Environmental Health Specialist I

Tazewell County is hiring an Environmental Health Specialist I in Tremont, IL, responsible for conducting inspections and investigations to ensure compliance with health codes. Duties include assessing water and waste systems, recommending changes, issuing permits, and providing public health education. The role requires effective communication and the ability to analyze environmental conditions. No supervisory responsibilities are included.
Summary: Conducts environmental health inspections and investigations and ensures compliance with local and state health public health codes. Serves as environmental and public health educators who provide information and perform specialized environmental health work in areas such as water, air quality control, food, solid waste, insect and rodent control, and other environmental problems.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

The following statements are illustrative of the duties and responsibilities of the job. The organization retains the right to modify or change the duties and responsibilities of the job at any time.
• Inspect and investigate the sanitary conditions of water supply, garbage, sewage, and other waste disposal systems, of streams, swimming pools, industrial and miscellaneous areas, of food and drink establishments, and of any other facility affecting the environmental health of the
• Recommend changes, give proper instructions, and issue compliance orders when applicable for correction of deficiencies and
• Investigate and make recommendations for the abatement of
• Recommend the issuance or denial of related permits; issue permits as
• Conduct environmental surveys; collect required samples.
• Assist in the control of animals with rabies and other diseases that can be transmitted to man.
• Assist in coordinating environmental health activities with federal, state, and local governmental
• Recommend changes or revisions to departmental policies for compliance with federal, state, and local
• Provide general and technical information and advice to answer questions and solve problems of thegeneral
• Develop and conduct educational presentations on a variety of public health and environmental
• Conduct technical reviews of blueprints, floor plans, and facility plans for compliance with applicable
• Prepare reports and
• May participate in various committees and boards related to program activities and
• Report suspected abuse or neglect of a child as mandated by the Abused and Neglected. Perform other duties as appropriate or necessary for performance of the

Supervisory Responsibilities:

None

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Special Requirements: Must abide by all Departmental Policies as presented in the Personnel Policy Manual, any policies/procedures within the Department employed and all other duties as assigned.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with other County employees, representatives of other agencies and organizations, and members of the
• Analyze situations accurately and take effective
• Learnto plan and carry out an effective environmental health program and interpret public health needs to
• Operate environmental health equipment
• Ability to detect unsanitary conditions and secure their correction
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret engineering plans and drawings concerning construction and installation of septic systems and well placements
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with relevant
• Ability to independently plan and schedule work
• Must take courses for NIMS compliance Levels- 100a, 200a, 300, 400, 700a800b

Education and/or Experience:

Bachelor's Degree with 30 hours College Science Entry level position -no experience required

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

Current driver's license

Current auto insurance

Must be a Certified Food Protection Instructor and Proctor or obtain within 12 months of hire.

Knowledge:
• Thorough knowledge of the geographical makeup of the
• Thorough knowledge of sanitary food handling procedures and food-borne
• Thorough knowledge of biological and environmental chemistry as they apply to environmental health programs being administered.
• Basic principles and practices of environmental
• Purpose and role of County government in enforcing environmental health-learn about the scope and application of laws and regulations pertaining to the environmental health program.
• Localandstate laws and regulations governing public environmental
• Knowledge of the core functions and essential services of public health

Language Skills:

Ability to exercise sound judgment and deal tactfully with a wide range of public contacts while enforcing public health laws and regulations. Ability to analyze and comprehend a wide variety of technical and administrative regulations, records, and reports. Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. An ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, media, clients, customers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills:

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry. The employee must possess the ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals, percentages, and ratios. The employee must possess the ability to process cash transactions. The employee must have the ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. The ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Apply principles of good ethical/legal practice as they relate to study design and data collection. The employee may need to apply common-sense understanding to carry out detailed written/oral instructions. The employee may need to deal with problems involving workflow delays and still meet high standard of accuracy. The employee must possess the ability to manage time and maintain effective organizational levels for the position. The employee may need to make sound decisions in routine situations without supervision. The employee must be able to recognize when a situation should involve supervisory input/action and act upon that need.

Computer Skills:

Routine software and business applications including, but not limited to, word processing, spreadsheets, presentation software, and databases. Basic PC hardware and software, Windows OS, LAN and IP Functions, email systems and operations.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the functions of this position.

The employee is frequently required to sit and stand, talk and hear, and walk. The employee is to use hands to handle or operate objects, tools or controls and reach with the hands and arms. The employee

is to use hand-eye coordination in operating computers and office equipment. The employee will need to have the ability to work with light objects such as staplers, phones, copiers, fax machines, communication radios and other small office equipment.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those and employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to the risk of electric shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

The employee may work indoors in an office setting. The employee may work outdoors and require the ability to climb stairs or traverse varying types of terrain. They may be exposed to extreme heat, cold, wet and humid conditions. The employee may need the ability to work productively in an environment where noise levels could be distracting at times. The employee may need the ability to work with a high level of accuracy with frequent interruptions. The employee will need to work in a professional manner with fellow employees and members of the public. The employee will need to work within teams or workgroups on Department related focuses/projects.

Form Updated: 10/22/13 Ev, 12/8/14 (kjb), 10/28/22 (kjb)

Tazewell County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

EOE - race/color/religion/sex/Sexual orientation/gender identity/national origin/disability