ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST I - 64028454
The Environmental Specialist I is an entry-level regulatory role within the Confidential Client responsible for ensuring compliance of various establishments with Florida environmental health laws and ordinances. The position involves conducting inspections, investigations, and enforcement actions, as well as providing environmental health education and community outreach to promote public safety and sanitation. The role requires certification in Food Hygiene programs and effective communication skills to interact with the public and regulated entities.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Public Health / State Government — Confidential Client.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
What You’ll Do
Confidential Client is recruiting an entry-level Environmental Specialist I to join a county-level environmental health team. Under supervision, you will support regulatory compliance, inspections, investigations, and community outreach to protect public health.
- Perform inspections of food service establishments, residential facilities, swimming pools, public and private schools, mobile home/RV parks, migrant labor camps, and biomedical waste facilities to assess compliance with applicable statutes, administrative rules, and local ordinances.
- Conduct interviews, technical reviews, and site evaluations; collect, analyze, and document data to determine compliance and recommend corrective or enforcement actions.
- Investigate health-related and sanitary nuisance complaints; collect evidence, prepare notices, and support enforcement when necessary.
- Provide environmental health education and technical assistance to the public, regulated community, and local officials through presentations, workshops, and outreach programs.
- Review applications for licensure and sanitation certificates and recommend issuance, denial, or corrective actions.
- Assist with countywide compliance, monitoring, and corrective action programs; learn to evaluate programs for compliance and recommend improvements.
- Perform other duties as assigned, including emergency response work as required outside normal hours.
Required knowledge, skills & abilities
- Knowledge of terminology, principles, and analytical techniques of the physical or natural sciences.
- Ability to collect, evaluate, analyze, and interpret scientific and inspection data.
- Strong oral and written communication skills for interacting with the public, regulated community, and internal stakeholders.
- Problem-solving skills and ability to prioritize tasks.
- Ability to adapt to changing assignments and work effectively under supervision.
- Ability to use transit and/or a builder’s level for field measurements and site assessments.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in one of the physical or natural sciences, environmental health, public health, or engineering from an accredited college or university.
- Valid driver’s license required.
- Certification in Food Hygiene Programs (per applicable statute). Incumbent MUST become State-certified in the Food Hygiene program during the probationary period, if not already certified.
- This is an entry-level position; additional on-the-job training and supervision will be provided to achieve full proficiency.
Compensation & Benefits
- Listed salary: $44,000 per year (Confidential Client listing). Estimated market pay shown ~ $46,080/year.
- Competitive state-level benefits package may include:
- Annual and sick leave accruals
- Nine paid holidays plus one personal holiday annually
- Health, life, dental, and vision insurance options
- Retirement plan options (employer contributions) and flexible spending accounts
- Tuition waivers and other employee programs
- Exact plan details, eligibility, and costs provided by the hiring organization.
Where You’ll Work
Work location (primary): 2965 Major James Morgan Jr. Way, Tallahassee, FL. This role requires in‑field inspections across assigned areas of Leon County; occasional travel within the county is expected.
Additional details & compliance
- Employment Type: Full-time.
- The position requires a security background check and/or drug screening; successful completion may be a condition of hire.
- Employment eligibility will be verified via Form I-9 and E-Verify.
- Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, must be registered with the Selective Services System as required by law.
- Veterans’ preference and related documentation requirements apply where eligible.
- Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act should notify the hiring authority in advance.
- Incumbents may be required to perform emergency duty before, during, and/or beyond normal work hours.
- All communications and work require English proficiency as a condition of the position.
- You will be employed by Confidential Client; Careertakes is assisting as a third-party recruiter.
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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