PUBLIC HEALTH CONSULTANT 1 NURSING
Career Family: PUBLIC HEALTH CONSULTANT
To land Public Health Consultant 1 Nursing in New Jersey you go through the competitive route: you sit an announced exam and the score puts you on the eligible list agencies hire from.
It is the top of the Public Health Consultant ladder, a grade above Public Health Consultant 2 Nursing. To be eligible you bring a master's degree, 4 years of relevant experience, and a professional license. The FY2026 range lands between $88,530 and $130,339, and state payroll currently lists 6 people in the title, most of them at Health and Senior Services.
How to apply
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Exam
This is an application to sit an exam and be placed on an eligible list for this title, not an application for a specific job. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. There may be no current vacancy behind it, and the list it produces may not be certified for months or years.
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Exam
Open to permanent employees in the competitive division who hold a qualifying lower title in the same unit. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. Like the open competitive exam, this places you on a list; it is not itself a job offer.
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Agency posting
Department of Health posts its own vacancies directly, often before (or instead of) any civil service exam announcement. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
Pay ladder: Public Health Consultant series
- Public Health Consultant 2 Nursing — $80,756 – $118,678
- Public Health Consultant 1 Nursing — $88,530 – $130,339 (this title)
Its top salary lands around the 72nd percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY2026 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 6 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $116,782. The agencies employing the most are:
- Health and Senior Services (6)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
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.
Definition
Under direction of a supervisory official, plans, initiates, ensures implementation of and evaluates nursing related program activities; supervises the performance of Public Health Consultant 2 Nursing and/or other personnel; does related work as required.
Examples of work
- Participates in general policy and program development with other services and program directors, and interprets the implications of policies and programs proposed.
- Serves as advisor to other staff on the functions, standards, qualifications, compensation, and other personnel policies for nursing positions as required.
- Plans, develops, coordinates, and evaluates the consultive, supervisory and other nursing services essential to implementing program objectives.
- Develops and implements plans for professional guidance available to nurses employed by state and local health departments and voluntary agencies and facilities, including inservice and intramural education.
- Upon request, provides consultation to official and voluntary nursing services and other health and welfare agencies utilizing nurses.
- Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with education research, government, and other agencies concerned with nursing recruitment and retention, nursing education, nursing utilization, and quality nursing services.
- Serves as senior technical consultant to other nursing and public health professionals concerning nursing-related program activities.
- Provides consultation and participates in design and implementation of research activities with nursing and public health implications.
- Facilitates and initiates interdisciplinary collaboration among various programs, agencies, and departments.
- Provides consultation to others in the planning and coordination of provider education in public health services.
- Plans, organizes, and assigns the work of the organizational unit and evaluates employee performance and conduct, enabling the effective recommendation of the hiring, firing, promoting, and disciplining of subordinates.
- Represents the department or agency in local, state, and national programs and on committees where nursing and related public health practices and standards are of concern.
- Assumes responsibilities for interpretation and education concerning the nursing knowledge base essential for maintaining standards of nursing practice.
- Works with colleges and universities, schools of nursing, and health agencies toward development of curricula designed to meet current program needs; includes planning for appropriate field experience for undergraduate and graduate students.
- Plans and directs the preparation and distribution of manuals, guides, and procedures for public health nurses, and nurses employed in other settings, and other personnel.
- Prepares budgets and assembles basic data for budget construction.
- Keeps abreast of current literature and trends in nursing.
- Initiates, stimulates, and participates in studies and research in nursing and other public health-related fields.
- Prepares articles for publication.
- Makes presentations to professional and lay groups concerning the agency's nursing services and related appropriate subjects.
- Prepares necessary correspondence in the course of official duties.
- Prepares clear, sound, accurate, and informative statistical and other reports and correspondence containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
- Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Education
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Nursing supplemented by a Master's degree in a nursing specialty or other related field.
Experience
Four (4) years of nursing experience in public health and/or hospital nursing, two (2) years of which shall have included teaching, administration, and/or consultation, one (1) year of which shall have been supervisory in nature.
License
Appointees must be currently licensed as a Registered Nurse in the State of New Jersey or be eligible for and obtain such license within six (6) months from date of appointment.
Appointee 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 trends and developments in public health administration.
- Knowledge of the principles and practices of public administration methods in relation to nursing.
- Knowledge of current research in nursing.
- Knowledge of current trends in nursing and nursing education.
- Knowledge of administrative, consultive, and education processes.
- Knowledge of modern research methods.
- Ability to understand the organization and responsibilities of local, state, and federal governments in the health and welfare field.
- Ability to plan, coordinate, promote, and evaluate the nursing component of health services.
- Ability to identify problem areas in nursing administration, and develop recommendations to solve these problems based upon current standards and assessments of the needs of the health care facility or organization.
- Ability to research solutions to questions concerning nursing services from health care facilities, or local or county health and welfare organizations.
- Ability to interpret and apply the policies, standards, and practices of the agency to the work of other branches of state government, and of community agencies.
- Ability to work with other departments and agencies in program implementation and execution.
- Ability to use epidemiological and administrative study procedures and statistical evaluation methods.
- Ability to define areas for study and research.
- Ability to see and work for long range goals, and to plan ahead for nursing adjustments that may be necessitated by changing goals.
- Ability to draft extensive correspondence in the course of official duties.
- Ability to prepare clear, sound, accurate, and informative statistical and other reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
- Ability to maintain essential records and files.
- Ability to speak before various groups.
- Ability to keep current with the literature and trends in nursing.
- Ability to assemble basic data for preparation of budgets.
- Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by thy agency, office or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this 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 the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.