What are the responsibilities and job description for the Environmental Health Speciliast position at Northwest Washington Indian Health Board?
Job Description
Northwest Washington Indian Health Board
Environmental Health Specialist
Environmental Health Specialist, under the direction of the Northwest Washington Indian Health Board (NWWIHB), serves 3 federally recognized Tribes: Lummi, Nooksack, and Upper Skagit. This position provides recommendations to prevent health impacts to community members and the physical environment that includes topics on: environmental protection, environmental health, food safety, hazardous materials, injury prevention and emergency preparedness-response.
Major Duties:
- Monitors adherence to health and safety requirements in daycares, food service facilities, multioccupancy facilities and health clinics through plan review, site assessments, trainings and follow up.
- Conducts investigations, surveillance, and response to possible human health issues related to food safety, foodborne illness. Inspection food establishments for conformance to applicable regulations, implementation of control measures to correct violations, providing education and technical assistance to members of the food industry and the public; and responding to complaints.
- Responds to complaints regarding solid waste management including, handling and illegal dumping complaints; potable water quality, improper disposal of black/grey water and solid waste.
- Collects water or other environmental monitoring samples to assess the sanitary condition of surface water, ground water or other medium, analyzes test data
- Assisting with investigation of water contamination or waterborne illness complaints and outbreaks. Inspecting camps, swimming pools.
- Interprets and implements policies, standards, programs and procedures in the assigned areas of responsibility and is responsible for their effective and timely communication and oversight of their implementation. Recommends change in guidelines and policies as necessary.
- Communicates data driven results and summarizes primary scientific literature for the purpose of developing sound and practical public health advice and interventions.
- Provides injury prevention, projects, and initiatives to tribes Projects to date include Child Passenger Safety Technician education funding to tribal staff.
- Participate in emergency response activities and other duties as assigned or requested by tribal emergency management programs.
- Supports Tribal specific Public Health policy development such as food security and selfcertification.
- Upon request of tribal programs, assist with providing tribal community on public health topics such as injury prevention (bicycle safety, car seat safety, tobacco use concerning indoor air quality, wildfire smoke, etc.) during tribal public events.
- Functions independently and exercises professional judgment. Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Minimum Bachelor of Science degree in environmental health, chemistry, biology, epidemiology, engineering, public health or a related field with 4 years of related experience.
- Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) or Registered Sanitarian (RS); or ability to attain licensure, within two years of employment
- Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) Certification during employment.
- Knowledge, skill, and experience with the concepts and application of food safety and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
- Knowledge, skill and experience in conducting sanitary surveys of public and nonpublic drinking water supplies.
- Knowledge, skill and experience in conducting sanitary surveys of wastewater collection, treatment and disposal systems.
- Knowledge of the principles and practices of general environmental and public health management.
- Knowledge in the concepts of disease surveillance, reporting and outbreak response.
- Excellent written and oral communications skills.