Position Information

Build a career in Environmental Health and join the Department of Health Services as an Environmental Health Specialist Trainee!

Starting salary up to $54.11/hour ($112,934/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

The Department of Health Services is currently recruiting to fill one full-time Environmental Health Specialist (EHS) position at either the Trainee, I, or II level. If you are interested in being considered at the different levels of this opportunity, you must apply to the separate concurrent recruitments being conducted for each level.

We're looking for a motivated individual to join our team as an Environmental Health Specialist Trainee who wants to build their career in Environmental Health. This role is vital to protecting public health, serving the community, and supporting the functions of the Environmental Health Section. As an Environmental Health Specialist Trainee, you will:

• Learn how to perform inspections and investigations across a wide range of programs, including but not limited to: Food Facilities, Recreational Facilities, Cannabis Facilities, Medical Waste Facilities, Water Systems, Beach monitoring, Solid Waste, Body Art, Childhood Lead Prevention, Storm Water, Organized Camps, Detention Facilities, and Disaster Preparedness

• Ensure compliance with County and State health and safety regulations through routine inspections, complaint responses, documentation, enforcement actions, and public education

• Learn how to prepare thorough inspection reports, interpret relevant health codes, and communicate findings and corrective actions to stakeholders

• Interact regularly with the public, businesses, and regulatory partners, often providing guidance and support in diverse environments

As the ideal candidate for these positions, you will be dedicated to helping promote a healthy and safe environment, be an excellent communicator, and possess many of the following:

• Knowledge of sanitation science, public health principles, and relevant environmental health laws and regulations
• The ability to adapt to an evolving public health landscape and perform a broad range of functions to meet Departmental operational needs
• The ability to identify potential issues, research these issues, prepare supporting documentation, and present these observations accurately and effectively
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint) and general computer skills
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including report writing, documentation, and presentations
• The ability to think critically, research regulatory issues, and analyze field findings
• A strong sense of empathy for the clients you will work with
• The ability to build collaborative relationships with a diverse community, team members, and partner agencies

Work is primarily performed Monday through Friday, with occasional evenings and weekends to inspect temporary events or respond to complaints. Many inspections are outdoors and require working in varying environmental conditions, including beaches, waste sites, and food service facilities.

As an EHS Trainee, your employment would be limited to a maximum of 36 months. Within that period, you are expected to obtain a certificate of registration as an Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) issued by the State of California. After you obtain your California REHS certificate and based upon your performance and mastery of the Trainee position, you would then be eligible for promotion to Environmental Health Specialist I, within three years from your appointment as an EHS Trainee. EHS Trainees serve a one-year probationary period.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Career Advancement - With time and good performance, the opportunity for advancement to Environmental Health Specialist I ($46.05 - $55.98/hour)
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals and 12 paid holidays
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness - Annual benefit allowances of up to $850 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Additional Benefits - Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

• Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Engineers and Scientists of California Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory.

This recruitment is being conducted to fill an Environmental Health Specialist Trainee position in the Department of Health Services. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of education, training, and experience that would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities stated herein. Normally, this would include:

Experience: There is no experience requirement.

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a degree in environmental health science, biology, chemistry, physics, microbiology or a related subject, as required by state law, to obtain registration as an Environmental Health Specialist.

Special Qualifications: Possession of a certificate issued by the state of California indicating that the person is an approved Environmental Health Specialist Trainee by the time of appointment, and possession of a valid certificate of registration as an Environmental Health Specialist as required by the State of California's Health and Safety Code within thirty-six months of appointment.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required, depending upon assignment, to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of: sanitation science, requirements and procedures and the methods and procedures used in inspecting, investigating and correcting unsanitary conditions; federal, state and local laws and regulations governing environmental health and safety; principles and practices of public health; principles of general chemistry, physics, microbiology and biology; methods of gathering and analyzing data.

Ability to: learn to plan, organize and carry out research, analyze, and evaluate data and make recommendations based on findings; learn to detect unsanitary conditions and public health hazards and secure correction through education, voluntary compliance, or legal enforcement; prepare comprehensive reports; communicate verbal and written ideas clearly and logically; establish and maintain effective relationships with other governmental officials and the general public.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate’s personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant’s name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to candidates.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job announcement must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: SZ

HR Technician: KK