ASSISTANT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COORDINATOR

Code: 04465 Local Competitive

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under direction of an Environmental Health Coordinator, assists in planning, developing, coordinating, directing, and administering environmental health programs; does related work as required.

Examples of work

• In conjunction with the Environmental Health Coordinator, plans, develops, administers and evaluates policies and programs pertaining to environmental health.
• Assists in supervising the initiation of appropriate enforcement action to secure compliance with State law and local ordinances, the collection and preparation of evidence for legal actions, and the taking of appropriate enforcement action to secure compliance with relevant laws and rules, such as the issuance of abatement letters, and summonses, the conducting of administrative hearings, instituting court actions and condemnation proceedings.
• Assists in coordinating environmental health activities.
• Assists in directing pollution abatement programs
• Interprets environmental health polices and programs to interested parties.
• In conjunction with local health authorities, evaluates the environmental health needs and resources of the community, and assists in planning and developing programs to meet community needs.
• Provides assignments and instructions to staff, and evaluates work performance.
• Conducts surveys and analyzes data used to evaluate local environmental health problems.
• Prepares reports containing findings, conclusions and recommendations.
• Assists in developing, implementing and directing varied environmental health programs.
• Lectures to groups concerning environmental health matters.
• Establishes and maintains liaison and effective working relationships with various local, state, federal agencies, professional and public interest groups interested in the work of the program.
• Oversees the review and analysis of environmental health related health related research, investigations, and studies concerning water, soil, air , noise pollution, food surveillance, campgrounds, recreational bathing , youth camp sanitation, investigation of public health nuisances and other related environmental problems.
• Provides recommendations to eliminate such pollution and prepares environmental impact analysis.
• Assists the Environmental Health Coordinator in the administration of the program.
• Assist in directing program activities involving research and inspections.
• Reviews and approves news materials including press releases, newsletters, scientific articles of general information bulletins for publication.
• Supervises the establishment and maintenance of needed records and files.
• May supervise the inspection of domestic water supplies, sewage disposal facilities, retail food establishments, food dispensing machines, food processing plants, recreational bathing facilities, swimming pools and bathing areas to ensure compliance with public health laws.
• Plans, organizes, and assigns work of the organization unit and evaluates employee performance and conduct, enabling the effective recommendation of the hiring, firing, promoting, and disciplining of employees.

Education

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in one of the biological, environmental, or physical sciences, public health, sanitary or environmental engineering.

Experience

Five years of experience in work involving identifying, preventing or eliminating environmental health hazards in one or more areas of environmental health, three years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity.

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of supervisory techniques.
• Knowledge of responsibilities, programs, standards, policies, and procedures of the department relating to but not limited to solid waste, air, noise, and water pollution control and pesticides, radiation, hazardous materials, food surveillance, campgrounds, recreational bathing and youth camp sanitation after a period of training.
• Knowledge of the basic principles of environmental protection, environmental control, principles and techniques and of the techniques involved in the enforcement of environmental health laws.
• Knowledge of problems and techniques involved in the control of industrial wastes including chemical and other treatments designed to reduce environmental health related pollutants.
• Knowledge of methods and procedures involved in conducting environmental impact studies.
• Knowledge of sources, travel scope, and effects of environmental pollutants.
• Knowledge of the chemical, mechanical, electrical, and other electronic devices used in air, water, noise and solid waste pollution control.
• Knowledge of methods and procedures used in obtaining samples, preparing them for testing, and ensuring proper degree of accuracy in making tests.
• Knowledge of the methods, and procedures used to evaluate program activities.
• Knowledge of the problems and techniques involved in the control of environmental pollution, including chemical, physical and other treatments, and abatement technologies.
• Knowledge of and familiarity with the use of the specific equipment and collection, recording, measuring, and testing devices used in the field and of the maintenance and field calibration of equipment and devices.
• Ability to plan, organize, coordinate and direct environmental programs and activities.
• Ability to discuss and explain the effects of contaminants on health and property.
• Ability to organize assigned technical and supervisory work, analyze technical problems and develop effective work methods.
• Ability to analyze and interpret laws, rules, and regulations relating to environmental health.
• Ability to plan and supervise field surveys and investigations for the determination of environmental hazardous conditions.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with the representatives of local governments, civic associations and others interested in or concerned with environmental health.
• Ability to compose technical correspondence.
• Ability to prepare reports based on data assembled.
• Ability to maintain records and files.
• Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of the position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Note

A Master's degree in one of the above fields may be substituted for one year of the non-supervisory experience.

Possession of a valid Registered Environmental Health Specialist license issued by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services will be required only for those positions whose responsibilities also include those environmental health functions prescribed by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services as recognized public health activities and minimum Standards of performance for local boards of health, (for example, recreational bathing, campgrounds, and youth Caps, food surveillance, occupational health and public health nuisances).