Public Health Technician
Description:
Posted 6/27/24 - DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: This is sub-professional technical work involving responsibility for assisting Public Health Sanitarians and Engineers in carrying out the various elements of prevention and control programs affecting public health. Employees in this class are responsible for making inspections and carrying out specialized phases of the environmental health program in a municipal health department or agency. Duties involve gathering information for use by Public Health Engineers and Sanitarians in determining compliance with local and state Sanitary Code requirements. The work is performed under general supervision of either a higher level technical or professional employee who reviews reports and provides advisory assistance as necessary. Supervision over the work of others is not usually a responsibility of employees in this class.
A Public Health Technician also does related work as required.
TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:
- Performs routine and follow-up inspections of sanitary conditions of camps, hotels, lodging and boarding houses and other premises including semipublic or individual water supplies and sewage disposal devices, refuse disposal, air pollution, x-ray installations, public health nuisance complaints and general sanitation;
- Advises homeowners and local officials on methods and procedures relating to insect and rodent control;
- Performs routine and follow-up inspections of swimming pools and beaches to determine compliance with local and state Sanitary Code requirements;
- Collects samples of drinking water for laboratory analysis to determine organic inorganic and bacterial contamination;
- Performs routine and follow-up inspections of restaurants and public eating places, including arrangements of food handling and storage, food service, dishwashing and disinfecting of dishes and utensils;
- Performs routine and follow-up inspections of public health nuisances such as mosquito and fly breeding places, rodent harborages and related matters and advises local officials of corrective measures;
- Tests drinking water samples for chlorine content, PH, hardness and alkalinity;
- Inspects sites and advises homeowners on design of home sewage systems depending on varying soil conditions;
- Advises homeowners on bat control including repellants and building improvement to prevent entry;
- May collect and deliver suspected diseased animals to State laboratories for analysis;
- Aids homeowners, local officials and commercial operators on roper sanitary operation of wells, pumps and water source protection;
- Performs rodenticide and pesticide applications in accordance with NYSDEC.
- Performs inspections with youth age 15-17 years within the Adolescent Tobacco Youth Prevention Act (ATUPA);
- Performs inspections utilizing XRF equipment or equivalent in the investigation of children with lead poisoning or prevention of lead poisoning;
- Maintains records and complete inspection reports related to the work.
FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILL, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Working knowledge of basic principles and practices related to proper environmental public health inspection techniques; working knowledge of applicable provisions of the State Sanitary code related to environmental public health inspection; working knowledge of general principles of biology, chemistry and general science; ability to establish and maintain cooperative relationships with the public; ability to understand and interpret written material; ability to solve arithmetic problems related to environmental public health inspections; ability to prepare accurate reports; skills in health inspection techniques; physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Possession of an Associate’s Degree from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university or have completed 60 credit hours, with a minimum of 15 credit hours in the natural sciences, of which not more than six (6) credit hours may be in the applied sciences and have satisfactorily completed a public health training course approved by the State Health Department within two (2) years of appointment.
Please send resume to: Rensselaer County Department of Health
Maryfran Wachunas
1600 7th Avenue 2nd floor
Troy, NY 12180
Salary Grade 12 -$50,410