I. POSITION IDENTIFICATION

Work Unit:    Health Department—Environmental Health Team        

Supervisor:    Health Department Director

Current Classification:

Pay Grade:     16  (Salary Range $28.17 to $34.83)

Title:   Registered Sanitarian

Non-Exempt             Part Time or Full Time (0.5 FTE up to 1FTE)

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II. ASSIGNED DUTIES AND TASKS

Position Overview: Under the supervision of the Health Director, this position protects the environment and public health by implementing environmental health standards and practices through permit, inspection, prevention, education, consultation, planning, investigation and enforcement activities.

The position must possess a comprehensive understanding of environmental health principles and practices, and is responsible for performing technical and professional duties and responsibilities in the following programs: Licensed Establishments, On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems, Public and Non-public Water Supply Systems, Septage Pumping and Disposal, Public Health Emergency Response, Food and Water-borne Disease Investigation, and General Inquiries and Complaints related to environmental and public health. 

This position must be a Montana Registered Sanitarian in compliance with MT Board of Sanitarians. _____________________________________________________________________________

All duties below are essential functions unless otherwise indicated. Duties of the position are not all inclusive and subject to change.

• Conducts compliance inspections of food facilities, hotels/motels, tourist homes, public swimming pools and spas, trailer courts, campgrounds, body art facilities, daycare centers, schools, group homes, jails, farmer’s markets, temporary events, and other establishments
  or public facilities.

• Reviews applications and plan reviews for new and existing licensed establishments, issues licenses, performs on-site assessments and inspections, and gives sound technical guidance to provide regulatory oversight of the design and installation of onsite wastewater treatment systems.

• Responds to public complaints and reports of food, water and animal-borne disease outbreaks by conducting interviews, evaluating control strategies, and enforcing statutes and administrative rules.

• Provides prompt, courteous, and competent service to public requests for information related to principles and practices of all phases of environmental health and the enforcement of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and ordinances.

• Educates food service workers by developing a schedule of classes and coordinating with a team of instructors to effectively prepare class participants for proctored examinations.

• Identifies areas of improvement within the licensed establishment program and implements institutional systems to advance the capability and efficiency of the program.

• Other duties may be assigned:  Supervisor may assign functions not listed if such functions are
  a logical assignment for the position.

• Review and propose amendments to local regulations when needed and appropriate.

• Be available to respond during nights and weekend to environmental health emergencies and other emergencies as needed.

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III. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of:

• Environmental health principles, practices and techniques relating to the protection of the environment and public health;
• Federal, state, and local regulations and requirements relating to licensed establishment plan reviews, inspections, and compliance enforcement;
• Federal, state, and local regulations and requirements relating to the permitting and inspection of on-site wastewater treatment systems;
• Assessment, monitoring, and sampling procedures relating to soil science, individual and public water supplies, food and water-borne disease, and hazardous waste;
• Government agencies, community groups, and partnerships involved in local environmental management issues; and

Skills and Abilities to:

• Clearly explain technical information and apply collaborative problem-solving strategies to achieve cooperation and compliance when engaging in enforcement actions;
• Prioritize assignments and responsibly allocate resources to respond to emergency, special,
  or routine situations and meet deadlines in a timely manner;
• Complete clear, concise, and accurate logs, reports, and correspondence that will be public record;
• Establish positive working relationships with management, employees, volunteers, and the public representing diverse cultures and backgrounds;
• Assess customer needs and ensure services are provided personally or by making appropriate referral;
• Provide friendly and timely customer service to the public; and
• Exercise sound judgment by analyzing and projecting consequences of decisions and/or recommendations when answering questions and releasing information.

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IV. EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Education:  Minimum of a bachelor's degree in environmental health from an accredited college or university, or an equivalent bachelor's degree as determined by the Montana Board of Sanitarians. An equivalent degree must have at least 45 quarter hours or 30 semester hours in the physical and biological health sciences with specific courses in biology, chemistry, and microbiology.  Two years of experience working directly with the public is preferred.

Required Licenses, Certification, etc.:

Valid Montana Driver’s License;

Certification by Montana Board of Sanitarians as a Registered Sanitarian; and

Certified Pool/Spa Operator Certification or obtain certificate within a year of being hired;

V. ACCOUNTABILITY

The Sanitarian works independently within established time schedules for food service, public accommodations, trailer courts, water quality, septic permits and inspections, animal permits, and other duties. Ability to perform detailed work with a high degree of accuracy. Ability to multi-task, prioritize projects and meet deadlines and maintain confidentiality in written /verbal information; ability to work independently.

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VI. CONFIDENTIALITY

The position requires handling non-public confidential information.  The person in the position acknowledges the confidential nature of non-public information regarding county employees and elected officials.  Consistent with applicable policy and guidelines, this position will respect and safeguard the privacy of employees, elected officials and Park County and the confidential nature of information in accordance with Montana state law, without limiting the general nature of this commitment. This position will not access or seek to gain access to confidential information regarding any past or present employees, elected officials, and Park County in the course of fulfilling job responsibilities.  The person in the position hereby acknowledges that the person understands that in this context, confidential information is considered all non-public information that can be personally associated with an individual. 

If in the course of executing job responsibilities, the person in the position accidentally accesses information that others might consider inappropriate for this position to access, the person in the position will notify the person’s supervisors of the date and time of the access.  If a question arises at a later time, it will be understood that the access was accidental.  The person in the position will not disseminate any such information.

By signing this Position Description, the undersigned hereby acknowledges reading and understanding this section regarding confidentiality and agrees to abide by the terms and conditions set forth herein.  Violation of confidentiality may warrant disciplinary action, up to and including, suspension, demotion or termination of employment

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VII. INDEPENDENCE OF ACTION

This position plans and carries out most assignments independently, and uses judgment and initiative to solve problems. Will work to develop and recommend new processing procedures in response to identifying process inefficiencies, frequent errors, etc. Work objectives and priorities are defined by the Health Department Director.

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VIII. PERSONAL CONTACTS

IX.         PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to use hands to    finger, handle or feel.  The employee is required to frequently reach with hands and arms.  On a regular basis, the employee is required to talk or hear.  Requires occasional physical exertion.  Requires walking or climbing over rough uneven surfaces.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds; moving.  Requires exposure to laboratory chemicals, toxic, and hazardous materials.  Requires occasional use of protective clothing and equipment.  Requires travel to remote sites and exposure to extreme weather conditions.  Requires periodic travel outside of county and/or state for educational conferences, professional meetings, and public hearings.

The position requires the following special vision requirements: close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less), distance vision (clear vision at 20 feet or more), color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors), depth perception (three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and spatial relationships), and the ability to adjust focus (ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus).          

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee     encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate