PRINCIPAL PUBLIC HEALTH SANITARIAN                                                                                2114

 

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS

An employee in this class is responsible for directing and supervising a number of specialized inspectional services in the Health Department.  The incumbent advises and consults with supervisors on division policies and procedures for assigned programs, and ensures that all programs within inspectional services are coordinated to maintain the goals and objectives of the division.  The incumbent is responsible to either the Director of Public Health or a Principal Public Health Engineer of the Division of Environmental Quality.  Supervision is exercised over Associate Sanitarians and other professional and technical staff.  Does related work as required.

 

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES

                Directs and supervises the overall activities of Associate Sanitarians and other professional employees in assigned programs concerning water supply, housing code enforcement, rodent control, general sanitation, migrant labor camps and temporary residences, food control, air pollution, sewage, hazardous waste treatment plants, toxic materials storage facilities and x-ray installations;

                Reviews and evaluates the effectiveness of existing and planned environmental health inspectional programs;

                Promotes reciprocal agreements between the Health Department and public and private agencies in sanitary code compliance;

                Advises and consults with either the Director of Public Health or  a Principal Public Health Engineer in the Division of Environmental Quality on policy matters for the development and maintenance of procedures for assigned programs;

                Handles and coordinates reports and inquiries from the New York State Health Department and other official agencies regarding assigned programs;

                Reviews, prepares or assists on drafts for revision to the New York State and Suffolk County Sanitary Codes or related standards;

                Prepares regular and special statistical and narrative reports for the State and County administration.

 

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Comprehensive knowledge of the principles, laws, regulations, practices and techniques of environmental sanitation; comprehensive knowledge of the methods used in investigations, inspections and checking and preventing the outbreak of disease; comprehensive knowledge of water supply, food production, migrant camp and general sanitation, and housing and rodent control sanitation; comprehensive knowledge of the Federal, State and local public health laws and sanitary codes; ability to plan, develop, direct and administer a broad spectrum of environmental inspectional programs; ability to formulate work programs of various inspectional services; ability to plan and direct the work of professional and clerical personnel in a manner conducive to full performance and high morale; ability to express oneself clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with owners and managers of business establishments, property owners, public officials, civic groups and the general public; ability to prepare accurate and comprehensive reports on investigations, inspections and special programs; physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

                OPEN COMPETITIVE

                Graduation from a college with federally-authorized accreditation or registration by NY State with a Bachelor's Degree including, or supplemented by, a minimum of 30 credit hours in the natural sciences, of which not more than twelve (12) credit hours are in the applied sciences,  and eight (8) years of experience as a public health sanitarian, two (2) years of which must have been in an administrative or supervisory position exercising responsibility for a major section of a public health or environmental quality program.

               

                PROMOTIONAL

                Two (2) years of permanent competitive status as an Associate Public Health Sanitarian; or,

                One (1) year of permanent competitive status as an Associate Public Health Sanitarian (Hearing Officer).

 

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENT

At the time of appointment, and during employment in this title, employees will be required to possess a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State.

 

R 1/23/09

SUFFOLK COUNTY

Competitive

Review 7/23/15