Supervising Hazardous Materials Specialist (CUPA Option)

HEALTH CARE SERVICES AGENCY

Alameda County's Health Services Program is administered by the Health Care Services Agency and includes the following program areas:  Behavioral Health Care, Public Health, Environmental Health, and Agency Administration/Indigent Health.  The ultimate mission of the Health Care Services Agency is to provide fully integrated health care services through a comprehensive network of public and private partnerships that ensure optimal health and well-being and respect the diversity of all residents.  The Health Care Services Agency currently has multiple career opportunities for experienced licensed professionals to become part of a service delivery team dedicated to the optimal health and well being of Alameda County residents.

THE POSITION

Under direction, the Supervising Hazardous Materials Specialist will supervise and review the work of professional and clerical staff in the  Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) program in the Division of Environmental Health; the incumbent will assist the Chief of Environmental Protection and will act in his/her absence; and perform related work assignments as required.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

This position is the first level supervisor in the Hazardous Materials Specialist series. This classification is distinguished from the next higher level class of Chief, Environmental Protection by having responsibility for the day-to-day activities of a work unit that may include Senor Hazardous Materials Specialist, Hazardous Materials Specialists, and/or Hazardous Materials Technicians who are engaged in the collection and disposal of hazardous household material and/or enforcing hazardous waste control laws and/or overseeing environmental cleanup projects.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications and knowledge, skills and abilities listed below, the ideal candidate for this position will be well prepared to assume a supervisory role that includes managing others, representing the programs and the Department in interactions with the public and other agencies. 

Ideal candidates will also exemplify the following critical attributes for success:

• Take personal satisfaction and pride contributing as a valued first-line supervisor assigning, planning, organizing, and reviewing the work of professional and clerical staff.  Possess the initiative to grow as a professional and to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to function as a manager in any of the following programs; Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA), Clean water /Storm water Program, and Waste Tire Program in the Divisions of Hazardous Materials.
• Be well prepared as a supportive supervisor capable of training, coaching, counseling and managing staff in order to optimize individual performance.
• Be respected as an environmental health professional trusted to develop, standardize and implement environmental management protocols.
• Be a strong collaborator and consensus builder with exceptional organizational skills and a demonstrated ability to plan and organize work for self and others in order to ensure that work is completed efficiently and in a timely manner.
• Be an effective communicator who conveys information and ideas to individuals or groups in a manner that meets audience needs; who is able to develop and maintain effective relationships with others; and who relates well to people of diverse cultures, interpersonal styles, abilities, motivations, or backgrounds
• Be a practiced problem solver with good judgment capable of thinking logically, taking initiative and reacting calmly under pressure in order to arrive at sound conclusions.
• Be flexible and adaptable with ability to maintain effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment.

For more information about the Health Care Services Agency and/or to view the Annual Budget document, please visit the Agency's website on www.acgov.org/health

The minimum professional requirements for admission to the competitive assessment process include:

Education:

Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in environmental health science, industrial hygiene, physical science, engineering science or related field. (Certified Hazardous Materials Manager, Registered Engineer or Registered Geologist is desired for vacancies in the LOP or CUPA programs.)

AND

Experience:

Either I

The equivalent of one year full-time experience in the class of Supervising Environmental Health Specialist in the Alameda County classified service. (Non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts.)

Or II

The equivalent of two years of experience in the class of Senior Hazardous Materials Specialist in the Alameda County classified service.

Or III

The equivalent of three years full-time experience in the class of Hazardous Materials Specialist in the Alameda County classified service or the equivalent of four years in a position equivalent to the class of Hazardous Materials Technician including one year of lead or supervisory experience in the Alameda County classified service. Experience in private sector industries or consultant firms in one or more of the disciplines associated with hazardous materials and waste management is acceptable experience. (A post graduate degree may substitute for one year of the required experience).

License: Possession of a valid California Driver’s License

Special Requirement

CUPA Option:

The Certified Unified Program Agency requires possession of the minimum experience requirement specifically to include: CUPA programs such as hazardous waste generator, hazardous materials business plan, underground storage tanks, aboveground storage tanks,  Cal ARP, storm water and waste tire programs; investigating community health hazardous; evaluating occupational work sites and ensuring compliance with the applicable laws and regulations, responding to emergency hazardous materials incidents (including the documentation, identification, risk assessment, and advisement of clean up).

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Provisions of Federal, State and local ordinances and regulations relating to environmental
   protection.
• Relevant technologies and analysis tools.
• Principles and practices of environmental health, occupational  health, industrial health.
• Functions and operations of associated agencies.
• Budgetary procedures.
• Computer software applications such as spreadsheet, word processing and database programs.

Abilities:

• Written communication.
• Oral communication.
• Decision making.
• Leadership.
• Planning and organization.
• Management techniques.
• Budget analysis.
• Interpersonal sensitivity.

The examination will consist of the following steps:

1.      A review of the candidates’ applications to verify possession of the minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the position will move on to the next step in the examination process.

2.      A review of the supplemental questionnaire to determine the best qualified candidates; only the best qualified candidates will be invited to the oral interview process. 

3.      An oral interview, which may contain situational exercises, will be weighted as 100% of the candidates' final examination score.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED EXAMINATION STEPS

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit.  Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position.  Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position.  Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

Applicants will be informed via e-mail with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN:

*WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN*

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes.  To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, www.acgov.org/hrs

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Welfare Benefits

• Medical – HMO & PPO Insurance
• Dental – PPO & DHMO Insurance  
• Vision
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage) 
• County Allowance (Employer Credit)
• Health Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Accident, Critical Illness & Hospital Indemnity
• Long Term Care Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Short-term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan – (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan

For your Work/Life Balance

• 11 paid holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave**
• Group Auto/Home Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Group Legal
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the "My applications" button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to insure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox.  If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Sylvia Perez

Human Resources Analyst II

Human Resource Services, County of Alameda

510 208-9593

sylvia.perez@acgov.org

www.acgov.org/hrs

Alameda County is an Equal Opportunity Employer