Full Time or Part Time positionWage: Starts at $35/hr with full county benefitsJOB SUMMARY:The Sanitarian performs a variety of professional duties relating to environmental health and sanitation helping protect people and communities from public health risks. Duties include conducting environmental health inspections, investigations, and related activities for settings such as food service establishments (restaurants), children's camps, hotels, campgrounds, swimming pools, bathing beaches, water and sewage treatment systems, septic systems, hospitals, nursing homes, long term and adult care facilities, diagnostic and treatment centers and various other sites which fall under the purview of health and public safety regulations.DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:Conduct field inspections of various sites which fall under the purview of health and public safety regulations.Perform field tests and soil evaluations to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.Enforce health protection standards as outlined by the State of Montana or federal government guidelines.Provide technical and regulatory assistance to the public concerning various environmental health issues.Analyze and review septic permit applications to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal regulations.Analyze and review plans for new or remodeled food service establishments and public accommodations for compliance with laws and regulations.Conduct health informational and educational meetings for the general public on a variety of health issues as directed.Provide instruction and education to food service employees and others on safe food handling and prevention of illness.Assist with other department staff and the IT department in ensuring that general information regarding environmental health, regulations, forms, recalled foods, market withdrawals, safety alerts, disease outbreaks and related information is on the county website.May investigate food-borne illness outbreaks in coordination with the communicable disease team.Investigate complaints on unsanitary conditions and nuisances and recommend appropriate level of response.May be required to testify in court in matters relating to actions taken against violators of public health law.PHYSICAL ABILITIES AND WORKING CONDITIONS:Requires climbing up and down ladders to inspect confined spaces, crawling in crawl spaces, and under houses to inspect plumbing and well construction.Employee must bend, stoop, and kneel to inspect food service establishments, sewage treatment systems, and other locations.May be required to lift up to 15 pounds frequently and occasionally up to 75 pounds.Work is conducted in an office and in varied settings while inspecting during all types of weather conditions.May risk exposure to various environmental hazards and hazardous materials during the course of investigations; occasionally required to utilize protective equipment.Occasionally works with hostile individuals during the course of investigative/ enforcement functions.
KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES:The job requires knowledge of environmental health rules and laws, disease control, food protection, housing and the residential environment, air pollution control, institutional and recreation sanitation, source and protection of water supply, treatment of water, wastewater treatment and disposal, solid waste management, and vector and weed control.The job also requires knowledge of the principles and practices of physical and life sciences; federal, state, and county sanitary and public health regulations and enforcement procedures, research, and investigation techniques, the Departmental Disaster Plan, soils testing, and related principle and practices of environmental health management.The job requires skill in the operation of databases and standard office software, investigative techniques, and public rel tions.The job requires the ability to determine compliance with laws and regulations, appropriately assess a wide variety of environmental/sanitary situations through inspections and investigations, effectively deal with the public, communicate effectively both verbally and in writing, assume full responsibility for the quality and integrity of investigation decisions and follow-up until the situation or issue has been resolved, physically perform the investigations, to learn the tenets of Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). SARA Title III, understand and apply knowledge of all related Environmental Health issues related to food service, septic systems, pool operations, complaint management, emergency preparedness, hazardous materials safety, and other environmental health issues; and to assess and determine appropriate actions in emergency situations.EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
The job requires education and experience equivalent to bachelor's degree in chemical or biological sciences or environmental health.
Current license as a Registered Sanitarian (RS) or ability to obtain license within one year of hire.
Three (3) years of experience as a Sanitarian or in a closely related field, or an acceptable combination of education and experience.
Evaluation for equivalency is a case by case process but begins with 45 quarter hours or 30 semester hours in the physical and biological health sciences with specific courses in biology, chemistry and microbiology and three (3) years of related experience.Contact Lewistown Job Service for a complete job description for this position.
