Environmental Heatlh Specialist - Winston Salem, United States - Forsyth County (NC)
Description
General Statement of Duties
The Forsyth County Department of Public Health has a position available for an Environmental Health Specialist in the Water and Wastewater Section.
The purpose of this job is to protect the public health of the citizens of Forsyth County through a sanitation program regulating wastewater treatment and water supplies through the fair and equitable enforcement of regulations and rules concerning wastewater treatment and disposal systems, water wells, swimming pools, mobile home courts, and complaint response.
This requires advanced technical expertise in soils characteristics and hydrology.
This position evaluates and permits as required for the following: soil site evaluations, inspects final septic system installations, evaluates failing septic systems, inspects new well construction and abandonments, collects water samples from new and existing wells, conducts inspection for public swimming pools, conducts inspections for Mobile Home Parks, conducts operation and maintenance inspections of existing septic systems, and assists with the Vector Control Program as needed.
Distinguishing Features
The ideal candidates will possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
Working knowledge of the design of onsite waste water treatment systems, communicable diseases, swimming pools, vector control, protection of water supplies, solid waste management, and institutional sanitation;
Working knowledge of inspection methods and investigation techniques as applied in environmental health;
Working knowledge of environmental health laws, rules, and procedures as well as a complete understanding of the concepts of public health law;
Ability to analyze and comprehend a wide variety of technical and administrative regulations, records, and reports;
Ability to maintain effective working relationships with other employees and the public;
Ability to develop and express ideas and opinions concisely, comprehensively, and clearly in oral and written form;
Ability to independently plan and schedule work activities;
Ability to apply environmental health knowledge and techniques in the investigation of environmental health problems;
Ability to exercise sound judgment and deal tactfully with a wide range of public contacts while enforcing public health laws and regulations;
Ability to communicate with the public effectively and to speak to large groups of people in an educational setting.
Minimum Education and Experience
Bachelor's degree in Environmental Health from a program accredited by the National Accreditation Council for Environmental Health Curricula of the National Environmental Health Association and one year of experience in the field of environmental health or;
Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 30 semester hours in the physical or biological sciences and two years of experience in the field of environmental health.
Must have a valid NC driver's license.
MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE FOR AN INTERN:
Graduation from a four-year college with a minimum of 30 semester hours of course work in the physical or biological sciences.
A higher education level may be considered as a substitution for all or part of the experience requirement.
Intern salaries start at $42,952.00.
Environmental Health Specialist Interns must be registered by the State Board of Sanitarian Examiners within three years of employment as an Intern.
Essential duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Reviews plans, engineering data, and site selection criteria for package plants and sand filters; and, issues/revokes permits.
Enforces regulations governing mobile home courts through inspections, compliance checks and surveys; and, issues/re-issues/revokes operating permits.
Performs soil/site evaluations to determine suitability for the installation of a ground absorption.
Designs large and alternative sewage disposal systems.
Investigates complaints from the public; may initiate corrective and/or legal action.
Prepares and maintains related records and reports.
Provides information to the public and provides training to clients regarding policies and regulations governing the issuance of permits.
Samples and evaluates private water supplies, and advises the well owner on test results.
Meets with septic tank contractors before the installation of new systems and issues permits with direction for proper construction, and makes the final inspection.