Environmental Health Specialist

Title: Environmental Health Specialist

State Role Title: Environmental Specialist I

Hiring Range: $44,000 - $46,331

Pay Band: 4

Agency: Virginia Department of Health

Location: Dept of Health

Agency Website: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is dedicated to protecting and promoting the health of Virginians. The VDH is made up of a statewide Central Office in Richmond and 33 local health districts.

This position is a multi-hire that will be working as part of the Office of Drinking Water’s lead testing program as an Environmental Health Specialist. This position provides technical and financial assistance to schools and childcare facilities for testing their water for lead contamination.

The Environmental Health Specialist performs environmental health duties at the entry level as a trainee. Employees are typically, new hires in formal and on-the-job training in one or more areas such as food sanitation, on-site soils evaluation, private well inspection, rabies abatement, communicable disease investigation, and migrant labor camp inspection, classification of shellfish growing areas and investigation of general environmental complaints. Employees receive close supervision and guidance. Must be able to complete the applicable training in the VDH Soils program, VDH Food program or VDH Shellfish program and be able to obtain credentials in one of the following within 18 months: VDH Standardized in Food, DPOR Conventional Onsite Soil Evaluator (COSE), DPOR Alternative Onsite Soil Evaluator (AOSE), and National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) State Standardized Inspector. Employees are moved to the Environmental Health Specialist Senior position upon successful completion.

Additional duties of this position entail:
1. Frequent interactions with representatives from schools and childcare facilities to answer questions about our program and relevant regulations
2. Review lab data from lead testing to provide feedback and guidance based on results
3. Review applications to the grant funded lead testing program
4. Participation in trainings for the grant funded lead testing program to answer questions that may arise from participants
5. Analyze lead sampling data and prepare reports based on the data

The Virginia Department of Health offers 13 paid holidays, medical, dental, vision and life insurance, retirement plans (including 401a Cash Match and 457 Deferred Compensation Plan) as well as sick, family/personal, and annual leave.

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience with reading and/or interpreting any of the following: federal/state
laws, regulations, or policies
• Working knowledge or experience in at least one of the following: biology,
microbiology, chemistry, mathematics, and/or engineering principles related to the
job duties
• Ability to effectively communicate (written/verbal) in English, including addressing
the public and writing technical reports
• Experience compiling and analyzing data and preparing technical/scientific
reports from data
• Experience with computer software programs including spreadsheets, word
processing software, and databases.

Additional Considerations

• Experience in environmental health, such as experience gained as an Environmental Health Associate
• Degree in environmental science, microbiology, biology, chemistry, math or
related field
• Working knowledge of administering federal grants
• Background in the drinking water field

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

VDH accepts only on-line applications. Faxed, mailed, or e-mailed applications will not be considered. Applications are accepted until 11:55 p.m. on the job closing date. Applications and/or resumes should include relevant work history which indicates your qualifications for this position.

Employment is contingent upon satisfactory results of a state and federal criminal history background check and the Department of Social Service’s Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry check, U.S. HHSIG Exclusion List check, employment reference check and E-Verify. Other financial, credit, driving, background checks or completion of Statement of Economic Interests may be required for certain positions.

It is the policy of the Commonwealth and VDH that all aspects of human resource management be conducted without regard to race (or traits historically associated with race including hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists); sex; color; national origin; religion; sexual orientation, gender identity or expression; age; veteran status; political affiliation; disability; genetic information; and pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. VDH employees have a shared Code of Ethics, which can be found in the bottom banner of our website: www.vdh.virginia.gov.

If you have been affected by DHRM Policy 1.30 layoff and possess a valid Interagency Placement Screening Form (Yellow Card) or a Preferential Hiring Form (Blue Card), you must submit the card before the closing date for this position. The Card may be submitted with the state application as an attachment.

As a V3 (Virginia Values Veterans) employer VDH Welcomes Veterans to apply!

Supplemental Questions: You may be required to respond to position-specific questions at the end of this application. This information will help us evaluate your credentials and qualifications for the job. Failure to respond to any questions may disqualify you from further consideration.

Contact Information

Name: Tori Altidor

Phone: (804) 573-5901

Email: Tori.Altidor@vdh.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.