Environmental Health Specialist

Hate sitting at a desk all day, and care about your environment? Apply with us and enjoy a fast-paced career out of the office, ensuring Maricopa County residents a safe place to live and play!

As an Environmental Health Specialist, you will conduct compliance reviews and field inspections safeguarding public health sanitation codes.

Here are some of the specialized areas you could be assigned: retail food establishments, aquatic health & safety, onsite wastewater, stormwater management, waste transport, and drinking water quality.

A day in the life of a Maricopa County Water & Waste Swimming Pool Inspector here.

A day in the life of a Maricopa County Restaurant Inspector here.

About Us

For more than 60 years, Maricopa County Environmental Services Department has been working with our community to ensure a safe and healthy environment. Maintaining a healthy environment improves the quality of life and seeks to prevent exposure to mosquito-borne diseases and hazardous substances in food, water, and soil. We are using education and innovative methods to protect more than 4 million residents of Maricopa County and its visitors.

Proud to offer

Give back to the community by acting as a public health advocate

Field-based opportunity that provides mileage reimbursement or assigned County vehicle

Opportunity to work special events such as the state fair, Barrett-Jackson, Waste Management, sports stadiums, Nascar, etc.

Sanitarian registration renewal reimbursement

Multilingual pay (Chinese and Spanish)

Collaborative and supportive team environment

Growth and development: opportunity to attend conferences and a 6-8 week training program with job shadowing and classroom training

Chance to explore different places and interact with diverse individuals, and learn from colleagues

Exceptional work-life balance: up to 2 hours of teleworking daily after fieldwork

Child care benefits, including access to our upcoming on-site center Maricopa County Kids Club, dedicated to serving Maricopa County families exclusively

Paid vacation, sick time, and parental leave

Extensive wellness program, including healthcare premium discounts

Maricopa County participates in the Arizona State Retirement System. This defined retirement benefit requires a 12.27% monthly contribution rate and includes a 100% employer match on Day 1

Learn more at Work With Us | Maricopa County, AZ

We Require

Bachelor's degree in environmental health, microbiology, entomology, chemistry, food science, or a related field with 30 semester hours of natural, physical, or applied science coursework

A complete list of all natural science coursework as requested on the application

AND

Licensed as a Registered Sanitarian by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), OR by an equivalent licensing authority of another state, with the ability to obtain Arizona Registration within six months of employment. (Employees will receive a provisional salary set below the minimum rate for the position until the required certification is obtained.)

OR

Receive Registered Sanitarian Certification within one year of hire date (please review the criteria to qualify for the Registered Sanitarian examination at https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/food-safety-environmental-services/sanitarians-council/index.php#registration-criteria)

(Employees will receive a provisional salary set below the minimum rate for the position until the required certification is obtained.)

An Arizona driver's license is required to start working. Out-of-state applicants are welcome to apply but must obtain an Arizona driver's license at the time of hire.

Job Contributions

Performs routine, unscheduled, and complaint investigations; reviews and comments on plans, specifications, and construction regarding compliance with environmental codes and regulations; evaluates and documents inspection data to determine compliance, permit fees, violations, and citations

Inspects and investigates environmental health aspects of businesses, factories, food handling facilities, food preparation and processing areas, waste transport, onsite wastewater systems, water systems, swimming pools, lodging, recreation, and public facilities in compliance with environmental/public health rules and regulations

Retail food – Investigates and inspects foodborne illnesses in restaurants, food processing plants, meat packing plants, mobile food establishments, and special events such as the State Fair and festivals where food is served

Swimming pools – Inspects construction and operation of public and semi-public swimming pools. Reviews and approves construction plans

Onsite wastewater – Reviews sites to determine site characteristics for onsite wastewater system design and proposed plans for construction and inspect construction for compliance with approved plans

Water systems – Ensures that public water systems are operating in compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act by review of compliance documentation, water quality test reports, and by performing sanitary survey inspections

Waste Transport – Inspects solid and liquid waste hauling vehicles, chemical toilet facilities, and solid waste storage containers

Travels to inspection sites and performs environmental testing, sampling, and monitoring activities using various equipment; advises, explains, and educates the public about environmental/public health issues, regulations, safety, policy, and compliance; assists in performing environmental studies and surveys

Obtains clinical specimens, interviews affected individuals, collects food samples, provides answers to new food establishments, and gives educational information regarding proper food handling techniques

May work with medical personnel regarding disease outbreaks and present information in court, if needed

Working Conditions

Work will occur in an office and field environment; may be exposed to outdoor climate conditions and indoor commercial environments that are sometimes wet, unsanitary, and hot

Must be able to operate a vehicle, including light trucks, for travel to inspection sites, which may sometimes be in remote areas

Ability to bend, reach, twist, kneel, climb, and stoop

May be subject to working after hours, weekends, and holidays

Ability to lift floor to shoulder and shoulder to waist up to 30 pounds; carry, push, or pull up to 30 pounds for a distance of 50 feet

Have passed the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) Registered Environmental Health professional exam with a score of 650 or greater and obtain reciprocity from the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) within six months of hire date

Protective clothing (i.e. hard hat, steel toes shoes) is necessary for some environments