
Personnel Department
DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: Work involves responsibility for administering the
county environmental health program, including overseeing technical work involving application
of physical, biological and social sciences for detection, evaluation, control and management of
factors in the environment that influence health. Responsibilities include planning, development,
implementation, and evaluation of specialized environmental programs and overseeing
environmental investigations. Duties include frequent contact with a variety of professional and
technical personnel as well as public officials to ensure compliance with applicable laws, rules,
codes and policies. Work is performed under general supervision of the Commissioner of Health
or Public Health Director, with wide leeway allowed for the exercise of independent judgment in
carrying out details of the work. Supervision is exercised over the work of subordinate staff.
Performs related work as required.
TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: (Illustrative only)
Plans, develops, implements and evaluates a variety of environmental health programs, including
all state mandated core programs and locally adopted programs to ensure compliance
with applicable standards of public health and safety;
Promulgates policies and procedures that effect the efficient and effective facilitation of the
County’s environmental health programs;
Assigns, directs, reviews and evaluates the work of Environmental Health staff;
Consults with professional and technical staff regarding activities related to their duties and
responsibilities;
Develops and submits the Division budget, and administers the approved budget;
Meets with other County departments/agencies regarding major policy and program
management;
Consults with public officials and the general public regarding issues related to environmental
health;
Performs environmental health field-work including on-site supervision, investigations, tests
and diagnosing and resolving difficult problems;
Attends training from the New York State Department of Health as required;
Prepares a variety of records and reports;
Performs a variety of related activities as required.
Typical Work Activities are intended only as illustrations of possible types of work that might be appropriately assigned to
an incumbent of this title. Work activities that do not appear above are not excluded as appropriate work assignments, as
long as they can be reasonably understood to be within the logical limits of the job.
FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Thorough knowledge of modern principles and practices of environmental health
administration; thorough knowledge of federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations and
sanitary codes; good knowledge of natural science and mathematics; good knowledge of budget
preparation and administration; working knowledge of public information and public relations
techniques; ability to plan, organize, coordinate, administer and evaluate the effectiveness of
program plans and provision of services related to environmental health; ability to prepare
budgets, operating reports and a variety of other reports relative to program activities; ability to
plan and supervise the work of others; ability to understand and interpret complex oral
instructions and/or written directions; ability to inspect for and detect environmental health
problems and hazards; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships; ability
to deal effectively with the public.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS*:
A Bachelor’s Degree in sanitary, environmental, chemical, civil, or public health engineering, or a
related engineering field or a Bachelor’s degree 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
a. two years of administrative and supervisory experience as a supervising engineer
or supervising sanitarian as defined in this NYCRR, Title 10, Part 11; or
b. 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.
SUBSTITUTION NOTE:
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.
PLEASE NOTE: Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a
regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S.
Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:
Possession of a valid, unrestricted, appropriate level driver’s license, and acceptable driving
record are required at time of appointment and must be maintained throughout employment.
* Per New York Codes, Rules and Regulations (NYCRR), Title 10, Part 11, §11.91.
9/03; 4/09; 7/10; 3/23; 10/24
Competitive Class
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Mission Statement
Our mission is to administer, in a fair and equitable manner, the provisions of New York State Civil Service Law and Putnam County Civil Service Rules with respect to the offices and employments in the classified service of Putnam County and the civil divisions therein, which include the towns, villages, school districts, libraries and special districts.
It is Putnam County Personnel Department’s responsibility to ensure Putnam County taxpayers of a public workforce qualified for their jobs pursuant to the principles of selection according to merit and fitness as set forth in Article 5, §6 of the New York State Constitution.

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Adriene Iasoni
Personnel Officer