Careers

Description:

Join our team! The Environmental Health Services Division of Seattle & King County Public Health is seeking to select one (1) candidate for a term limited temporary in the Permit Technician role. Seeking to select qualified candidates with excellent customer service and technical skills to support and perform a variety of duties focused on serving the public to help us meet our mission. The Permit Technician works as part of a team to collect and process permits, conduct in-take for plan review, letters, and site applications, and perform customer service-related duties.

The Environmental Health Division processes over 13,000 permits for food establishments, pools/spas, meat cutters, solid waste services, pet business, and plumbing and gas piping services (read more about the division below). The successful candidates in this position will be extremely motivated to provide excellent customer services in a fast-paced environment and independently prioritize a high volume of work while working as a member of a team. This position will report to the Program Supervisor for our Permit Technician team within the Environmental Health operations section at the Chinook/downtown offices. The Program is committed to the principles of racial equity and social justice and values diverse perspectives and life experiences in its workforce. People of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. 

Through the work of over 190 dedicated employees, the Environmental Health Services Division (EHS) promotes healthy and equitable environmental conditions and prevents disease through sanitation, safe food, air, and water (drinking, surface, and recreational), and reduction of exposure to hazardous materials. In addition to permitting and inspecting public pools, spas, pet businesses, plumbing installations, on-site septic systems, and solid waste facilities, the Division also works in partnership with community to address unhealthy environmental conditions and leads the department’s climate change efforts. Our vision is healthy, safe, and vibrant communities that are free of health disparities based on race, gender or economic status. The Division’s core values include equity and social justice, integrity, community service, collaboration, a supportive work culture, and learning from each other and the communities we serve. To learn more about EHS, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/ehs.

As an Environmental Health Permit Technician, you will:

• Provide internal and external customer service; may include providing specialized and/or technical information that requires moderate interpretation of established codes, policies, regulations, procedures, and guidelines by email, phone and in person.
• Process permit renewals, and provide application in-take for permits, re-inspection, plan review and other billings. May involve scanning a high volume of permits using a barcode scanner or manual data entry into database (currently EnvisionConnect).
• Process change of ownership applications.
• Answer a high-volume of incoming calls, that may include, intaking of complaints, permit adjustments, payment intake and triaging calls.
• Upload documents into SharePoint. 
• Read and interpret maps and legal descriptions. Assure permits are issued to the correct parcel number and address.
• Research property information using computer and paper files.
• Accept applications and calculate correct fees for various Environmental Health applications. Process billings and refunds, and route requests appropriately.
• Process letters and public disclosures requests.
• Set up and monitor status of applications, coordinated with program staff to avoid backlogs and ensure applications are processed and followed-up on in a timely manner.
• Monitor accounts for payment and coordinate collection process for unpaid accounts.
• Compile data that may require information searches through files, including spreadsheets and/or customized database applications including financial research questions.
• Prepare daily cash worksheet and daily reconciliations.
• Run existing ad hoc reports using permit database and Excel.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills/Eligibility:

Required:

• Two (2) years of customer service experience demonstrating the ability to communicate with customers using discretion, patience, etiquette, and professionalism.
• Strong communication skills both written and verbal.
• Experience with complex accounts receivables/payable functions.
• Experience in automated financial and management information systems, word processors, spreadsheets, database, and similar software applications.
• Ability to follow oral and written instructions; adjust to changes in workload demands; and research, gather and compile technical information from a variety of sources.
• Strong organization, problem solving and researching skills.
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills, including MS Office application such as Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Skill in maintaining data accuracy and integrity.
• Strong math and analytical skills.
• Excellent time management and priority setting skills; able to handle multiple tasks with extreme accuracy.
• Skill in tracking and following through on assignments.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn new computer applications.
• Knowledge and experience working with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to positively contribute in a team environment; actively listens to others and builds trust and confidence.
• Ability to be reliable and dependable with assignments and work schedule.
• Skill in teamwork and collaboration.

Desired:

• Experience using EnvisionConnect.
• Demonstrated Experience with complex reconciliations.
• Bilingual in one of the most common non-English language groups in King County (includes Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Somali, Chinese, Korean, Ukrainian, Amharic, Hindi and Punjabi).
• Experience applying equity and social justice principles to work approach and implementation.