Careers

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DIRECTOR

Columbia County

Posted 9/19/2025

Responsibilities

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: This position enforces the provisions of the New York State
Public Health Law and the New York State Sanitary Code relating to environmental health, sanitation, and
safety. An employee in this class is responsible for planning, supervising and managing the aspects of
environmental health programs. Supervision is exercised over the work of Public Health Sanitarians, Senior
Public Health Technicians, Public Health Technicians and clerical staff assigned to programs. The incumbent
does related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:
Direct on-site inspections to ensure compliance with applicable standards/criteria. Obtain assistance from
engineering staff as necessary for approval of plans for water supply systems, sewage systems. Review
correspondence/reports outlining results, cited deficiencies, and required corrective actions. Prepare
legal/enforcement action as necessary to obtain compliance. Respond to emergencies (fires, floods, power
failures, toxic spills, complaints, illnesses, deaths, etc.) involving permitted facilities. Respond to telephone
and written inquiries from owners/operators/managers and the general public regarding programs. Ensure that
animal bite reports are investigated. Confer with local medical personnel, and authorize, as necessary, rabies
treatment for individuals bitten by suspected or confirmed rabid animals. Assure that annual rabies vaccination
clinics for dogs and cats are held. Assure that specialty programs (lead poisoning prevention, hazardous
waste site contaminations, etc.) and programs involving nuisance complaints, service requests (individual
water and sewage), and rodent and vermin control, and communicable diseases are addressed. Assist public
in, matters of environmental health and work with other local health officers. Prepare reports and ensure
receipt by appropriate parties. Ensure that policy and procedures are adhered to by the Department. Other
related duties as required.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS.
Thorough knowledge of applicable provisions of the Public Health Law, New York State Sanitary Code and
other applicable standards, Department policies and procedures, principles, techniques, and practices of
environmental sanitation, basic principles of microbiology, bacteriology, and chemistry, application of the
chemical and biological sciences to environmental situations; Ability to present ideas clearly and effectively,
orally and in writing, gather data from observations, interviews, records and reports, apply scientific principles
to Department programs, adequately assess the impact of various situations on environmental health and
identify problem areas, maintain and develop good public relations; an In-depth knowledge of public health
principles and practices.

Minimum Qualification

An Environmental Health Director must possess:
(a) a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university in sanitary, environmental, chemical, civil or public health engineering or a related engineering field; or a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with thirty (30) credit hours in the natural sciences, of which not more than twelve (12) credit hours may be in the applied sciences; and
(b) two years of administrative and supervisory experience as a supervising engineer or supervising sanitarian as defined in this Part; or five years of environmental health experience, including two years of supervisory responsibility that demonstrates that the candidate has the technical and administrative skills necessary to manage programs that can anticipate, recognize and respond to environmental health challenges. A master’s degree in public or environmental health or a related field that demonstrates the five core competencies of a public health education (Biostatistics, Environmental Health Services, Epidemiology, Health Policy and Management and Social and Behavior Sciences) may be substituted for up to two (2) years of the required environmental health experience.

NOTE: All candidates, including promotional, must possess educational components to be considered for appointment, per NYS Sanitary code 11.91.

Salary: $80,306