ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST III / EMERGENCY APPOINTMENT HOMELESSNESS

Job Description

Position/Program Information

EXAM NUMBER:
PH5672G-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 III 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 III.

DEFINITION:
Performs specialized environmental health inspections and investigations of complex environmental health problems; or provides lead supervision to field staff who are enforcing environmental health and consumer protection laws by making inspections, initiating investigations and taking appropriate enforcement action.

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

Essential Job Functions

What will I do as an Environmental Health Specialist III?

• Conducts periodic specialized technical field inspections and investigations of manufacturing, industrial, or other large scale facilities and institutions in such areas as food and drug, water, sewage control, multiple housing and institutions, garment manufacturing, laundering facilities, public swimming facilities, water pollution control and dairies and milk products plants to determine compliance with relevant public health laws and regulations; completes reports of areas in violation.
• Verifies the proper manufacture, storage, preparation and transportation of foods, drugs, and dairy products ensuring process is free from contamination, adulteration, or mislabeling; investigating suspected food poisonings and other complaints; inspecting such facilities as hotels, motels, jails, mental institutions, multiple housing, and boarding homes for compliance with established environmental standards; approving plans for the construction of public swimming facilities and the installation and maintenance of facility equipment; ensuring that potable water meets Federal, State, local, physical, chemical, and bacteriological standards; approving sewage disposal installations and inspecting water treatment, sewage disposal and water reclamation plants; and conducting specialized testing procedures to ensure that no potentially dangerous connections exist between industrial equipment, industrial processing water and plumbing fixtures whereby toxic chemicals, sewage or contaminated water could be introduced into the domestic water supply system.
• Meets with concerned parties from private industry and companies to provide current information on environmental procedures and public health laws, to discuss correction of deficiencies, to develop a corrective plan, and to obtain compliance through appropriate enforcement action, including quarantine, embargo, condemnation of food or drug products, the issuance of citations, and the confiscation of evidence of violation including equipment, and by providing expert testimony in criminal prosecution.
• Develops and implements staff development and training programs designed to provide Environmental Health staff with current information on environmental health procedures and public health laws, and to improve the quality of environmental health inspections, investigations, and services to the public.
• Performs administrative studies or analyses of public health laws and ordinances by comparing Federal, State, and local codes in a specific area such as food service to determine their impact on environmental health programs and operating methods.
• Provides technical direction to district environmental staff who are inspecting, investigating, and enforcing laws pertaining to environmental health and consumer protection by reviewing work, both administratively and in the field, advising on methods and techniques applied, and determining their effectiveness in enforcing applicable public health laws.
• Conducts special investigations such as food poisoning; or provides support in the resolution of the more difficult investigations.
• Reviews the preparation of evidence for the prosecution of environmental health cases on non-compliance with public health laws and regulations by ensuring that subordinate staff have prepared samples of adulterated foods according to prescribed methods, that the findings of tests conducted by laboratory technicians are available and in the prescribed format and that all material required by city or the District Attorney for prosecution has been provided.
• Act in the absence of the District Chief Environmental Health Specialist, as needed.

Requirements

REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY:
Two (2) years' experience as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist for a health department.

LICENSE(S) & CERTIFICATE(S) REQUIRED:
1. Certificate as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist issued by the California State Department of Public Health.*

2. A valid California Class C Driver License is required to carry out job-related essential functions.**

PHYSICAL CLASS:
Physical Class III - Moderate: I ncludes standing or walking most of the time, with bending, stooping, squatting, twisting, and reaching; includes working on irregular surfaces, occasionally lifting objects weighing over 25 pounds, and frequent lifting of 10-25 pounds.

SPECIAL 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 copy of the original certificate (not the pocket license) as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist issued by the California Department of Public Health 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.

• For information on how to obtain the certificate as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist from the California State Department of Public Health, call (916) 449-5661 or click on the following link : https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DRSEM/Pages/EMB/REHS/REHS.asp

**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 his/her 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.

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: PH5672G-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