Public Health Specialist

Job Description:

Public Health Specialist

Description

Job Posting Title
Public Health Specialist

Agency
340 OKLAHOMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Supervisory Organization
340 District 5

Job Posting End Date (Continuous if Blank)
March 08, 2025
Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the posting end date above.

Estimated Appointment End Date (Continuous if Blank)

Full/Part-Time
Full time

Job Type
Regular

Compensation
Level I: up to $52,030 based on education and experience
Level II Up To $59,290 based on education and experience
Level III Up to $63,800 based on education and experience
Level IV: Up to $72,000 based on education and experience

Why you’ll love it here!

RESPECT. COLLABORATION. SERVICE. The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) is committed to leading Oklahoma to prosperity through health. Our mission is to protect and promote health, prevent disease and injury, and cultivate conditions by which Oklahomans can thrive. Check out why we are passionate about public health and believe it is the career for you!!!

Oh yeah, did we mention perks? We know that benefits matter and that is why we offer a competitive benefits package for all eligible employees.

• Generous state paid benefit allowance to help cover insurance premiums.
• A wide choice of insurance plans with no pre-existing condition exclusions or limitations.
• Flexible spending accounts for health care expenses and/or dependent care.
• Retirement Savings Plan with a generous match.
• 15 days of vacation and 15 days of sick leave the first year for full time employees.
• 11 paid holidays a year.
• Student Loan repayment options & tuition reimbursement.
• Employee discounts with a variety of companies and venders.
• Longevity Bonus for years of service

Job Description

Location: Texas CHD

Salary:

Level 1: up to $52,030based on education and experience

Level II Up To $59,290based on education and experience

Level III Up to $63,800based on education and experience

Level VI Up to $72,000 based on education and experience

Full Time /Part Time: FT

Work Schedule: M-F

Primary Hours: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Position Description:

Positions within this job family are assigned responsibilities for planning, performing or supervising

technical and professional work involving consumer protection and public health services. This includes performing inspections, surveys, and investigations to identify and eliminate conditions hazardous to life and health, providing consultative services and assistance in assigned areas of responsibility, ensuring corrective actions are taken to eliminate public health or other hazards, and ensuring compliance with applicable statutes and regulations.

Position Responsibilities/Essential Functions:

• Conducts inspections, surveys, and investigations of food establishments, lodging facilities, barber shops, public bathing places, schools, day care centers, nursing homes, hospitals, and other regulated facilities to identify public health hazards or environmental conditions which are detrimental to life and health, monitor state food supplies and products, provide training and technical assistance, and ensure compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations; assists in the implementation of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems in food establishments and in verifying implementation.
• Responds to complaints concerning food borne illnesses, adulterated foods, food tampering, recalls, insect or rodent infestation, or other issues related to food establishments or the sale of food and food products.
• Reviews and acts on various epidemiological reports and complaints, including animal bites, rabies, West Vile Virus and other disease outbreaks; conducts environmental assessments and other surveys related to lodging, public bathing, and barber services; prepares specimens for shipment for West Nile testing; performs inspections for lead contamination and other public health hazards or nuisances.
• Provides emergency response services for complaints concerning food borne illnesses, fires in food establishments, accidents involving the transportation of food, incidents concerning food or water contamination, and power outages or natural disasters involving food products; conducts inspections or investigations on an as needed basis including on weekends and at night. Conducts field tests for chemical sanitizing agents using thermocouples, thermometers, and other evaluative instruments; collects and transports food samples as required to determine adulteration, contamination, sources of pollution, and/or microbiological quality; maintains legal chain of custody to preserve evidentiary requirements.
• Directs the embargo and disposal of food products found unfit for human consumption; conducts
• Prepares records, reports, and correspondence concerning regulatory actions as needed; conducts follow-up inspections and surveys to ensure corrective actions have been taken and that public health hazards are eliminated; testifies at hearings and court proceedings concerning regulatory actions as required.
• Provides assistance with developing and implementing county Emergency Response Plans; Provides assistance with county bioterrorism training exercises and serves as a responder in case of terrorist events.
• Being present in the office is an essentinal function of this job.
• Others duties as assigned

Other Duties

• Demonstrates knowledge of and supports mission, vision, value statements, standards, policies and procedures, operating instructions, confidentiality standards, and the code of ethical behavior.
• Works effectively in team environment, participating and assisting their peers.

Minimum Qualifications:

Level I

• Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of the statutory requirements of Title 59 O.S. Section 1150.7, (A 2): A bachelor’s degree with a major in public health, environmental health, environmental science, physical science, natural science, biological science, agricultural science, or equivalent, from an accredited college or university with at least thirty (30) semester hours of work in physical, natural and biological science, public health and/or environmental health or environmental protection or both environmental health and environmental protection.
• This is the basic level of this job family where incumbents are assigned duties and responsibilities in a training status to build their skills in conducting inspections and investigations, performing basic professional analysis, and interpreting state and federal laws.

• In this role they will, under close supervision, perform tasks involving the evaluation of inspection or survey data and the preparation of technical records and reports, and assist in making recommendations concerning remedial actions to correct public health hazards and provide for consumer protection.

Level II :

• Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of the statutory requirements of Title 59 O.S. Section 1150.7, (A 2): A bachelor’s degree with a major in public health, environmental health, environmental science, physical science, natural science, biological science, agricultural science, or equivalent, from an accredited college or university with at least thirty (30) semester hours of work in physical, natural and biological science, public health and/or environmental health or environmental protection or both environmental health and environmental protection, plus one year of professional public health or consumer protection and successful completion of state standardization to conduct food establishment inspections; or a master’s degree in a listed field and successful completion of state standardization to conduct food establishment inspections.
• This is the career level of this job family where employees are assigned duties and responsibilities at the full performance level and perform a full range of task involving inspections, surveys and investigations related to public health services, consumer protection, and the enforcement of applicable state and federal laws in the assigned area of responsibility. In this role they will evaluate inspection and survey data, prepare technical records and reports, make recommendations concerning required remedial actions, and provide technical assistance and training as needed to correct public health or consumer protection problems.

Level III:

• Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of the statutory requirements of Title 59 O.S. Section 1150.7, (A 2): A bachelor’s degree with a major in public health, environmental health, environmental science, physical science, natural science, biological science, agricultural science, or equivalent, from an accredited college or university with at least thirty (30) semester hours of work in physical, natural and biological science, public health and/or environmental health or environmental protection or both environmental health and environmental protection, plus three years of professional public health or consumer protection and successful completion of state standardization to conduct food establishment inspections; or a master’s degree in a listed field and successful completion of state standardization to conduct food establishment inspections and two years of professional public health or consumer protection.
• This is the advanced level where employees are assigned responsibilities for performing advanced level work involving consumer protection or public health protection. This will involve a high degree of technical and administrative freedom to plan, develop, organize and conduct all phases of the work necessary for completion within broad program guidelines. Some responsibility may also be assigned for providing limited guidance and training to entry-level employees, including Environmental Technicians, in performing various consumer protection program duties.

Level IV:

• Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of the statutory requirements of Title 59 O.S. Section 1150.7, (A 2): A bachelor’s degree with a major in public health, environmental health, environmental science, physical science, natural science, biological science, agricultural science, or equivalent, from an accredited college or university with at least thirty (30) semester hours of work in physical, natural and biological science, public health and/or environmental health or environmental protection or both environmental health and environmental protection, plus five years of professional public health or consumer protection and successful completion of state standardization to conduct food establishment inspections; or a master’s degree in a listed field and successful completion of state standardization to conduct food establishment inspections and four years of professional public health or consumer protection.
• This is the specialist level where employees are assigned responsibilities for performing advanced level work involving consumer protection or public health protection. This will involve a clear specialization in a consumer protection or public health discipline and recognition as an expert in the specialty. Further responsibilities will involve work in emergency response bioterrorism, West Nile, and other public health concerns. Responsibilities may include the supervision of other staff as well as the performance of technical duties and related administrative functions.

Special Requirements:

• These positions require eligibility for registration as a Sanitarian-In-Training, or Health Specialist-In-Training, or full registration with the Sanitarian and Environmental Specialist Registration Advisory Council as provided for in Title 59, Oklahoma Statutes, Section 1150.3.

• Some agencies may have determined positions in this job family to be safety sensitive as defined by63 O.S. § 427.8.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Comptencies:

Level I :

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of the causes, impact, and prevention of public health problems in regulated establishments; of food microbiology as it applies to preventing food borne illness; of basic epidemiology and chemistry; of mathematical concepts including basic statistical analysis; of food processing techniques such as modified atmospheric packaging; and of rules and regulations governing food establishments; and of public bathing places, nursing homes, schools, day care facilities or other licensed establishments. Ability is required to conduct inspections and investigations of regulated facilities; to identify the causes of food borne illnesses and related health hazards; to analyze and evaluate environmental and sanitary conditions; to organize work and work independently; to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; and to use computers to organize data and generate reports.

Level II:

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of the causes, impact, and prevention of public health problems in regulated establishments; of food microbiology as it applies to preventing food borne illness; of basic epidemiology and chemistry; of mathematical concepts including basic statistical analysis; of food processing techniques such as modified atmospheric packaging; and of rules and regulations governing food establishments; and of public bathing places, nursing homes, schools, day care facilities or other licensed establishments. Ability is required to conduct inspections and investigations of regulated facilities; to identify the causes of food borne illnesses and related health hazards; to analyze and evaluate environmental and sanitary conditions; to organize work and work independently; to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; to use computers to organize data and generate reports; to make recommendations concerning the implementation of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HAACP) systems and verify implementation; to conduct pre-operational inspections to determine compliance with approved plans; to assist in planning and presenting education and training programs; and to insure that corrective actions have been completed to eliminate health hazards.

Level III:

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of the causes, impact, and prevention of public health problems in regulated establishments; of food microbiology as it applies to preventing food borne illness; of basic epidemiology and chemistry; of mathematical concepts including basic statistical analysis; of food processing techniques such as modified atmospheric packaging; and of rules and regulations governing food establishments; and of public bathing places, nursing homes, schools, day care facilities or other licensed establishments. Ability is required to conduct inspections and investigations of regulated facilities; to identify the causes of food borne illnesses and related health hazards; to analyze and evaluate environmental and sanitary conditions; to organize work and work independently; to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; to use computers to organize data and generate reports; to make recommendations concerning the implementation of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HAACP) systems and verify implementation; to conduct pre-operational inspections to determine compliance with approved plans; to assist in planning and presenting education and training programs; to insure that corrective actions have been completed to eliminate health hazards; to plan and conduct field investigations; to analyze and interpret engineering plans and specifications; and to assist in developing HACCP plans for the regulated food industry.

Level IV:

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of the causes, impact, and prevention of public health problems in regulated establishments; of food microbiology as it applies to preventing food borne illness; of basic epidemiology and chemistry; of mathematical concepts including basic statistical analysis; of food processing techniques such as modified atmospheric packaging; and of rules and regulations governing food establishments; and of public bathing places, nursing homes, schools, day care facilities or other licensed establishments. Ability is required to conduct inspections and investigations of regulated facilities; to identify the causes of food borne illnesses and related health hazards; to analyze and evaluate environmental and sanitary conditions; to organize work and work independently; to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; to use computers to organize data and generate reports; to make recommendations concerning the implementation of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HAACP) systems and verify implementation; to conduct pre-operational inspections to determine compliance with approved plans; to assist in planning and presenting education and training programs; to insure that corrective actions have been completed to eliminate health hazards; to plan and conduct field investigations; to analyze and interpret engineering plans and specifications; to assist in developing HACCP plans for the regulated food industry; to evaluate complex consumer health problems; to provide solutions; and to provide in-service training and consultation to state and local entities in a specialty area.

Application Requirements:

• If education, certification or licensure is required to meet qualifications, applicants must provide documentation at the time of application.
• All applicants are subject to a background check and must be legally authorized to work in the United States without visa sponsorship.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

Work is typically performed in an office setting within a climate-controlled setting with exposure to moderate noise level. Occasionally more extreme settings will be encountered. While performing the duties of the job, employee is required to: talk, stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms, carry light items, and drive an automobile. This position requires periods of sitting and daily use of computer and phone. Applicants must be willing to perform all job-related travel associated with this position. Occasional in and out of state overnight and weekend travel may be required.

Being present at the office is an essential function of the job

Equal Opportunity Employment

The State of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of genetic information, race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability.

Current active State of Oklahoma employees must apply for open positions internally through the Workday Jobs Hub .