Land Use Environmental Health Specialist I

Salary : $89,725.29 - $109,072.89 Annually

Location : Santa Rosa, CA

Job Type : Full-Time

Job Number : 24 / 11-2611-OCHIP

Department : Permit Sonoma (PRD)

Opening Date : 11 / 21 / 2024

Closing Date : Continuous

Bargaining Unit : 75

Position Information

Grow your Land Use Environmental Health Specialist career with the County of Sonoma.

Starting salary up to $52.26 / hour ($109,072 / year) a competitive total compensation package!

• PLUS a $15,000 Signing Bonus! ^

The County of Sonoma is currently recruiting to fill one full-time position at either the Land Use Environmental Health Specialist I, or Land Use Environmental Health Specialist II-level within Permit Sonoma. This recruitment is for the Land Use Environmental Health Specialist I. If you are also interested in applying for the Land Use Environmental Health Specialist II-, you will need to apply to the separate, concurrent recruitments being conducted at that level.

Please note : that the State of California Department of Public Health oversees the Registered Environmental Health Specialist process for this position. Applicants without REHS certification will not be considered qualified for this position.

For additional information regarding how to meet State requirements, including how out-of-state equivalency determinations are made, please visit the California Department of Public Health's website

Join Our Team Permit Sonoma is the County's "one-stop shop" for all land use planning and development activities. Virtually any land development or construction that takes place in the unincorporated area of Sonoma County (outside the city limits of the nine cities) is reviewed, permitted, and inspected by Permit Sonoma. Our mission is to serve the people of Sonoma County by providing a customer-focused process to balance environmental protection and sustainable development. We balance our mission with effective resource stewardship and the development and maintenance of standards and practices that protect the public's health and safety.

Land Use Environmental Health Specialists

Qualified candidates must be certified by the State of California as a REHS per California Health and Safety Code Sections 106600-106735. Additionally, the ideal candidate will possess :

Due to the nature of the inspection work that the Land Use Environmental Health Specialists perform, incumbents are required to work indoors, in an office setting, and outdoors. They drive across the County in assigned County vehicles on dirt roads, pavements, and in various weather conditions. As these positions conduct site inspections in the unincorporated areas of Sonoma County, incumbents may be exposed to natural hazards such as poison oak, ticks, and other wildlife. If you enjoy a mixture of office and outdoor work and are comfortable working in hiking boots, bring your REHS skills and positive attitude to Permit Sonoma!

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

This Land Use Environmental Health Specialist I 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. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment. The Civil Service title of the position is Environmental Health Specialist I.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience and Education : Any combination of education, training, and experience that would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities stated herein. Normally, this would include graduation from an accredited college or university with a degree in environmental health science, biology, chemistry, physics, microbiology, or related subjects, as required by state law, and one year of trainee level experience in the field of environmental health and safety regulation and enforcement, OR graduation from an accredited California university program that meets the requirements of the California Health and Safety Code, Section 106635 (V).

License : Possession of a valid certificate of registration as an Environmental Health Specialist as required by the State of California's Health and Safety Code.

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

Working 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; environmental research and statistical methods; methods of gathering and analyzing data; basic building construction materials and principles relating to environmental health requirements; principles of general chemistry, physics, microbiology and biology.

Ability to : plan, organize and carry out research, analyze, and evaluate data and make recommendations based on findings; 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 staff, other governmental officials and the general public.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

Please visit 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 BE COMPLETED.

Responses to supplemental questions will be used in assessing minimum qualifications. 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.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination :

An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%). Each application and supplemental questionnaire will be thoroughly evaluated for satisfaction of minimum qualifications and relevance of educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities that relate to this position. Candidates possessing the most appropriate job-related qualifications will be placed on an employment list and referred to the department for selection interviews.

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 applicants.

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 theto determine the requirements for this position.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted online at 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 bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Continuous recruitments may close without notice at any time that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. 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 : CA

HR Technician : RR

IMPORTANT NOTE : Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS : GENERAL

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers :

Paid Time Off : Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals; 12 paid holidays and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan : Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generous County contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement : Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit

IRS 457 Plan : Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical : County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance / benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief : County employees may be eligible for through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to or, contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at or (707) 565-2900.

How did you first learn about this opportunity?

Please indicate if you would also be interested in future part-time or extra-help (temporary, intermittent, or seasonal employment) positions should they become available. Check all that apply.

This eligible list may be used for future bilingual (English / Spanish) positions. Please indicate if you are interested in bilingual positions, and your level of proficiency.

To qualify for this position, you must be certified by the State of California Department of Public Health as a REHS. Are you certified by the State of California Department of Public Health as a REHS?

Please provide your CA REHS certificate registration number.

For this question and all subsequent questions, please provide sufficient information to allow for a thorough evaluation of your qualifications. Responses to supplemental questions may be scored using specific criteria and may be reviewed by hiring managers.

Please describe your training and work experience in the field of environmental health and safety regulation and enforcement (e.g., working as a Registered Health Specialist, Registered Sanitarian, Environmental Sanitarian, Public Health Sanitarian, Certified Environmental Health Professional, and / or an equivalently recognized professional)For each relevant position you list include :

Please describe your experience and / or training interpreting laws, policies, and / or regulations to clients and / or the public. Provide a specific example that best demonstrates your skills and describe the situation, any challenges you encountered, and the outcome.

Please describe any training and / or experience you have working with groundwater, soils, site compliance, septic systems, and / or water wells. Highlight if you have any training and experience related to :

Required Question

Salary : $52,260 - $109,072