an Environmental Health Specialist (EHS). The EHS will perform environmental health duties at the entry level as a trainee. Employees are typically new hires in formal and on-the-job training in one or more areas such as food sanitation, on-site soils evaluation, private well inspection, rabies abatement, communicable disease investigation, and migrant labor camp inspection, classification of shellfish growing areas and investigation of general environmental complaints. Employees receive close supervision and guidance. Must be able to complete the applicable training in the VDH Soils program, VDH Food program or VDH Shellfish program and be able to obtain credentials in one of the following within 18 months: VDH Standardized in Food, DPOR Conventional Onsite Soil Evaluator (COSE), DPOR Alternative Onsite Soil Evaluator (AOSE), and National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) State Standardized Inspector. Employees are moved to the Environmental
Health Specialist Senior position upon successful completion.

The Virginia Department of Health offers 13 paid holidays, medical, dental, vision and life insurance, retirement plans (including 401a Cash Match and 457 Deferred Compensation Plan) as well as sick, family/personal, and annual leave.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ability to communicate effectively with the public as well as other internal/external partners and staff; proficient in basic computer software programs
• Time management skills necessary in order to meet workload demands
• Knowledge and/experience in food safety
• Ability to influence behavior of foodservice employees/management, provide services in professional, courteous manner, present educational programs to adults; uses a customer-service oriented approach to assignments and works effectively as a team member
• Must be able to complete training in the VDH Food program and be able to obtain the VDH Food Standardization credentials within 18 months
• A valid State Driver's License is required to operate a state vehicle or if operating a personal vehicle while conducting business on behalf of the agency

Additional Considerations

• Experience in Environmental Health Services
• Knowledge and experience in use of HealthSpace Environmental Health Database (EHD)
• Accredited Food Manager Certification
• Hold a National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) certification as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) and/or Certified Professional- Food Safety (CP-FS)

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

VDH accepts only on-line applications. Faxed, mailed, or e-mailed applications will not be considered. Applications are accepted until 11:55 p.m. on the job closing date. Applications and/or resumes should include relevant work history which indicates your qualifications for this position. Supplemental questions are encouraged to be answered in a comprehensive manner and reference any pertinent knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as any previous experience that relates to the position.

Employment is contingent upon satisfactory results of a state and federal criminal history background check and the Department of Social Service’s Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry check, U.S. HHSIG Exclusion List check, employment reference check and E-Verify. Other financial, credit, driving, background checks or completion of Statement of Economic Interests may be required for certain positions.

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