ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST 1** - 03252025-66586

Job Information

State of Tennessee Job Information

LOCATION OF (1) POSITION(S) TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DIVISION, MCMINN COUNTY

This position requires a criminal background check. Therefore, you may be required to provide information about your criminal history in order to be considered for this position.

This position is a flex position and will flex to EHS 3 position after a two-year probation.

Qualifications

Education and Experience: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree, including at least 36 quarter hours in biology, chemistry, or any environmental science.

Substitution of Experience for Education: Any qualifying full-time work in the enforcement of an environmental program or any professional environmental program work may be substituted for the required education, on a year-for-year basis, to a maximum of four years.

Necessary Special Qualifications: A valid motor vehicle operator's license may be required for some positions.

Note: A transcript is required for a proper evaluation for this class.

Examination Method: Education and Experience, 100%, for Preferred Service positions.

Overview

Summary: Under immediate supervision, is responsible for professional environmental health program work of routine difficulty; and performs related work as required.

Distinguishing Features: This is the entry level class in the Env Health Specialist sub-series. An employee in this class is assigned to learn a variety of environmental compliance inspection, problem identification, and enforcement duties in an environmental health division. This class differs from Env Health Specialist 3 in that an incumbent of the latter performs environmental program duties at the advanced working level under general supervision. **An applicant appointed to this flexibly staffed class will be reclassified to Env Health Specialist 3 after successful completion of a mandatory two-year training period; inadequate or marginal performance during the training period will result in automatic demotion or termination.

Responsibilities

Inspecting Equipment:
1. Learns to inspect Tennessee establishments for compliance with state environmental health standards.
2. Learns to evaluate health conditions during on-site inspections of food service establishments, bed and breakfasts, organized campgrounds, public swimming pools, hotels, motels, body piercing shops, tattoo parlors, state correctional facilities, child care centers and school buildings.
3. Learns to identify improper food handling procedures and potential sources of food contamination based on risk factors likely to cause foodborne illness.
4. Learns to inspect equipment, structures or materials to identify the cause of violation and other problems or defects.
5. Learns to exam tattoo or body piercing work stations to ensure proper storage and maintenance of equipment such as autoclaves and safe hygienic practices.

Resolving Conflicts:
1. Learns to handle complaints, settle disputes, and resolve grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiate with others.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards:
1. Learns to evaluate food samples and sterilization procedures for Tennessee establishments in order to minimize potential sources of contamination.
2. Identifies the time periods of spore test records to ensure tests are conducted according to state guidelines and by an approved laboratory.
3. Compares titrated water sample against pH scales to ensure the pH and alkalinity levels are within state guidelines for public swimming pools.
4. Learns to conduct mandated, risk based inspections in assigned territory.

Monitor Process, Materials, or Surroundings:
1. Learns to collect avian specimens and prepare for testing/analysis at the lab.
2. Learns to collect and transport rabies specimens to the lab for analysis.

Getting Information:
1. Learns to ask relevant questions of the owner/operator/person in charge to ensure compliance with all applicable state rules and regulations.
2. Learns to interview individuals to determine the nature of suspected violations and to obtain evidence of violations.
3. Learns to search for establishments that must be regulated in order to bring them into compliance.
4. Learns to collect basic information concerning complaints in our mandated programs (public pools, food service establishments, hotels, etc.).
5. Learns to collect information concerning animal bite investigations from various sources.
6. Learns to collect information on foodborne outbreaks from various sources.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others:
1. Learns to prepare written supplemental reports to describe violations and explain corrective recommendations.

Training and Teaching Others:
1. Learns to train and teach operations/owners and persons in charge the risk-based approach.
2. Learns to conduct monthly scheduled training for food service handlers in risk-based procedures.
3. Learns to conduct bi-annually/quarterly training of tattoo artists and body piercing technicians on current rules and regulations.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization:
1. Learns to communicate with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Scheduling Work and Activities:
1. Learns to organize the assigned territory to maintain efficiency and completion during each inspection cycle.
2. Learns to organize events such as rabies clinics, temporary events fairs, and organized festivals.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates:
1. Learns to provide information to supervisors, co-workers by telephone, in written form, e-mail or in person.

Performing Administrative Activities:
1. Learns to perform day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
2. Learns to complete required documentation for travel and/or field use of vehicle (i.e., mileage logs, travel time vehicle inspection checklist, etc.).

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge:
1. Learns to keep up-to-date technically and applies new knowledge to job.

Interacting with Computers:
1. Learns to use computers to enter and process data and research new technology.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships:
1. Learns to develop constructive and cooperative working relationships with others and maintains them over time.

Competencies (KSA's)

Competencies:
1. Action Oriented
2. Decision Quality
3. Ethics and Values
4. Functional/Technical Competency
5. Integrity and Trust
6. Intellectual Horsepower
7. Listening
8. Technical Learning
9. Time Management
10. Written Communications

Knowledge:
1. Biology
2. Chemistry
3. Customer and Personal Service
4. Education and Training
5. Food Production
6. Law and Government
7. Mathematics

Skills:
1. Active Learning
2. Active Listening
3. Critical Thinking
4. Learning Strategies
5. Mathematics
6. Monitoring
7. Reading Comprehension
8. Science
9. Speaking
10. Writing
11. Coordination
12. Instructing
13. Negotiation
14. Persuasion
15. Service Orientation
16. Social Perceptiveness
17. Complex Problem Solving
18. Operations Monitoring'
19. Quality Control Analysis
20. Troubleshooting
21. Systems Analysis
22. Systems Evaluation
23. Time Management

Abilities:
1. Deductive Reasoning
2. Inductive Reasoning
3. Mathematical Reasoning
4. Memorization
5. Number Facility
6. Oral Comprehension
7. Oral Expression
8. Selective Attention
9. Time Sharing
10. Written Comprehension
11. Written Expression
12. Extent Flexibility
13. Stamina
14. Hearing Sensitivity
15. Near Vision
16. Peripheral Vision
17. Speech Clarity
18. Speech Recognition

Tools & Equipment

• Personal Computer
• Telephone
• Fax Machine
• Printer
• Scanner
• Copier
• Calculator
• Electronic Devices
• Smart Phone
• Thermocouple
• Pool Test Kit
• Maximum Register Thermometer
• Flashlight
• Test Strips (pH and sanitizing)

Other Office and Inspection Related Equipment as Required

TN Driver Standards

State of Tennessee positions that may involve driving responsibilities require candidates to meet the following minimum driver qualifications:

• A valid driver's license
• For the past five years, the candidate's driver record must not have record of the following violations: driving under the influence (DUI), reckless driving, license suspension for moving violations, more than 4 moving violations.

Please include your Driver's License Information under the Licenses and Certifications section of your application.

**Agencies may allow an exception based on other factors.