Environmental Health Specialist Iii, Opt. 1

Position Overview

The Illinois Department of Public Health is seeking a highly motivated individual to perform complex and technical environmental public health investigations, collecting samples, investigating complaints and providing detailed technical reports and letters to enforce compliance applicable federal and state environmental health laws, regulations, policies and procedures within the Division of Environmental Health.

Benefits Statement

As a State of Illinois Employee, you will receive a robust benefit package that includes the following:

• Flexible and hybrid work schedules are available in many program areas (when available and dependent upon position)


• Competitive Group Insurance benefits including health, life, dental and vision plans.


• Pension plan through the State Employees Retirement System


• Deferred Compensation Program – voluntary supplemental retirement plan


• Optional pre-tax programs -Medical Care Assistance Plan (MCAP) & Dependent Care Assistant Plan (DCAP)


• 10-25 days of paid vacation time annually (10 days for first year of state employment)


• 12 paid sick days annually which carryover year to year


• 3 paid personal business days per calendar year (pro-rated dependent on start date)


• 13-14 paid holidays per year


• 12 weeks of paid parental leave


• Employee Assistance Program and/or mental health resources

These are just a few of the many perks available to all State employees. For more information about our benefits please follow this link: https://www2.illinois.gov/cms/benefits/Pages/default.aspx

Essential Functions

• Travels to conduct complex and technical on-site investigations to determine compliance with program mandates, regulations, policies and procedures.


• Participates in the investigations of complaints and potential violations of applicable laws and regulations provides review and direction to the regulated industry on statutory requirements and regulatory compliance.


• Provides complex and detailed written reports, forms and correspondence related to site investigations and complaints, including sample result interpretation, assembly and submission of evidence and preparation of enforcement documents required to assure compliance with statutory mandates and grant objectives for supervisory review and approval.


• Provides training to individuals in local health departments to conduct investigations of the dwellings of lead poisoned children including the use of the XRF equipment, destructive testing techniques and chemical identification of lead hazards.


• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university or college with 30 semester hours in the physical or biological sciences.


• Requires three (3) years of professional experience in environmental health practice.

Preferred Qualifications

• Current Lead Risk Assessor license or ability to obtain license within 6 months of employment


• Three (3) years of experience applying knowledge of local, state, and federal environmental health and public health laws and regulations


• Three (3) years of experience conducting environmental health regulatory assessments and inspections at regulated entities.


• Three (3) years of experience writing inspection reports and communications to the public and regulated entities.


• Three (3) years of experience applying knowledge of general environmental health sanitation principles and practices.   


• Three (3) years of experience in environmental field sampling equipment and testing techniques.


• Three (3) years of work experience using Microsoft software products including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc

Conditions of Employment

• Requires the ability to travel extensively within the State.


• Requires possession of a valid Driver's license.


• Certain provisions of the revolving door restrictions contained in 5 ILCS 430/5-45 apply to this position. As a result, the employee should be aware that if offered non-State employment during state employment or within one year immediately after ending State employment, the employee shall, prior to accepting any such non-State employment offer, notify the Office of the Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor (OEIG) or may be subject to a fine.

*The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.