Environmental Health Specialist Senior

The Commonwealth of VA Careers is seeking an Environmental Health Specialist Senior for the New Kent County Health Department. This role involves inspecting food establishments, investigating rabies exposures, and maintaining a small caseload. The position requires travel within the district and focuses on promoting health equity. Candidates should have relevant qualifications and a valid driver's license. The salary range is $50,000 - $64,000 with various benefits.
Title: Environmental Health Specialist Senior

State Role Title: Environmental Specialist I

Hiring Range: $50,000 - $64,000

Pay Band: 4

Agency: Virginia Department of Health

Location: CHICKAHOMINY-NEW KENT

Agency Website: www.vdh.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

Located in beautiful vineyard country and with a growing community, the New Kent County Health Department is seeking an energetic, self-motivated, detail-oriented, and team-oriented individual to join our Environmental Health Food Safety Team.

The New Kent County Health Department is part of the Chickahominy Health District, which serves Charles City, Goochland, and Hanover Counties. This position will be based at the New Kent County Health Department and will involve inspecting food and tourist establishments and investigating rabies exposures in New Kent and Charles City counties. A small food establishment caseload will also be maintained in eastern Hanover County.

Some travel within the district will be required, with personal vehicle mileage reimbursement or agency vehicle use when available. Typical work hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, with preplanned weekend duties for temporary food establishment events.

The Chickahominy Health District is dedicated to environmental justice and health equity, with a strong focus on reaching our most vulnerable and at-risk populations. Our mission is to enhance the health of our community by preventing disease, promoting healthy lifestyles, and safeguarding people from environmental and other hazards. Our values are Integrity, Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence.

The Environmental Health Specialist Senior performs environmental health duties independently at the journey level in areas such as food sanitation, on-site soils evaluation, private well inspection, rabies abatement, communicable disease investigation, migrant labor camp inspection, classification of shellfish growing areas and investigation of general environmental complaints.

The Virginia Department of Health offers 12 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

• Basic knowledge of biology, epidemiology, chemistry, mathematics, and statistics
• Skill in communication, both oral and written; ability to deal with the public and resolve conflict in a regulatory setting; ability to prepare thorough documentation and reports of regulatory activities; skill as an educator/trainer teaching environmental health principles
• Ability to interpret and enforce laws and regulations governing environmental health programs; ability to analyze information and make recommendations; to receive, understand and perform tasks as instructed by supervisor; to perform physically demanding tasks
• Must be DPOR licensed master alternative onsite soil evaluator or master conventional onsite soil evaluator, VDH standardized in food or National Shellfish Sanitation Program State Standardized Inspector to qualify as EHS Senior
• 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 Sciences
• Certified Professional - Food Safety credential

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.

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.

It is the policy of the Commonwealth and VDH that all aspects of human resource management be conducted without regard to race (or traits historically associated with race including hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists); sex; color; national origin; religion; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; age; veteran status; political affiliation; disability; genetic information; and pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. VDH employees have a shared Code of Ethics, which can be found in the bottom banner of our website: www.vdh.virginia.gov.

If you have been affected by DHRM Policy 1.30 layoff and possess a valid Interagency Placement Screening Form (Yellow Card) or a Preferential Hiring Form (Blue Card), you must submit the card before the closing date for this position. The Card may be submitted with the state application as an attachment.

As a V3 (Virginia Values Veterans) employer VDH Welcomes Veterans to apply!

Supplemental Questions: You may be required to respond to position-specific questions at the end of this application. This information will help us evaluate your credentials and qualifications for the job. Failure to respond to any questions may disqualify you from further consideration.

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their Certificate of Disability (COD) provided by a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor within the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their Certificate of Disability. If you need to get a Certificate of Disability, use this link: Career Pathways for Individuals with Disabilities, or call DARS at 800-552-5019, or DBVI at 800-622-2155.

Contact Information

Name: Human Resources

Phone: 804-365-4336

Email: karri.markle@vdh.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.