Environmental Health Specialist I / II / III, Grade 20 / 23 / 24
Montgomery County Government
Department of Environmental Protection
Rockville, Maryland
Salary Range: $61,765 to $102,377
This position may be under-filled at the Environmental Health Specialist I, Grade 20, with a salary range of $51,305 to $84,762 or the Environmental Health Specialist II, Grade 23, with a salary range of $58,958 to $97,655. There is a non-competitive promotional opportunity to an Environmental Health Specialist III, Grade 24, with a salary range of $61,765 to $102,377.
The mission of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is to enhance the quality of life in our community by protecting and improving Montgomery County’s air, water and land in a sustainable way while fostering smart growth, a thriving economy and healthy communities.
DEP is seeking to fill an Environmental Health Specialist position with an individual that possess a broad range of technical, investigative and regulatory work experience related to the enforcement of environmental laws and regulations. The individual will perform inspections and investigations of air, water, noise, hazardous waste, and dry weather and suspicious stormwater discharges or other environmental incidents or complaints, and as appropriate enforce environmental laws and regulations, including the issuance of violation notices and citations to individuals and businesses.
Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Investigate environmental related complaints regarding water quality, air quality, indoor air quality, noise, and hazardous materials.
• Communicate with individuals and businesses to investigate and resolve complaints and provide advice on methods of correcting deficiencies; negotiate and prepare timetable for compliance as well as conduct follow up investigations to monitor compliance.
• Conduct field surveys of storm drain outfalls checking for dry weather and suspicious discharges as part of the Department’s illicit discharge detection and elimination efforts required under the County’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) Permit.
• Perform field analyses of dry weather flows and suspect water samples and conduct field surveys of commercial and industrial areas checking for potential pollution runoff issues.
• Write comprehensive reports documenting inspections, investigations, and enforcement actions.
• Prepare documentation for court hearings or other legal action and testify in hearings and/or court proceedings.
The successful candidate must have the ability to think analytically, communicate effectively and handle communications and negotiations with tact, resourcefulness, and good judgement, even in confrontational or challenging situations, and work well with a broad range of individuals in an honest and respectful, professional manner. The ideal candidate will have knowledge of local, state and federal laws, standards, and regulations governing environmental health standards as well as knowledge and experience in applying methods and techniques in fact finding, analysis, and resolution of complex technical and environmental issues. The candidate must have the ability to work independently with minimal supervision, and as a team member.
Proficient experience in Microsoft Office Professional, including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint is required. Database proficiency and experience using geographic information systems (GIS) is a plus.
The work requires the employee to visit sites and attend meetings or perform work at locations outside of the office. The field environment of the work involves recurring exposure to dirt, grease, various chemicals, cold, heat and adverse weather conditions which may require the occasional use of special or protective clothing or equipment.
The work requires long periods of standing and/or walking, sometimes over rough or uneven surfaces; repeated bending, stooping or crouching; and some lifting of objects up to 50 pounds.
Required Registration at time of application; must be maintained during employment:
• At the Environmental Health Specialist I level (Grade 20), the candidate must possess a Certificate of Eligibility or a Health Specialist In-Training Certificate issued by the State of Maryland.
• At the Environmental Health Specialist II level (Grade 23), the candidate must possess a registered Environmental Health Specialist License or be registered to practice as an environmental health specialist or its equivalent in another state; or is credentialed as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS) from the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA).
• At the Environmental Health Specialist III level (Grade 24), the candidate must possess a registration as a Licensed Environmental Health Specialist (LEHS) in the State of Maryland; or is licensed or registered to practice as an environmental health specialist or its equivalent in another state; or is credentialed as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS) from the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA).
The incumbent to the position must maintain the certification. The Maryland Board of Environmental Health Specialists requires all licensees to acquire 20 hours of approved continuing education per renewal cycle, which is every two years. Environmental Health Specialist Licensing requirements may be found at the Maryland Department of Health website: https://health.maryland.gov/behs/Pages/Licensing.aspx.
Other Required Certifications – must be obtained within first 6 months of employment; must be maintained during employment: If candidate has not already obtained the referenced training and certification at hire, the selected candidate will be required to obtain the referenced training and certification within the first six (6) months of employment. The incumbent of the position must maintain this certification. Please indicate in your job application and resume the certifications that you have.
• OSHA HAZWOPER Training (24 or 40-hour course):
https://www.usfosha.com/osha-articles/hazwoper-training-who-needs-it/
• EPA Method 9 – Visible Opacity Training:
https://www.epa.gov/emc/method-9-visual-opacity
• Community Noise Enforcement Certification Course:
https://www.des.rutgers.edu/rntac/cne_cert_course_information.html
This position requires possession of a valid driver’s license and the ability to drive a County vehicle to attend meetings as well as transport equipment such as personal protective equipment, spill response and cleanup supplies, water pollution investigation tools and noise monitoring equipment in order to conduct site investigations and inspections throughout Montgomery County and perform other work at locations outside the office.
Occasional evening or weekend work is required.
To ensure a positive workplace and to comply with federal, state and County laws, the incumbent is responsible for completing mandatory trainings within the first three to six months or within the specified timeframe.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
If Position is Filled at the Environmental Health Specialist I, Grade 20 Level:
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in one of the physical, environmental health or biological sciences, engineering, or agriculture.
Experience: One (1) year of experience in environmental health investigatory work.
Substitution: Registration as a Professional Environmental Health Specialist in the State of Maryland may be substituted for the Education requirement.
If Position is Filled at the Environmental Health Specialist II, Grade 23 Level:
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in one of the physical, environmental health or biological sciences, engineering, or agriculture.
Experience: Two (2) years of experience performing duties comparable to the class of Environmental Health Specialist I with Montgomery County including a full range of investigative and enforcement duties or an equivalent position with broad responsibility in appropriate specialized area.
Substitution: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements: Must possess and maintain a registered Environmental Health Specialist License Health Specialist In-Training Certificate, or Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Maryland State Board of Environmental Health Specialists, and in conjunction with the State law. Incumbent must maintain a current registration, which may include continuing education requirements.
If Position is Filled at the Environmental Health Specialist III, Grade 24 Level:
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in one of the physical, environmental health or biological sciences, engineering, or agriculture.
Experience: Three (3) years of professional level experience in environmental health investigatory/enforcement work equivalent to performing duties comparable to the class of Environmental Health Specialist II with Montgomery County including a full range of investigative and enforcement duties or an equivalent position with broad responsibility in appropriate specialized area.
Substitution: Registration as a Professional Environmental Health Specialist in the State of Maryland may be substituted for the Education requirement.
Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements: Must possess and maintain a registered Environmental Health Specialist License issued by the Maryland State Board of Environmental Health Specialists, and in conjunction with the State law. Incumbent must maintain a current registration, which may include continuing education requirements.
All Levels:
License: Possession and maintenance at all times of a valid Class “C” (or equivalent) driver’s license from the applicant’s state of residence is required.
Medical Exam: Core II Exam
Montgomery County Government offers competitive salaries and excellent benefits.
To view the complete job announcement and to apply, please visit our website at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/HR/Recruitment/MCGCareers.html click on the “Search Jobs” tab, and then on the Job Search link Available Jobs. Read the full job description under the “General Professional” Job Category. Interested candidates must create an online account in order to apply.
The requisition number is IRC40907
This Recruitment Closes November 29, 2019
All resume submissions must address the preferred criteria for the position, which are listed in the full advertisement, preferably in a separate section of the resume.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Resume Preparation Tips listed under the “How to Apply” tab on the Office of Human Resource’s MCG Careers webpage.
