CHIEF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST

Position/Program Information

EXAM NUMBER:
PH5678F

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT:
Open Competitive Job Opportunity

FIRST DATE OF FILING:
Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at 8:30 A.M. (PT)

This examination will remain open until the needs of the service are met and is subject to closure without prior notice.

No out-of-class experience will be accepted.

DEFINITION:
Directs the environmental health program activities in a health district; or has immediate responsibility for a specialized County-wide environmental health program.

CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS:
Positions located in a district allocable to this class receive administrative and technical direction from an Environmental Health Services Manager and direct a staff who are performing a variety of environmental health activities directed toward the identification, solution, and prevention of environmental health problems. The staff takes appropriate enforcement action in accordance with State and local regulations governing retail food vending, multiple housing, sewage, etc. Positions located in the Bureau of Consumer Protection or the Bureau of Environmental Protection receive administrative and technical direction from the Director, Environmental Planning and Evaluation. They oversee a staff who are performing specialized environmental health activities directed toward the identification and solution of environmental health problems in such specialized consumer and environmental protection programs as food, dairy, water, sewage, multiple housing and institutions, garment industry, public swimming facilities, vehicle inspections, water pollution control, and plan check. The staff initiates appropriate enforcement actions in accordance with Federal, State, and local regulations in these County-wide programs. As the chief environmental health law enforcement official of a district or a specialized County-wide program, the incumbent ensures that environmental health management policies and procedures are followed by the environmental health specialist staff and also are responsible for expediting inspection and enforcement action. Chief Environmental Health Specialists provide the final authority in achieving compliance with environmental health and consumer protection laws within their jurisdiction before criminal prosecution and court action are undertaken through city or the District Attorney. Incumbents serve as technical authorities and are instrumental in developing, revising, proposing, and analyzing environmental health legislation and designing programs to meet the needs of the community.

Essential Job Functions

• Directs and administers the conduct of environmental health programs activities within a health district or specialized County-wide program through the review of reports, coordination of work, and the resolution of problems.
• Interprets, clarifies, and resolves problems of field staff relating to Federal, State, and local policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Reviews and evaluates work of subordinate staff and prepares or reviews the performance evaluations of subordinate staff; recommends promotion and approves transfers of staff members to better use personnel; promotes individual growth and development; takes or recommends disciplinary action including verbal and written reprimands, suspensions, and discharges and replies to employee grievances.
• Conducts administrative office hearings attended by persons or firms cited for failure to comply with public health regulations, Environmental Health Specialist staff, and other interested persons where the problems which resulted in the citation are discussed and commitments are made concerning prompt corrective action.
• Evaluates evidence gathered by subordinate staff and authorizes criminal prosecution or environmental health cases of non-compliance with public health regulations.
• Develops, proposes, or revises special programs, legislation, policies, or procedures by analyzing their impact on the department, the community, and the Environmental Health Specialist staff.
• Directs research, special studies, and field evaluations to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of materials and equipment used by staff making specialized inspections and investigations in programs such as vector control, cross connection, and water pollution control protection.
• Provides technical expertise in a specialized technical area of environmental health by serving as a health agency representative to various local, State, and Federal technical committees or boards and by lecturing before technical societies, associations, and industry groups.

Requirements

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Four (4) years of experience as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist*, two (2) years of which must have been at the level of Environmental Health Specialist III.**

LICENSE(S) AND CERTIFICATE(S) REQUIRED:
1. *Certificate as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist issued by the California State Department of Public Health .

• You MUST submit a legible copy of the original certificateor the pocket license as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist issued by the California State Department of Public Health with your application or within 15 calendar days of application submission to HRExams@ph.lacounty.gov .
• For information on how to obtain the certificate as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist from the California State Department of Public Health, call (916) 449-5661 or click on the link below : https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DRSEM/Pages/EMB/REHS/REHS.aspx

2. A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

PHYSICAL CLASS:
Physical Class II - Light: This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10 pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:
You must POSSESS and CLEARLY EXPRESS detailed years of experience performing relevant duties, related to the requirements within your online job application under the "Experience" area .

• ** Experience at the level of Environmental Health Specialist III in the County of Los Angeles is defined as a registered environmental health specialist who performs specialized environmental health inspections and investigations of complex environmental health problems; or provides lead supervision to field staff who are enforcing environmental health and consumer protection laws by making inspections, initiating investigations and taking appropriate enforcement action.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:
Credit will be given to applicants who possess the following desirable qualifications:

• Additional Environmental Health Specialist III experience beyond the Minimum Requirements.

Additional Information

EXAMINATION CONTENT:
Once we have determined that you meet our certificate and experience requirements described above, our examination process will consist of an evaluation of training and experience based on application information, desirable qualifications, and supplemental questionnaire information at the time of filing weighted 100% .

Applicants must meet the requirements described above at the time of filing and achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on the examination in order to be added to the Eligible Register.

Passing this examination and being added to the Eligible Register does not guarantee an offer of employment.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION:

The names of candidates receiving a passing score in the examination will be added to the Eligible Register in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months following the date of eligibility.

NO PERSON MAY COMPETE IN THIS EXAMINATION MORE THAN ONCE EVERY TWELVE (12) MONTHS .

Complete applications will be processed on an as received basis and promulgated to the Eligible Register accordingly.

VACANCY INFORMATION:

The Eligible Register resulting from this examination will be used to fill vacancies in the Department of Public Health as they occur.

AVAILABLE SHIFT:

Any shift, including evenings, nights, weekends and holidays.

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Application and Filing Information

HOW TO APPLY:

Applications must be filed ONLINE ONLY . Applications submitted by U.S. mail, fax, or in person will NOT be accepted. Any required documents and/or additional information, if any, must be received with your application at the time of filing online or sent to HRExams@ph.lacounty.gov within fifteen (15) calendar days from application submission.

Apply online by clicking on the green "Apply" button located on this posting. You can also track the status of your application using this website.


Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the 5:00 p.m. PT deadline as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty, you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.



The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS. Fill out the application and Supplemental Questionnaire accurately and completely to receive full credit for any relevant education and/or job experience you include. In the space provided on the application for education, include names and addresses of schools attended, dates attended, degree(s) received, and degree major. For each job held, give the name and address of your employer, your job/position title, start and end dates, the number of hours worked per week, and detailed description of work and duties performed. If the application and/or Supplemental Questionnaire is/are incomplete, the application will be REJECTED .

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Please note that ALL information supplied by applicants and included in the application materials is subject to VERIFICATION at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made.

• Applications may be rejected at any stage of the examination and selection process.
• FALSIFICATION of any information may result in DISQUALIFICATION or RESCISSION OF APPOINTMENT.
• Utilizing VERBIAGE from Class Specification(s) and/or Minimum Requirements serving as your description of duties WILL NOT be sufficient to demonstrate that you meet the requirements. In doing so your application will be dispositioned as INCOMPLETE and will not be accepted.
• Comments such as "SEE RESUME" or "SEE APPLICATION" will not be considered a valid response; therefore, using such statements will also result in your application being rejected as INCOMPLETE.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES:

For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County. Check the website for updated information at https://lacountylibrary.org .

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:

Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.

DO NOT SHARE USER ID AND PASSWORD:

All applicants must file their application online using their OWN user ID and password. Using a family member or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (ARDI):
The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. The Department of Human Resources is committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the in equalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

FAIR CHANCE EMPLOYER:

The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:

It is the policy of the County of Los Angeles to provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons, regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or disability or any other characteristic protected by State or Federal law. All positions are open to qualified men and women pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. The County will follow all of its obligations under State and Federal laws regarding the provision of reasonable accommodations to applicants.

Department Contact Name: Exam Analyst

Department Contact Phone: (323) 659-6546

Department Contact E-mail: HRExams@ph.lacounty.gov

Exam Number: PH5678F

California Relay Services Phone: (800) 735-2922

ADA Coordinator Phone: (323) 659-6546

Teletype Phone: (800) 899-4099

Alternate Teletype Phone: (800) 897-0077

For detailed information, please click here

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

• 

• Los Angeles County

• (800) 970-5478

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