Position Information
Grow your Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) career with the County of Sonoma.
Starting salary up to $56.50/hour ($117,922/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*
Permit Sonoma is currently recruiting for Land Use Environmental Health Specialist positions at either the I, II, or Senior level. If you are interested in applying at the other level of this opportunity, you must apply to the separate concurrent recruitments being conducted for those levels.
Please note that the State of California Department of Public Health oversees the REHS process for this position. Applicants without REHS certification will not be considered qualified for this position.
For additional information regarding how to meet State requirements, including how out-of-state equivalency determinations are made, please visit the California Department of Public Health's website.
Join Our Team
Permit Sonoma is the County's "one-stop shop" for all land use planning and development activities. Virtually any land development or construction that takes place in the unincorporated area of Sonoma County (outside the city limits of the nine cities) is reviewed, permitted, and inspected by Permit Sonoma. Our mission is to serve the people of Sonoma County by providing a customer-focused process to balance environmental protection and sustainable development. We balance our mission with effective resource stewardship and the development and maintenance of standards and practices that protect the public's health and safety.
Qualified candidates must be certified by the State of California as a REHS per California Health and Safety Code Sections 106600-106735. Additionally, the ideal candidates will possess:
- Land-use development training and experience, particularly with wells and/or septic systems
- A high level of professionalism, and excellent customer service skills
- Good judgment and the ability to make sound decisions, particularly in compliance situations
- The ability to work independently and in a team environment
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Adobe Pro
- A desire to work in a fast paced environment and the ability to effectively address competing priorities
Due to the nature of the inspection work that the Land Use Environmental Health Specialists perform, incumbents are required to work indoors, in an office setting, and outdoors. They drive across the County in assigned County vehicles on dirt roads, pavements, and in various weather conditions. As these positions conduct site inspections in the unincorporated areas of Sonoma County, incumbents may be exposed to natural hazards such as poison oak, ticks, and other wildlife. If you enjoy a mixture of office and outdoor work and are comfortable working in hiking boots, bring your REHS skills and positive attitude to Permit Sonoma!
What We Offer
Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:
- Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
- Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
- Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
- County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
- Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $850 and ongoing education/training opportunities
- Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
- Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
- Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
- Student Loan Debt Relief – County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education
Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience: Any combination of education, training, and experience that would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities stated herein. Normally, this would include graduation from an accredited college or university with a degree in environmental health science, biology, chemistry, physics, microbiology, or related subjects, as required by state law, and one year of working level professional experience in the field of environmental health and safety regulation and enforcement (e.g. working as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist, a Registered Sanitarian, an Environmental Sanitarian, a Public Health Sanitarian, a Certified Environmental Health Professional, or as an equivalently recognized professional).
License: Possession of a valid certificate of registration as an Environmental Health Specialist as required by the State of California's Health and Safety Code.
Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required, depending upon assignment, to perform the essential job functions of the position.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Considerable knowledge of: sanitation science, requirements and procedures and the methods and procedures used in inspecting, investigating and correcting unsanitary conditions; federal, state and local laws and regulations governing environmental health and safety; principles and practices of public health.
Working knowledge of: principles of general chemistry, physics, microbiology and biology; environmental research and statistical methods; methods of gathering and analyzing data; basic building construction materials and principles relating to environmental health requirements.
Knowledge of: hazardous materials management and emergency response protocols.
Ability to: plan, organize and carry out research, analyze and evaluate data, and make recommendations based on findings; detect unsanitary conditions and public health hazards and secure their correction through education, voluntary compliance or legal enforcement; prepare and maintain comprehensive reports and records; communicate verbal and written ideas clearly and logically; establish and maintain effective relationships with other governmental officials, the public and administrative and professional personnel.
Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying
- Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
- You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
- You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
- Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.
Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.
APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.
Responses to supplemental questions will be used in assessing minimum qualifications. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient.
The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:
An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%). Each application and supplemental questionnaire will be thoroughly evaluated for satisfaction of minimum qualifications and relevance of educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities that relate to this position. Candidates possessing the most appropriate job-related qualifications will be placed on an employment list and referred to the department for selection interviews.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.
Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Continuous recruitments may close without notice at any time that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.
The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.
HR Analyst: CA
HR Technician: RR
