ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST TRAINEE

THE JOB: Under direction, to inspect and investigate environmental health conditions to enforce Federal, State, County and local environmental health and safety laws, ordinances and regulations; to obtain compliance or corrective action; to educate the public concerning environmental health and safety; and to do other work as required.  Currently there are vacant positions in the Environmental Health Division, Consumer Protection and Land Use teams.  The list established from this recruitment will be used to fill current and future temporary (extra help), full-time, part-time and substitute positions.

THE REQUIREMENTS: Any combination of education and experience which would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying, unless otherwise specified. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science or any combination of education and experience approved by the California State Department of Public Health.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS/CONDITIONS: License Requirements: Possess and maintain a valid California Class C Driver License.  Possession of a written statement from the California State Department of Public Health indicating that educational requirements have been met for admission to examination for Registered Environmental Health Specialist.  A COPY OF THIS WRITTEN STATEMENT MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH YOUR APPLICATION.

SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS: Exposure to variable temperatures; slippery surfaces; loud noises; sunburn; dust and pollen; bee stings; infections, such as tick-borne Lyme disease or mosquito-borne encephalitis; angry or hostile persons; hazardous materials; wetness, such as while walking in the rain or through a stream on a site inspection; raw or partially treated sewage; inadequate ventilation; live electrical wires, aggressive dogs, fleas, cockroaches and rodents.

OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Positions may be assigned to carry a pager, cell phone or other communication equipment and respond to emergency situations and perform on-call or call-back duties. Work situations may include evenings, weekends and holidays.

Knowledge: Some knowledge of methods and techniques of scientific investigation, inspection and resolving unsanitary conditions.

Ability to: Analyze situations accurately and take effective action; establish and maintain cooperative relationships with others; prepare clear and concise reports; learn to detect unsanitary conditions and public health hazards, secure corrective action through education or voluntary compliance or legal enforcement; learn to provide instruction in the methods and procedures of sanitary inspection and correction of unsanitary conditions; learn to understand conditions and develop alternatives for soils and percolation problems; learn environmental health and safety codes; learn the principles of environmental health and sanitation; learn to apply Federal and State laws, local ordinances and regulations governing environmental health and sanitation; obtain additional training pertaining to environmental health; learn to input, access and analyze data using a computer; and  learn to make public presentations.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS:

ANNUAL LEAVE – 22 days first year, increasing to 37 days after 15 years.  Available after six months for vacation and/or sick leave.

HOLIDAYS – 12.5 paid holidays per year.

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE – 3 days paid in California, 5 days paid out-of-state.

MEDICAL PLAN – The County contracts with CalPERS for a variety of medical plans.  For most plans, County contributions pay a majority of the premiums for employees and eligible dependents.

DENTAL PLAN – County pays for employee and eligible dependent coverage.

VISION PLAN – County pays for employee coverage. Employee may purchase eligible dependent coverage.

RETIREMENT  – Pension formula 2% at age 60 or 2% at age 62 as determined based on provisions of the CA Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013(PEPRA). Pension benefit determined by final average compensation of three years.  County pays a portion of retirement contribution and participates in Social Security. 

LIFE INSURANCE – County paid $20,000 term policy.  Employee may purchase additional life insurance.

SDI – Employees in the General Representation Unit participate in the State Disability Insurance (SDI) program. This program is funded 100% by employee payroll deductions.

DEPENDENT-CARE PLAN – Employees who make contributions for child or dependent care may elect to have their contributions made utilizing “pre-tax dollars.”

H-CARE PLAN – Employees who pay a County medical premium share of cost may elect this pre-tax program.

HEALTH CARE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ALLOWANCE (HCFSA) – Employees may elect this pre-tax program to cover qualifying health care expenses.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION – A deferred compensation plan is available to employees.
OTHER – Other pay and benefit items apply to certain positions or assignments, such as Bilingual Pay and Night Shift Differential. 

THE EXAMINATION: Your application and supplemental application will be reviewed to determine if you have met the education, experience and/or licensing requirements as stated on the job announcement.  If you meet these criteria and are one of the best qualified, you may be required to compete in any combination of written, oral and/or performance examinations or a competitive evaluation of training and experience as described on your application and supplemental application. You must pass all components of the examination to be placed on the eligible list.  The examination may be eliminated if there are ten or fewer qualified applicants.  If the eligible list is established without the administration of the announced examination, the life of the eligible list will be six months, and your overall score will be based upon an evaluation of your application. If during those six months it is necessary to administer another examination for this job class, you will be invited to take the examination to remain on the eligible list.

HOW TO APPLY: Apply Online Now!  Click on the link below; or print out an application and supplemental questionnaire and mail/bring to: Santa Cruz County Personnel Department, 701 Ocean Street, Room 310, Santa Cruz, CA  95060.  For information, call (831) 454-2600. Hearing Impaired TDD# (831) 454-2123.  Applications will meet the deadline if: 1) received in the Personnel Office by 5:00 p.m. on the final filing date or 2) submitted online before midnight on the final filing date.  Following a review for minimum qualification, applicants who are selected to move forward in the recruitment process will be notified that they must submit a completed conviction history questionnaire in order to continue to the examination phase of the process.   

Women, minorities and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.  If you have a disability that requires test accommodation, please call (831) 454-2600.

To comply with the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, Santa Cruz County verifies that all new employees are either U.S. citizens or persons authorized to work in the U.S.

Some positions may require fingerprinting and/or background investigation. 

NOTE: The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract.

An Equal Opportunity Employer