Within the Department of Social and Health Services or the Department of Health, advises and consults with local health departmental personnel and other governmental officials, State institutional care officials, health and residential care providers, other health care professionals and the public on public health issues and practices; and/or conducts field surveys of health or residential care facilities, correctional facilities, or other sites and evaluates them according to public health program requirements. Initiates corrective and enforcement action at the site.

Positions at this level plan, develop, review, revise and conduct public health surveys to detect and assess existing and potential public health hazards and recommend, review, and approve corrective action plans. Positions do not include a primary focus on environmental assessments such as monitoring drinking water systems, or shellfish growing or harvest areas.

Advises staff in local and other governmental agencies, State institutional care officials, health and residential care providers, other health care professionals, and the public concerning the enforcement of and compliance with State and Federal regulations; provides technical assistance and consultation regarding environmental health principles and general policies and procedures as they apply to: air quality, chemical hazards, drinking water, food protection, groundwater protection, hazardous waste, health care facilities, injury control, institutional facilities, noise, personal living environments, shellfish protection, solid waste, toxic substances, vector control, wastewater, and water recreational facilities;

Advises and consults with officials in other state and local agencies concerning technical and regulatory aspects of environmental health;

Participates in the development of regulations and guidelines for health and residential care facilities, and in other areas of concern to environmental health;

Advises staff in local health agencies concerning the investigation of health hazards; inspection/survey procedures; and the collection, preservation and, presentation of evidence;

Provides in-service education and interpretive information for health and residential care facility personnel;

Plans and develops surveys to evaluate potential and existing public health hazards in health, residential care, and institutional facilities and other areas concerned with environmental health; makes licensing inspections of such premises;

Conducts special studies; prepares reports; gives talks before public and private organizations;

Performs other work as required.

Knowledge of: principles, practices, techniques and objectives of environmental health; statutes, ordinances and resolutions pertaining to environmental health; State Health Board regulations; bacteriology; vector control; public finance; educational principles and techniques.

Ability to: plan, organize and evaluate environmental health programs; understand and interpret environmental health laws and regulations; recognize, preserve and present legal evidence; plan and conduct training programs; speak and write effectively; travel frequently and for extended periods.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

A Master's degree in public health, environmental health, or allied science with a minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours in a natural or physical science and two years of professional experience in public health. 

OR

A Bachelor's degree in public health, environmental health, or allied science with a minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours in a natural or physical science and four years of professional experience in public health including two years in a consultative, supervisory, administrative, or advisory capacity. 

OR

A Doctoral degree in public health, environmental health, or allied science. 

Two years as a Public Health Advisor 1 will substitute for the required two years of consultative, supervisory, administrative, or advisory experience. 

NOTE:  Employees shall be advanced to Public Health Advisor 2 after successfully completing the two-year Public Health Advisor training program.

Revised January 1, 1969 Revises minimum qualifications
Revised February 1, 1969 General revision
Revised March 1, 1969 Revises minimum qualifications
Revised July 15, 1982 Revises definition
Revised January 14, 1983 Deletes NOTE:
Revised September 18, 1989 Revises definition and minimum qualifications, adds distinguishing characteristics, title change (formerly Advisory Sanitarian 2) and general revision
New class code: (formerly 62220) effective July 1, 2007

Revised Legal Requirements; effective June 6, 2024, due to adopted legislative action.