Careers

Description:

What You’ll Do:

As a Sanitarian, you’ll serve as a frontline public health professional, balancing fieldwork, investigation, and community engagement:

Protect Public Health in the Field
• Conduct inspections of restaurants, pools, campgrounds, schools, and childcare facilities
• Evaluate on-site sewage systems and water supplies for safety and compliance
• Perform soil evaluations to determine feasibility of septic systems
• Collect environmental samples (water, soil, etc.) for analysis

Investigate & Solve Complex Issues
• Respond to and investigate complaints involving:
o Food contamination
o Sewage issues
o Rodents or insects
o Environmental hazards
• Use critical thinking and sound judgment to recommend solutions and enforce compliance

Educate & Influence
• Provide guidance to business owners, residents, and community partners
• Deliver training and educational materials on environmental health practices
• Help individuals understand regulations—and how to meet them

Ensure Compliance & Accountability
• Enforce County Sanitary Code and State public health laws
• Document findings and maintain accurate inspection records
• Make recommendations regarding permits, licensing, and violations

Be a Voice for Environmental Health
• Collaborate with local governments and agencies on housing and environmental safety

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Performs on-site inspections and investigations of food service establishments to observe food handling procedures, cleanliness of premises, sewage and waste disposal practices and other conditions related to local sanitary codes, state and federal laws,  or regulations.
• Inspects public and private water supplies, restaurants, soils, pools, day care centers, schools, collecting samples when necessary for analyses to ensure compliance with applicable Federal, State, and County Public Health Statutes, Codes, Rules, and Regulations.
• Investigates the difficult complaints regarding possible health hazards, such as poor ventilation, food contamination, insect or rodent infested areas, sewage problems and polluted waters, collecting samples for analysis, documenting steps taken and results. Uses persuasive skills for conflict situations, advises compliance with existing regulations and laws, steps to be taken to eradicate problem areas and recommends legal action if necessary to enforce compliance.
• Performs routine inspections of State of Michigan licensed campgrounds.
• Performs site evaluations for residential and non-residential on-site sewage disposal systems.
• Performs final inspections on routine on-site sewage disposal systems.
• Responds to complaints that are difficult to resolve, complex in nature, and/or referred by lower-level personnel.
• Represents Environmental Health Service’s position on all appeals in regard to on-site sewage disposal systems, on-site water supply systems and food service facilities before the Sanitary Code and the Food Service Appeal Boards.
• Provides educational instruction and materials to the public and conducts training seminars to personnel involved in various functions and activities regulated by Environmental Health Services.
• Makes recommendations regarding licensing/permits or rescission of licensing/permits for routine Environmental Health programs based on compliance to the County Sanitary Code and state laws.
• Counsels and/or assists local government in conducting residential housing inspections relating to elimination of actual and/or potential safety hazards in new or existing homes, industries, and construction sites.
• Coordinates surveys and/or investigates complex insect and/or rodent problems.
• Performs routine evaluations of Type II water supplies for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
• Performs routine inspections of public swimming pools.
• Maintains records and reports of sanitation matters and makes recommendations regarding licensure or code violations.
• May conduct any activity typically assigned to lower-level Environmental Health personnel.
• Utilizes current county-wide and/or department specific software to complete assignments.

Skills/Eligibility:

EXPERIENCE, TRAINING, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

REQUIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Possess a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in Environmental Health; OR
• Possess a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in public health, environmental science, or environmental policy, and have earned 30 semester/45 quarter hours of college credit in basic science coursework (per National Environmental Health Association credentialing requirements); OR
• Possess a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in physical or biological sciences, or a closely related field; AND Have had at least one (1) year of full time, supervised experience in environmental health.

• Possess a valid motor vehicle operator’s or chauffeur’s license.

ADDITIONAL DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Reasonable knowledge of the professional practices and procedures in the field of environmental health.