Careers

Description:

Public Health-Seattle & King County is hiring a Health and Environmental Investigator I / II (HEI I / II) to support individual well and public water system activities. Apply your background in science and contribute to our mission to identify and sustain environmental conditions that promote healthy people and healthy communities.

While this is primarily a technical position, the successful candidate will have strong interpersonal, communication, and cultural competence skills to support customers in achieving compliance with public health regulations that protect the community.

SOME OF WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Provide culturally competent education, technical assistance, and regulatory compliance advice to industries, facilities, and the public about individual wells and public water system requirements. 
• Convey and interpret public health and environmental codes, regulations, policies, and technical regulatory information to diverse audiences. 
• Conduct inspections to ensure compliance with current public health and environmental codes, regulations, and policies. 
• Use databases and other electronic tools like GIS to evaluate and track water quality and water system information.
• Use effective verbal and written communication with the public.
• Conduct field visits and office reviews to address complaints, concerns and provide technical guidance.
• Review permit applications for well sites. 
• Provide education and outreach to drinking water system managers, the public, and others.
• Participate and help plan workshops or meetings.
• Respond to email and phone inquiries and complaints.
• Work with the state agency, industry partners and King County programs. 
• Demonstrate knowledge of drinking water systems and well construction.
• Prepare physical records for digital storage/archival.  

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, industry, and the general public. 
• Ability to consistently maintain professional composure and tact, patient under pressure and deadlines.
• Demonstrated foundational knowledge of scientific principles via course work and on the job experience.  
• Eager to learn about or have experience in working with people from diverse backgrounds including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and veterans.
• Ability to use innovative thinking, flexibility and identify best practices to approach problems, resolve conflicts, and implement programs.
• Ability to edit, write, and present information to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to interpret and apply federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• Skill in analyzing, compiling, recording, and assessing data.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Have earned 30 semester hours (or 45 quarter hours) of college credit in basic science coursework. Basic sciences include life sciences, natural sciences, physical sciences, or health sciences (e.g. biology, chemistry, engineering, geology, soil science, and toxicology). 
• The Environmental Health Specialist I requires zero to two years experience.
• The Environmental Health Specialist II requires a minimum of two years experience in an EHS I position or equivalent at time of hire and possession of a current Certificate of Registration as a Sanitarian (RS) or a Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) is required within twelve months of hire. 
• Proficiency with software programs, including Microsoft Office, (Word, Excel, Teams, and Outlook), and ability to quickly master Envision database, Bluebeam Software, OnlineRME, and performance management systems.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Knowledge of the King County government, its mandates and functions, and familiarity with the regional and local policy issues and challenges that affect King County.
• Bilingual in English plus one or more of the following languages representing large populations in King County: Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Somali, Russian, Ukrainian, Korean, Amharic, Hindi, Punjabi, or other languages.
• Experience with public water systems, individual wells, and permitting.