Overview
Job Title: Environmental Health Technician or Specialist (DOE)
Reports To: Environmental Health Science Manager
Starting Wage: $53,608 – $56,762 DOE
Status: Exempt, Salaried
Classification: 1.0 FTE, Regular
Location: Portland, OR or Remote from OR, ID, or WA
Job Summary:
The Environmental Health Specialist will serve as the technical service provider to carry out the work associated with a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Water Infrastructure Improvement Act for the Nation (WIIN) grant project. The primary responsibility is to assess and address lead in drinking water in tribal schools and childcare facilities as part of an overall, comprehensive outreach and community engagement effort to reduce childhood lead exposure in the tribal communities.
This position reports directly to the Environmental Health Science Manager located within the Environmental Public Health Program at the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB). Activities must be accomplished with minimal day-to-day supervision. Duties include, but are not limited to:
Essential Functions:
Conduct water sampling for lead in tribal childcare facilities and schools.
Develop site-specific sampling plans both for the duration of the project and for routine monitoring after its completion.
Coordinate travel and logistics for site visits.
Train local staff to collect drinking water samples for lead and other contaminants of concern.
Manage a data recordkeeping system, which will include sample management and results, update and improve as needed.
Assist the Environmental Health Science Manager with management of the subcontract, with the laboratory, and coordinate communication between laboratory, NPAIHB, and tribal childcare and school sites.
Assist the Environmental Health Science Manager with administrative tasks related to grant management such as contributing to routine reports to funders and completing budget modifications, as needed.
Technical Assistance – Serve as a technical consultant to tribal program managers and leaders to provide outreach and education about lead and the importance of and process for testing to schools and childcare facilities, as well as tribal programs and community members.
Develop implementation plans for remediation and linking tribal schools and childcare facilities to available resources to address sources of lead contamination identified through implementing the 3Ts program.
Partner with health care providers and other stakeholders to develop community childhood lead poisoning prevention plans and projects to prevent exposures and improve and/or enhance the screening, testing, diagnosis, and case management of children with elevated blood lead levels.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Environmental Health Science Manager and Environmental Public Health Program Director.
Standards of Conduct:
Consistently exhibit professional behavior and the high degree of integrity and impartiality appropriate to the responsible and confidential nature of the position
Consistently display professional work attire during normal business hours
Effectively plan, organize workload, and schedule time to meet workload demands.
Maintain a clean and well-organized workstation and office environment.
Exercise judgment and initiative in performance of duties and responsibilities.
Work in a cooperative manner with all levels of management and with all NPAIHB staff.
Treat NPAIHB delegates/alternates and Tribal people with dignity and respect and show consideration by communicating effectively.
Participate willingly in NPAIHB activities.
Abide by NPAIHB policies, procedures, and structure.
Research and, with the approval of supervisor, attend trainings as needed to improve skills that enhance overall capabilities related to job performance.
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s level degree in Environmental Health Science, Public Health, or closely aligned field; OR at least four years of experience in environmental protection, environmental health, water resources management or related field.
Two to three years of experience working with tribal communities or tribal organizations. Experience with NW tribes preferred.
Experience with environmental sample collection, coordination and/or project management preferred.
Advanced user in Microsoft Office package (Access, Excel, Word, Publisher, PowerPoint).
Excellent writing skills.
Excellent communication skills.
Must be highly organized, motivated, and be able to manage complex projects and carry out all responsibilities of the job requirements with minimal day-to-day supervision.
Must demonstrate discretion, tact, knowledge, judgment, and overall ability in working effectively with federal, tribal, and other professionals and facilitating participation and partnership in the activities of the program.
Must be sensitive to cross-cultural differences, and able to work effectively within their context.
Must be able to travel.
Typical Physical Activity:
Physical Demands: Frequently involves sedentary work: exerting up to 10 pounds of force and/or a negligible amount of force to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body.
Physical Requirements: Constantly requires the ability to receive detailed information through oral communications, and to make fine discrimination in sound. Constantly requires verbally expressing or exchanging ideas or important instructions accurately,
loudly, or quickly. Constantly requires working with fingers rather than the whole hand or arm. Constantly requires repetitive movement of the wrists, hands and/or fingers. Often requires walking or moving about to accomplish tasks. Occasionally requires standing and/or sitting for sustained periods of time. Occasionally requires ascending or descending stairs or ramps using feet and legs and/or hand and arms. Occasionally requires stooping which entails the use of the lower extremities and back muscles. Infrequently requires crouching.
Typical Environmental Conditions: The worker is frequently subject to inside environmental conditions which provide protection from weather conditions, but not necessarily from temperature changes, and is occasionally subject to outside environmental conditions.
Travel Requirements: Travel will be required for meetings and fieldwork to tribal locations in the course of conducting job tasks.
Disclaimer: The individual must perform the essential duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation efficiently and accurately without causing a significant safety threat to self or others. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and or skills required of all personnel so classified.
Except as provided by Title 25, U.S.C. § 450e(b), which allows for Indian preference in hiring, the NPAIHB does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, age, sex, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, politics, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, marital status, citizenship or immigration status, veteran or military status, genetic information, ancestry or any other characteristic protected by law.
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