Environmental Health Specialist II

Salary : $64,190.88 - $106,984.59 Annually
Location : FAIRFAX (FJ56), VA
Job Type: FT Salary W BN
Job Number: 25-00643
Department: Health Department
Opening Date: 03/22/2025
Closing Date: 4/4/2025 11:59 PM Eastern
Pay Grade: S23
Posting Type: Open to General Public

Job Announcement

Are you looking for a position that offers you.....

• A supportive team environment
• A dynamic orientation
• The opportunity to make a difference by serving those most in need
• The ability to work collaboratively with community partners to address public health priorities.
• A Learning culture
• Work life balance.

Then join our amazing team of professionals!

The Fairfax County Health Department is the largest public health department in Virginia, serving 1.2 million residents from diverse ethnic, cultural, and economic backgrounds throughout Fairfax County. With more than 100 years of leadership in the public health field, we are committed to protecting, promoting, and improving the health and quality of life for all in our community.

This position works within the Division of Environmental Health. It provides administrative assistance and an advanced level of expertise and technical training. Under limited supervision of an Environmental Health Supervisor or Environmental Health Specialist III, this position conducts inspections, complaint investigations, and surveys to determine compliance with state and local codes and regulations related to campgrounds, food facilities, hotels and motels, massage establishments, onsite wastewater treatment systems, special events, summer camps, swimming pools, tattoo shops, and water wells. This position conducts surveillance of disease carrying insects and ticks. This position participates in environmental program education and related community outreach activities. This position documents inspections and investigation findings and records coded entries in a designated database. This position attends training courses, educational conferences, and seminars to enhance job proficiency. This position attends regular staff meetings as scheduled and performs other duties as assigned.

Note: Health Department positions are designated as emergency responders in the event of a public health crisis. As a public health emergency responder, this position may be reassigned to provide support based on the emergency response service needs. The temporary reassignment may require employees to function in a role outside of the typical job duties. The emergency response may also require employees to work alternative work schedules to include weekend and evenings.

• Click to watch a video on Working for Fairfax County Government.
• Click to watch a video on benefits offered by Fairfax County Government.

Illustrative Duties
Gathers and records information on complaints, inspections, emergency calls and requests for investigation/evaluations;

Extracts, inspects, tests and analyzes samples;

Designs and conducts surveys and studies in assigned specialty area;

Initiates and follows up on correction of unsanitary/hazardous conditions;

Enforces County, State and Federal laws, codes and regulations when violations are observed;

Performs technical analyses and assists in the evaluation of plans and specifications for air pollution control devices, housing construction, property development;

Issues permits for construction of on-site sewage disposal systems, private water supplies, and operation of public establishments;

Prepares drafts of official correspondence;

Provides information and assistance to the public (including property owners, business operators, developers/real estate agents, engineering professionals), other County agencies, and other jurisdictions;

Prepares summons requests, subpoenas, and case histories;

Testifies at court hearings.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in environmental health or a bachelor's degree with at least thirty (30) semester hours of course work in the physical or biological sciences; plus, one year of experience in environmental health investigations.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:

• Valid driver's license
• AED (Required within 60 days)
• CPR (Required within 60 days)

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, child protective services, and driving record check to the satisfaction of the employer.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Health Department experience and knowledge working in a regulatory environment interpreting and/or enforcing codes or regulations.
• Experience in the field of Environmental Health and inspection programs.
• Working knowledge of personal computers including laptops, word processing and database management programs.
• Strong oral and written communication skills; ability to work independently with minimal supervision; and the ability to exercise a high degree of independent decision making. Ability to work in a team environment.
• Possession of one or more of the following: Alternative Onsite Soil Evaluator License, Conventional Onsite Soil Evaluator License, Standardized Food Environmental Health Specialist, Certified Pool Operator Certification, or Commercial Pesticide Certified Applicator License.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Ability to conduct inspections/investigations in extreme temperature environments. Ability to operate motor vehicle in adverse weather conditions. Ability to walk, negotiate/traverse sites with unleveled terrain and/or narrow passages; crouch, stoop, kneel, bend, reach, stretch, climb ladders, use test equipment, lift and carry instruments and other objects weighing up to 25 pounds, wear personal protective equipment, and visual acuity is required to operate keyboard driven equipment and computer. Position frequently communicates and must be able to exchange accurate information with others verbally and in writing. Uses hands to grasp, handle or feel. Visual acuity is required to read data from paper and on a computer monitor or other electronic device; ability to operate keyboard driven equipment and computer and use of touchscreen; All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include exercise.

The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 38.7% of residents speak a language other than English at home and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. EEO/AA/TTY.
Merit Positions

Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
• Group Term Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• LiveWell Program
• Flexible Spending Programs
• Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
• Paid Holidays
• Contributory Retirement Plan
• Deferred Compensation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employees' Child Care Center
• Commuter Benefit Program
• Continuous Learning Opportunities

NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program:

For additional details please visit the
Non-Merit Positions

Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
• Flexible Spending Program
• Deferred Compensation

Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.

• No benefits

01

What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

• Less than 12th grade
• High school diploma or GED
• Some college
• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Doctorate degree

02

If you answered "Some college" for the highest level of education completed, please indicate the number of quarter or semester hours you have completed towards a degree.

• Less than 45 quarter hours
• 45 to less than 90 quarter hours
• 90 to less than 135 quarter hours
• 135 to less than 180 quarter hours
• 180 or more quarter hours
• Less than 30 semester hours
• 30 to less than 60 semester hours
• 60 to less than 90 semester hours
• 90 to less than 120 semester hours
• 120 or more semester hours
• Not applicable

03

Please indicate your area(s) of study or major(s)/minor(s) towards a degree. Check all that apply.

• Environmental health
• Biology
• Other (related field)
• Other (non-related field)
• Not Applicable

04

If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list all of your majors and minors. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable".
05

Have you taken at least 30 semester hours of course work in the physical or biological sciences?

• Yes
• No

06

Do you currently possess a valid driver's license?

• Yes
• No

07

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have in environmental health investigations?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years

08

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working in a regulatory environment where you interpreted and/or enforced codes or regulation?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years

09

Do you possess one or more of the following below? Check all that apply.

• Alternative Onsite Soil Evaluator License
• Conventional Onsite Soil Evaluator License
• Virginia Department of Health Standardized Food Environmental Health Specialist
• Certified Pool Operator Certification
• Commercial Pesticide Certified Applicator License
• None of the above

10

Do you have experience conducting field compliance inspections and/or compliant investigations?

• Yes
• No

11

Will you be available to respond for duty in the event a public health emergency is declared?

• Yes
• No

Required Question