ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST II / EMERGENCY APPOINTMENT HOMELESSNESS

Job Description

Position/Program Information

EXAM NUMBER:

PH5671G-EA

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT:

OPEN COMPETITIVE - EMERGENCY

FIRST DAY OF FILING:

The application filing period will begin on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. (PT) - Continuous.

We will keep accepting applications until the position is filled. The application window may close unexpectedly once we have enough qualified candidates.

The LA County Board of Supervisors recently declared a local state of emergency for homelessness , and the County is working to revise and expand our response to help all who are affected. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to help us in the mission of addressing issues like housing, mental health, and substance use. If you are looking for a new career that will directly benefit the population of LA County, this may be the opportunity for you.

The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Environmental Health Specialist II vacancies related to the homelessness crisis.

Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment.

During your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%.

Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to Environmental Health Specialist II.
DEFINITION:
Enforces environmental health and consumer protection laws by making inspections, conducting investigations, and taking appropriate enforcement action.

For information about the specific classification standards for this position, please visit the following link: Environmental Health Specialist II .

Essential Job Functions

What will I do as an Environmental Health Specialist II?

• Conducts periodic inspections of food establishments and restaurants to ensure legal compliance and to promote environment health by making observations to see that food is unadulterated, properly labeled, refrigerated, stored, handled, and protected from contaminants.
  
• Reviews and observes utensil washing and sanitizing procedures by testing water temperatures and cleaning agents and facilities to ensure that these meet Federal, State, and local legal requirements.
  
• Ensures that food equipment such as stoves, refrigerators, and other cooking equipment and appliances are clean and in good repair and takes appropriate enforcement action; completes reports of areas in violation.
  
• Investigates complaints concerning the infestation of rodents and insects by looking for evidence of infestation such as telltale signs and avenues of entry, placing poisons, recommending corrective measures, and taking appropriate enforcement action.
  
• Conducts periodic inspections and investigates complaints concerning the improper disposal of garbage, rubbish, and sewage and other unsanitary conditions in building, multiple and single family dwellings, and retail food or other establishments by conducting inspections of premises for adequate disposal facilities, such as covered bins to prevent insect and rodent infestation; recommends corrective measures and takes appropriate enforcement action.
  
• Conducts specialized technical inspections and investigations to prevent and control consumer fraud in the retail marketing and sale of food under public health laws and regulations concerned with adulteration, mislabeling, and false advertising of food; meets with concerned parties to discuss correction of deficiencies and to obtain compliance through appropriate enforcement action.
  
• Initiates and participates in prosecution of environmental health cases of non-compliance with public health laws and regulations by completing investigation reports, securing evidence, taking and collecting photographs, and preparing cases for prosecution, initiating and attending office hearings, and conferring with city or the District Attorney.
  
• Participates in communicable disease investigations related to environmental health.
  
• Ensures that establishments being inspected have obtained a current public health license or permit: ensures that establishments receive and post a grade/score card.
  
• Maintains rapport with community organizations and may serve as a member of the organization's formal structure to provide guidance on environmental health related problems.
  
• Testifies in court as the investigating officer for the Department of Health Services, as needed.
  
• Drives a personal vehicle to and from various locations throughout the County to carry out job related essential functions.
  

Requirements

REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY:
Certificate* as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist issued by the California Department of Public Health.

SPECAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:

You MUST meet the above requirement(s) in order to be appointed to fill any vacancies related to this recruitment.

*You MUST submit a legible, valid and current copy of the required certificate or pocket license as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist issued by the California Department of Public Health with your application or email a copy within seven (7) calendar days of application submission to HRExams@ph.lacounty.gov or your application will be rejected as incomplete.

For information on how to obtain the certificate as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist from the California Department of Public Health, click on the link below or call (916) 449-5662.

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DRSEM/Pages/EMB/REHS/REHS.aspx

LICENSE INFORMATION:
A valid California Class C Driver is required to carry out job-related essential functions.

You MUST submit a copy of your valid California Class C Driver License with your application at the time of filing or email a copy within seven (7) calendar days of filing to HRExams@ph.lacounty.gov or your application will be rejected as incomplete.

Successful applicants for positions that require driving must obtain and present a copy of their driving record from the California Department of Motor Vehicles before final appointment. Applicants should not present a copy of their driving history until asked to do so by the hiring department. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether an applicant’s driving history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job. License must not be currently suspended, restricted, or revoked.

PHYSICAL CLASS:
Physical Class III - Moderate: This class requires that the incumbent stand or walk most of the time with bending, stooping, squatting, twisting, reaching, working on irregular surfaces, occasional lifting of objects weighing over 25 pounds, and frequent lifting of 10-25 pounds.

Additional Information

EXAMINATION CONTENT:
During your initial work period, the appointing department will evaluate your performance. Those who achieve a passing score on this evaluation will be considered for permanent appointment.

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Application and Filing Information

HOW TO APPLY:

Applications must be filed ONLINE ONLY and will be reviewed for interview consideration on an ongoing basis. If you have not been contacted within 60 days and the recruitment remains open or reopens for filing, we encourage you to submit a new application. This will allow you to reaffirm your interest and update any relevant information.

Many important notifications will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add HRExams@ph.lacounty.gov as well as noreply@governmentjobs.com and info@governmentjobs.com to your email address and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail.

You have the ability to opt out of emails from LA County. If you unsubscribe, you will not receive any email notification for any examination for which you apply with Los Angeles County. Regardless of whether you choose to unsubscribe, you can always check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com and viewing your profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices.

Plan to submit your online application well in advance as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty , you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.



SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:

Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number, so include yours when applying.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES:

For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County. Check the website for updated information at https://lacountylibrary.org .


DO NOT SHARE USER ID AND PASSWORD:

All applicants must file their application online using their OWN user ID and password. Using a family member or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (ARDI):
The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. We are committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the in equalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.



Department Contact Name: DPH Examinations and Recruitment Unit

Department Contact Phone: (213) 684-8726

Department Contact E-mail: HRExams@ph.lacounty.gov

Exam Number: PH5671G-EA



California Relay Services Phone: (800) 735-2922

ADA Coordinator Phone: (844) 914-1006

Teletype Phone: (800) 899-4099

Alternate Teletype Phone: (800) 897-0077

For detailed information, please click here

Closing Date/Time: Continuous