Skip to Main Content

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST TRAINEE

Recruitment #23-002428-0009

Go Back View Benefits

Introduction

This position has 3 vacancies: 
Option 1: Community Hygiene Program
Option 2: Well & Septic Program
Option 3: Food Protection Program

GRADE

13

LOCATION OF POSITION

Howard County Health Dept
8930 Stanford Blvd.
Columbia, MD 21045

POSITION DUTIES

Option 1: Community Hygiene Program
This position learns to function as an Environmental Health Specialist in the Howard County Health Department, Bureau of Environmental Health, a regulatory agency charged with responsibility for prevention of disease transmission through environmental factors. Various inspections and sampling activities are conducted on properties in Howard County in accordance with applicable regulatory standards intended to protect the public’s health. This position is assigned to the Community Hygiene Program. 

25% Conducts routine pre-opening and operational inspections of public pool and spa facilities to verify compliance with current design and water quality criteria, by comparing observations to applicable standards. Contributes observations to a database to evaluate the overall effectiveness of inspection program.

15% Performs routine environmental health surveys plus applicable water sampling and follow up responses for structures or dwellings (i.e. potential and existing foster, day care, assisted living care facilities, residential homes, etc.) to satisfy certain health and safety requirements of licensing agencies by recommending approval or denial of these facilities.

25% Investigates reported cases of animal bites or potential exposure, to evaluate the possible risk of rabies transmission, thereby insuring the health of the victim(s) by utilizing established quarantine procedures and referrals for post-exposure treatment.

20% Accepts and investigates citizen complaints of possible nuisance conditions to assess validity of concern by comparing observations to delegated regulations outlined in the state and local code.

10% Performs required scheduled and follow-up sampling, plus sanitary surveys for facilities that are designated as Transient Non-Community Water Supply facilities by MDE by following applicable policies, regulations and survey schedules, plus performs various designated inspections of County Mobile Home Parks, Pet Stores (that sell exotic birds/animals), Tanning Facilities as well as requests for agricultural burning permits.

5% Other duties as required, including but not limited to regular attendance at work, participation in after hours on-call emergency response (with a personal vehicle if necessary), completing assigned PIA requests, maintenance of environmental health specialist license, timely submittal of all activity reports and administrative paperwork, and provide good customer service to all Health Department customers.

Option 2: Well & Septic Program
This position is primarily a field/site Environmental Health Specialist position in the Groundwater Management Section of the Well and Septic Program within the Bureau of Environmental Health. This position learns to function with close supervision training and learning the duties of inspecting/evaluating sites/properties served or to be served by private on-site well and septic systems so that regulatory compliance with COMAR and Howard County Health Department Policy can be obtained. 

60% Under close supervision, trains and learns to conduct routine field inspections of the installation of new and replacement wells, well line connections, septic disposal systems and scavenger trucks. Verifies that the final materials used and construction practices are in conformance with applicable rules, policies, and regulations.   Assists in pulling and returning files for daily inspections. 

20% Under close supervision, trains and learns to review and issue private water supply related permits to establish criteria for installation and tracking by following all water supply procedures and policies. Related duties include well site inspections, well permit review and approval, replacement well follow up letters, well completion report review/approval, demo permits, well abandonment reports, and the issuance of Interim Certificates of Potability (ICOPS)/Temporary and Permanent Deviations. 

10% Under close supervision, locate all new and replacement wells with GPS unit to establish a comprehensive mapping of county wells by following established procedures.

10% In office and phone consultation of general and site specific questions regarding well and septic systems issues and other duties as assigned including but not limited to; participation in after-hours on-call emergency response with a personal vehicle available to respond if necessary, comes to work if declared emergency essential personnel during the winter months, administrative record keeping responsibilities, maintenance of Environmental Health Specialist registration, timely submittal of all administrative paperwork such as workday, leave sheets, accident reports (if needed), mileage logs and  activity reports.  Participates in recording monitoring well data. Provide good customer service to all Health Department customers. 

Option 3: Food Protection Program
This position learns to function as a field Environmental Health Specialist for Howard County Health Department, Bureau of Environmental Health, a regulatory agency charged with responsibility for prevention of disease transmission through environmental factors. This position is assigned to the Food Protection Program. Various inspections and complaint follow-ups are conducted on licensed Retail Food Service Facilities in Howard County in accordance with applicable regulatory standards intended to protect the public’s health.

70% Conducts retail food service facility inspections on a regular schedule to verify compliance with current regulations, by comparing observations to applicable standards.  Under close supervision, assists in and helps perform: plan reviews, facilities undergoing expansions and remodeling, plus change of ownership inspections. 

15% Investigates food borne illness (FBI) outbreaks, plus applicable facility complaints to determine if a causal agent exists or improper procedures and/or standards are followed to satisfy certain health and safety requirements.  Confer with supervisor in Program to assess appropriate follow-up actions.  

10% Maintains records of inspections to quantify program elements and track the required facility, thereby insuring that the applicable required inspections are being completed and related activity reporting conducted.

5% Other duties as required, including but not limited to regular attendance at work, participation in after hours on-call emergency response following in service training (with a personal vehicle if necessary), participation in performing inspections of weekend festivals or events involving food service operations.  Acquires continuing education credits/training to maintain Environmental Health Specialist License. Timely submittal of all administrative paperwork.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:   Determined by the Maryland Board of Environmental Health Specialists under the licensing requirements for Environmental Health Specialists.

To qualify for a license, an applicant must satisfy the education, experience and examination requirements described in the health specialists licensing law. An applicant must meet the education and experience requirements to become eligible for examination. The experience requirement may be met by obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility from the Board that allows the applicant to be employed as an environmental health specialist in-training. The minimum education and experience requirements are:

A baccalaureate degree (any major) from an accredited college or university that includes:

at least 30 semester credit hours in the physical, biological or environmental sciences;
at least one laboratory course in two of the following: chemistry, physics or biology, soil science, geographic information systems; and
a course in mathematics.
Experience- at least 24 months of practice as an environmental health specialist

An applicant can also qualify for examination with these other combinations of education and experience:

A master’s degree in public health that includes the course work described in 1-3 above and 3 months in an internship approved by the Board or 3 months In-Training.
A baccalaureate degree in the physical, biological or environmental sciences that includes at least 60 semester credit hours of the sciences described in #1 above, and the lab courses and the math course described in #2 and #3 above. The experience requirement for an applicant with this education background is 12 months of experience in practice as an environmental health specialist.
General requirements: Each degree used to satisfy the education requirement must have been from an accredited college or university in the United States, or an equivalent institution outside the United States.

Experience: None.

DESIRED OR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Desired qualifications:
- Experience or education reviewing site plans with technical details
- Experience or education regarding soil science
- Experience working outdoors and on construction sites
- Experience or education applying regulations

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

1. At the time of hire, candidates for positions in this classification must possess a certificate of eligibility to be licensed as an Environmental Health Specialist from the Maryland Board of Environmental Health Specialists. Applicants that do not have an active Certificate of Eligibility from the MD Board of Environmental Health Specialists must submit a copy of their transcript with their application.

2. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator's license valid in the State of Maryland.

SELECTION PROCESS

Applicants who meet the minimum (and selective) qualifications will be included in further evaluation. The evaluation may be a rating of your application based on your education, training and experience as they relate to the requirements of the position. Therefore, it is essential that you provide complete and accurate information on your application. Please report all related education, experience, dates and hours of work. Clearly indicate your college degree and major on your application, if applicable. For education obtained outside the U.S., any job offer will be contingent on the candidate providing an evaluation for equivalency by a foreign credential evaluation service prior to starting employment (and may be requested prior to interview). 

Complete applications must be submitted by the closing date. Information submitted after this date will not be added. 

Incorrect application forms will not be accepted. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.

Candidates may remain on the certified eligible list for a period of at least one year. The resulting certified eligible list for this recruitment may be used for similar positions in this or other State agencies.

BENEFITS

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

Online applications are highly recommended. However, if you are unable to apply online, the paper application (and supplemental questionnaire) may be submitted to MDH, Recruitment and Selection Division, 201 W. Preston St., Room 114-B, Baltimore, MD 21201. Paper application materials must be received by 5 pm, close of business, on the closing date for the recruitment, no postmarks will be accepted.

If additional information is required, the preferred method is to upload.  If you are unable to upload, please fax the requested information to 410-333-5689. Only additional materials that are required will be accepted for this recruitment. All additional information must be received by the closing date and time.

For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact the MDH Recruitment and Selection Division at 410-767-1251.

If you are having difficulty with your user account or have general questions about the online application system, please contact the MD Department of Budget and Management, Recruitment and Examination Division at 410-767-4850 or Application.Help@maryland.gov. 

Appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities are available upon request by calling: 410-767-1251 or MD TTY Relay Service 1-800-735-2258.

We thank our Veterans for their service to our country.

People with disabilities and bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.

As an equal opportunity employer, Maryland is committed to recruitment, retaining and promoting employees who are reflective of the State's diversity.




Powered by JobAps