The Northern Bristol County Public Health Alliance (NBCPHA) is a regional resource created to enhance the public health offerings of its member communities and deliver efficient, effective, and equitable public health services to its 164,000 residents.
The Regional Inspector provides environmental health services to citizens and protects the health and safety of the public from adverse environmental determinants. Conducts environmental health inspections and evaluations while making recommendations for action in programs requiring departmental approval, license, or permit. This is a field-based role, so self-motivation and ability to work autonomously are required.
This position is part of a Public Health Excellence Grant between the towns of Berkley, Dighton, North Attleboro, and Rehoboth, and the cities of Attleboro and Taunton. This is a grant funded opportunity and is subject to availability of funds. This position is administered by the Town of Berkley, however the work will take place across the six municipalities and the work location is expected to be a combination of remote and distributed across the municipalities.
Location: This position is based out of Berkley, MA. It provides services to the six municipalities that comprise the Northern Bristol County Public Health Alliance – Attleboro, Berkley, Dighton, North Attleboro, Rehoboth, and Taunton.
Caveat: This position is grant-funded and is subject to appropriation under the Massachusetts Public Health Excellence Grant for Shared Services, Department of Public Health
Salary: $65,000
Duties:
- Inspections: Performs environmental health inspections and investigates complaints to verify compliance with state and local regulations; scope of work includes food quality and safety, wastewater treatment, solid and hazardous waste management, air quality, water quality, insect and animal vector control, recreational and institutional facility inspections, consumer health and occupational health and safety. Inspects and evaluates premises having environmental health significance, such as food service establishments, bars, nightclubs, mobile food vending carts, commissaries, bakeries, homeless shelters, senior centers, correctional facilities, schools, public swimming pools, bathing beaches, recreational camps for children, lodging houses, group homes, tanning salons, tobacco retailers, body arts establishments, on-site water and sewage disposal systems, keepers of animals, private drinking water wells, sites of alleged public health problems, and any other facilities of environmental health significance. Inspects businesses and other establishments for compliance with state and local COVID-19 regulations and to ensure a safe and wholesome food supply. Responds to housing and nuisance complaints. Collects food samples of all types from wholesale, retail, and ready-to-eat sources, as well as bacteriological cultures as required in the investigation of foodborne disease; transports collected samples to lab for testing. Provides environmental health services such as subdivision review, water supply permit and sewage system review, foodborne or waterborne disease investigation, groundwater contamination, and other detailed environmental health problems.
- Enforcement Actions: Applies and enforces town, city, and/or state laws, ordinances, statutes, policies, and regulations. Determines compliance with and enforces environmental health laws and rules for environmental programs. Identifies public health concerns. Testifies at court hearings when required. Meets with business owners/managers to present and discuss findings and determines the plan of action for abating violations that were cited during the inspection.
- Legal Enforcement: Issues summonses or enforcement actions to businesses for non-compliance with required standards
Technical Assistance/Education: Provides assistance and guidance to citizens and agencies with environmental health problems and explains environmental health problems to interested groups. Provides general consultation to architects, engineers, developers, and builders in relation to sanitation requirements. Supports the relationship between the Health Department and the general public by demonstrating courteous and cooperative behavior when interacting with citizens, visitors, and Health Department staff; maintains confidentiality of work-related issues and Health Department information; performs other duties as required or assigned. - Internal and External Interactions: Maintains relationships with health department staff, the public and with groups and/or individuals who may have conflicting opinions or objectives, diverse points of view or differences where skillful negotiating and achieving compromise is required to secure support, concurrence and acceptance or compliance. May be called up by members of the general public for advice and guidance. May meet with municipal officials on behalf of the Alliance, including Town Administrators, Select Boards and Boards of Health and be called up to cooperate with state and municipal inspectors in joint investigations and inspections.
- Task Forces: May be assigned to relevant task forces/working groups to provide the Alliance perspective on various topics of interest to the Alliance municipalities (e.g., hoarding, food equity, mobile food events, outside events planning, etc).
- Infrastructure: Collaborates with other NBCPHA shared staff to establish regional policies and procedures related to the functioning of the Alliance and standardizing inspectional policies and processes.
- Identifies recommendations for how inspectional policies and procedures can be standardized and streamlined across the Alliance.
- Reporting: Prepares detailed correspondence and inspection reports, including summary and status reports
- Training: Attends necessary and/or approved training to maintain certification and/or increase knowledge of relevant industry practices and recommendations of the Massachusetts Blueprint for Public Health Excellence.
- Quality: Ensures that the services provided meet the program requirements.
- Budget/Finance: Maintains an accurate accounting record of all activities and funds used for purchase of samples by recording each expenditure and retaining for records all supporting receipts on a daily basis.
- Emergency Preparedness: May participate in emergency preparedness and planning.
Qualifications / Requirements:
- Minimum Qualifications: Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in public or environmental health science, or a related field; two years of related experience in public health or environmental health; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Knowledge: Reasonable knowledge of modern environmental health practices, techniques, and programs. Reasonable knowledge of local and state laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations relating to environmental health; knowledge of agency policies and procedures (may be developed after employment). Knowledge of environmental health principles and practices. Basic understanding of microbiology, as required for performing inspectional duties and reading technical reports.
- Skills: Skills in applying the knowledge of environmental health principles to environmental health problems. Skills in enforcing environmental health regulations in a firm but tactful manner. Effective written and verbal communication skills to allow effective communication with fellow employees and the public. Investigative technique, critical thinking, problem solving skills. Skilled at using basic computer programs, such as Microsoft Office, and computer-based permitting and inspection software. Bilingual or multilingual (Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Cambodian, or Vietnamese) a plus.
- Abilities: Ability to present, explain, and discuss the field of environmental health before small and large groups. Ability to gain compliance with environmental health laws, regulations, and ordinances with a minimal amount of formal legal enforcement. Ability to work harmoniously with co-workers, other organizations and agencies, and the general public. Ability to read, comprehend, and apply technical material. Ability to read, interpret, and implement laws and regulations as well as communicate those laws and regulations to a wide variety of audiences.
- Ability to plan, organize, and implement programs and projects. Ability to take accurate notes, including notes to be used in legal proceedings. Ability to work with frustrated clients; ability to handle conflict in a diplomatic manner.
- Licenses/Certifications: Possession of a valid vehicle operator’s license and a vehicle are required.
- Current certification or eligible to become certified as a:
- Registered Sanitarian preferred. Required within 6 years of employment.
- Soil Evaluator certification preferred, or course completion within one year of hire
- MA Title 5 Septic System inspector certification preferred
- Housing inspection training within one year of hire
- Certified pool operator/Certified pool inspector within one year of hire
- Lead determinator within one year of hire
- Food inspection certifications – ServSafe, MassPHIT
- Completion of the Foundations for Local Public Health Practice required within 18 months.
- Physical Requirements: Duties require sufficient mobility and physical condition to perform essential functions of the position which may include, but are not limited to, lifting objects up to 50lbs, walking on uneven terrain, slippery conditions, bending, stooping, and standing for extended periods of time in a wide variety of uncontrollable weather conditions, temperatures, and indoor/outdoor environments, donning protective equipment (i.e. passing a fit test for a respirator mask), and routine reading of documents and reports for understanding and the ability to determine color differences. In times of a public health emergency, may be required to report for specialized assigned duties. Some weekends and/or evening work may be required.
Application Instructions
Submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected] with the subject line NBCPHA – Regional Inspector.
Supplemental Information
This is a full-time position. Starting salary will range from $65,000 to $75,000 depending on qualifications and experience. This position is exempt under the guidelines of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. The position is posted on the Town of Webster website at https://www.webster-ma.gov/Jobs.aspx.
The Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission is assisting with the hiring process by vetting candidates and presenting options to the hiring committee. A resume and letter of interest should be emailed to: Connor Robichaud [email protected]. This position is open until filled. Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the USA. Each Town is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer. Your opportunity for employment will be based only on your merit, without regard to race, religion, sex, age, national origin or disability.
Job Posting Start Date: 9/24/20244
Website: https://www.townofberkleyma.com/home/pages/job-opportunities
Contact Name: Erika S.
Contact Email: [email protected]