Environmental Health Intern

The County of McLean, IL is seeking an Environmental Health Intern to assist in field inspections and office work under supervision. Responsibilities include food safety, water systems inspections, vector surveillance, and public education. The position requires driving to various locations and interacting with the community. It is a seasonal role with a starting hourly rate of $15.3750, scheduled Monday to Friday, with potential evening and weekend hours.
Department

Health Department

Location

200 W. Front St

Position Type

Seasonal

Salary

Date

2025.03.03

Description

Environmental Health Intern

Minimum Starting Hourly Rate: $15.3750

Position Schedule: M-F 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Some evening and weekend hours may be necessary

Position Summary

Under direct supervision of a Licensed Environmental Health Practitioner, performs professional field inspection and office work in securing compliance with applicable codes, grant deliverables, and general environmental health practices and techniques. After initial orientation and preliminary training, work is performed under the guidance of a senior environmental health practitioner (EHP) or supervisor. Unusual or difficult situations are discussed with a senior EHP or a supervisor. Work is performed in accordance with federal, state, county, and municipal laws and codes and grants relating to environmental health, and county policies and procedures. Work is reviewed by an Environmental Health Program Supervisor for compliance with state and other laws and codes, compliance with county policies and procedures, and for the courteous, professional, and equitable treatment of business owners, landowners, and the public.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
• An Environmental Health Intern’s duties and responsibilities will be utilized in food safety, non-community water systems, water well construction, geo-thermal technology installations abandoned well sealings, onsite wastewater treatment construction, and vector surveillance activities.
• Other activities associated with the position include, but not limited to:
• Driving to urban and rural areas of the county.
• Responding to West Nile Virus (WNV) bird calls, collecting and processing viable birds for shipping and laboratory analysis, setting mosquito traps, collecting captured mosquitoes, processing mosquitoes to be analyzed using Rapid Analyte Measurement Platform (RAMP), alert neighborhoods where WNV has been identified.
• Applying mosquito larvicides.
• Completing in person public contacts to educate business owners on managing and minimizing vector harborage areas.
• Accompanying Environmental Health Practitioners to media interviews related to WNV and Providing public education to minimize exposure to various vectors.
• Conducting tick drags, identifying collected specimens, and notifying park district personnel of findings.
• Processing specimens delivered by the public for shipping and further identification and testing.
• Interacting with the public and co-workers in a professional, courteous, and polite manner.
• Assisting on investigations of complaints such as nuisances, illegal dumping, property maintenance, and vector harborage sites.
• Assisting in obtaining samples from private and semi-private water supplies for laboratory analysis.
• Assists in performing inspections of full-time food establishments and temporary food establishments at festivals and special events.
• Develop articles on food safety for annual food safety newsletter.
• Assists in performing onsite wastewater treatment installation inspections, including sketching the system, finalizing an “as built” schematic, preparing paperwork for the homeowner and preparing the file for processing.
• Reviewing files of inactivated onsite wastewater treatment systems
• Assisting with office work, including database entry using Excel formulas and working across spreadsheets.
• Performing related work as required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• Properly don and doff eye, hearing, and respiratory protective equipment
• After hours and weekend work may be required
• Apply basic lab procedures.
• Ability to apply knowledge of math and basic biological sciences.
• Ability to interact with the public in a professional, courteous, and polite manner.
• Ability to interact with irate people in a calm manner.
• Ability to effectively communicate and express ideas clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing to the intended audience.
• Ability to conduct surveillance activities and prepare reports to document compliance and noncompliance.
• Ability to complete assigned work within defined time frame.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, other county departments, city and county officials, state and federal agencies, and the public.
• Ability to assemble, calibrate, and operate sampling and analytical equipment.

Required Qualifications

Must be 21 years of age or older due to the nature of businesses inspected.

A junior or senior level college or university student working towards academic credit to achieve a Baccalaureate degree in Environmental Health Science or similar science based academic program.

Preferred Qualifications
• A senior standing in a baccalaureate degree in Environmental Health Science accredited by the National Environmental Health Association Accreditation Council.
• Illinois Driver’s License
• Valid automobile insurance

Physical Attributes/Demands

Work requires sufficient physical strength, agility, endurance, dexterity and hand-eye-foot coordination to perform all essential duties. Work requires activities such as sitting, walking and standing for long periods of time; walking on slippery, uneven, and unstable surfaces; bending, crawling, stooping, reaching; climbing stairs and ladders; ability to lift, move and carry a minimum weight of 20 pounds for distances as far as ¼ mile; exposure to extreme weather and temperature changes; operating office equipment; and, driving an automobile.

Work Environment

The work is primarily performed outdoors involving exposure to cold, hot, humid, wet environments, vectors, and pathogens. Work is also performed in an office environment involving exposure to normal, everyday risks that require normal safety precautions typical of offices. Work also requires laboratory processes involving the preparation and analysis of biological samples that may harbor pathogens. Use of personal protective equipment such as: hard hats, eye protection, respiratory protection, and hearing protection is required.

Work Environment

The Health Departments offers a variety of programs to serve McLean County residents: WIC, Environmental Health, Vital Records, Communicable Disease, Immunizations, etc.

McLean County Government takes pride in serving our dynamic and fast-growing community. We provide a wide range of services, including public safety, criminal justice, road and bridge maintenance, animal safety and adoptions, vital records management, personal health services, food safety inspections, and park management. Our dedicated team of over 800 employees work across 25 departments to ensure the well-being and growth of our community.

To learn more about McLean County Government and career opportunities, please visit https://mcleancountyil.gov/.

How to Apply
• If applying through a third party job board, please fill out an application via McLean County Government’s Job Board located at https://www.mcleancountyil.gov/2068/Jobs

Confidentiality of your application is maintained upon request.

McLean County Government is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Exempt : No

Type : Seasonal

Department : Health Department

Location : 4