This is a full-time non-permanent Public Health Advisor 2 (PHA 2) within the Division of Environmental Public Health (EPH), Office of Environmental Health & Safety (OEHS), within Shellfish Program’s Growing Area Section. The duration of this position is anticipated to last through October 31, 2021.
The Shellfish Growing Area Section is an engaged team that monitors the risks associated with point and nonpoint pollution sources near the state’s commercial shellfish harvesting areas and publicly owned recreational shellfish beaches. The team works with local, state, federal, tribal, and shellfish harvesting partners to assure public health is protected and makes public health-related decisions that may impact commercial and recreational shellfish harvesting opportunities. The team works with partners to improve water quality throughout the state’s marine environment.
The mission of OEHS is to improve the health of people in Washington State by reducing and preventing, where possible, human exposures to a variety of environmental hazards and disease pathogens associated with the disposal of wastewater, the food we eat, the schools our children attend, and the places we recreate and overnight.
About the Department of Health
Washington State Department of Health (DOH) works with federal, state, tribal, and local partners to help people in Washington stay healthy and safe. Our programs and services help prevent illness and injury, promote healthy places to live and work, provide education to help people make good health decisions, and ensure our state is prepared for emergencies.
Benefits of Working for DOH
Washington is America’s Top State according to U.S. News (2019) and provides one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.
DOH offers:
- A healthy life/work balance by offering flexible schedules and telework options for many positions.
- Growth and development opportunities.
- A wellness program that offers education, access to healthy food, and fitness classes.
- Opportunities to serve your community through meaningful work.
- A commitment to diversity and inclusion by fostering an inclusive environment that encourages all employees to bring their authentic selves to work.
- An Infant at Work Program that is based on the long-term health values of breastfeeding newborns and infant-parent bonding.
- A modernized workplace.
• Working with the shoreline survey leads to collect water quality data, inspect individual on-site sewage systems, and evaluate other nonpoint pollution sources that could impact Washington’s commercial and recreational shellfish harvesting areas.
• Planning, organizing, and completing follow up water quality sampling and pollution source evaluations based on report recommendations and complaints.
• Reviewing applications for new shellfish harvest sites and completing in-field evaluations when necessary. Making recommendations for approval of these sites.
• Working as part of a team to open and close shellfish harvesting areas based on daily events that include: rainfall, flooding, and spills . Directly communicating with commercial shellfish companies to assure they are notified about closures.
• Assisting one of the OEHS marine water quality leads on board an OEHS boat. Collecting marine water samples at predefined locations throughout the Puget Sound and coastal embayments.
What we’re looking for
Success in this position requires one to be a team player, defined as having a driving passion for the work, bringing humility to their job and people interactions, and understanding how their words and actions affect others.
Required Qualifications
• A Bachelor’s degree or higher in public health, environmental health, natural or physical science or allied field.
• Two (2) or more years of professional experience in an environmental health, public health, natural science, or physical science program which includes experience evaluating nonpoint water pollution sources and knowledge of on-site sewage systems.
Desired Qualifications
• Four (4) or more years of experience in public health or environmental health.
• Three (3) or more years of experience evaluating nonpoint sources.
• Two (2) or more years of experience working at a local health jurisdiction on on-site sewage system issues.
Application Process
Intrigued? We’d love to hear from you. Click “Apply” to submit your detailed application profile along with the following:
1. A letter of interest, describing how you meet the specific required qualifications for this position.
2. A current resume.
3. Three (3) or more professional references, to be included in your profile. Please include at least one supervisor, peer, and (if you have supervised staff) a subordinate.
Important Note: Do not attach documents that contain private information (social security number, date of birth, transcripts, etc.) or documents that are password protected. These documents will not be reviewed and may cause errors within your application when downloaded. Veterans, please feel free to attach a copy of your redacted DD214.
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is an equal opportunity employer. DOH strives to create a working environment that is inclusive and respectful. It is our policy to prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, political affiliation, genetics, or disability in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of our workforce.
This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.
Conditions of Employment/Working Conditions
With or without an accommodation, I am willing and able to:
• Legally operate a state- or privately-owned vehicle or provide alternative transportation.
• Occasionally work in excess of 40 hours per week and/or to adjust normally scheduled hours, which may include evening and weekends.
• Occasionally travel statewide to attend meeting which may include overnight stays and evening work.
• Spend long hours on foot and to walk over rough terrain and up hills.
• Occasionally travel aboard a small boat to remote locations and to get on and off the boat.
• Work in the field during inclement weather.
• The duty station for this position is Tumwater, WA. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, telework (mobile-work) is currently expected. When approved to return, the incumbent is expected to report to the duty station for work activities. An alternative work schedule may be considered upon request and supervisor approval. Telework – once returned to the duty station for work activities, may be considered upon request with supervisory approval.
If you have questions, need alternative formats or other assistance please contact Skyler Jones at (360) 236-4408, Skyler.jones@doh.wa.gov, or TDD Relay at 1-800-833-6384 or 711 (Washington Relay). Technical support is provided by NEOGOV, 855-524-5627 (can’t log in, password or email issues, error messages).
Supplemental Information
Only applicants who follow the directions and complete the Application Process in-full will have their responses reviewed for consideration.
Education and experience selected, listed and/or detailed in the Supplemental Questions must be verifiable on the detailed applicant profile submitted.
This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment are filled, the recruitment may only be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days.