Remuneration: Annual salary commencing at $90,446.20, plus up to 13% superannuation

Closing Date: Sunday 21st April 2024 at 11.00pm AEST

No late applications will be accepted.  Only applications received via Council's online application system will be considered. Unsolicited applications from agencies will not be considered. 

Role Overview

As the Senior Officer Environmental Health (EHO), you will be responsible for professionally delivering environmental health services to the community that protect and enhance public health, community amenity and safety and environmental standards through the monitoring and enforcing of statutory requirements and through proactive initiatives that positively contribute to overall community wellbeing.

What we are looking for:

To be successful, you will need an active, hands-on approach to dealing with public health requests for service and routine inspections of food premises with a focus on legislation compliance and public safety, customer service and continuous improvement.  To respond effectively you must have:

• In accordance with all applicable legislation and relevant policies and procedures and in a professional, safe and timely manner:
• Manage the application process for licences, registrations and permits including approvals, renewals and transfers within statutory timeframes.
• Inspect, audit, regulate and enforce activities that are licensed, registered or approved by Council.
• Investigate complaints and requests for service.  Identify and implement appropriate enforcment action where statutory non-compliance is detected.
• Resolve disputes and appeals relating to environmental health functions of Council.
• Conduct factual investigations and gather evidence including the taking of witness statements, interviewing persons of interest and preparing briefs of evidence in a proficient and professional manner.  This will include liaising with Council’s legal representatives, obtaining and executing warrants and/or Court Orders and giving evidence in the Magistrates Court or other jurisdictions as required.
• Actively participate in proactive public health initiatives including vector surveillance programs and other field-based inspection programs.
• Collect samples from Council’s reticulated water supply systems in accordance with relevant policies, procedures and any service level agreement with the supplier.
• As required and in accordance with relevant policies, procedures, work instructions and industry standards, collect environmental samples for analysis including, but not necessarily limited to, samples of surface water, bore water and asbestos containing material.
• Review development applications and provide environmental and public health advice in respect of these applications along with recommended conditions of approval.
• Subject to level of knowledge and relevant experience, review and critically analyse technical and scientific reports relating to environment health matters including acoustic reports and contaminated land reports.  Provide expert advice to internal and external stakeholders in respect of these reports when required to do so.  
• Update Council’s databases and registers including Council’s Customer Request Management (CRM) Authority database and Magiq Docs records management system.
• Contribute to the development of budgets, policies, procedures and reports relevant to the Branch as required.
• Increase community awareness of environmental health issues and responsibilities through participation in promotional and educational activities.
• Participate in an on-call roster system to respond to environmental health issues outside of normal business hours including weekends and public holidays.
• Such other relevant duties as required from time to time which would generally fall within the skill and knowledge requirements of this position.

 Essential Knowledge & Skills:

• A tertiary qualification in Applied Science - Environmental Health, Health Science or equivalent field.
• Current professional membership, or eligibility for membership, of Environmental Health Australia (Queensland Division).
• A comprehensive knowledge of contemporary best practice in in environmental health and public health related complaints, including Local Laws, Acts, Regulations and relevant legislation. 
• The ability to provide technical and legislative advice.
• The ability to conduct factual investigations and gather evidence.
• Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate persuasively, engage in active listening, consult with a wide range of people at all levels of the community, manage conflict, foster collaboration, cooperation to facilitate positive outcomes.
• Effective time management skills to ensure legislative and other timeframes are adhered to.
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to competently use, interpret and analyse output from specialised monitoring equipment.
• The ability to work as part of a multi-faceted team and build and maintain productive working relationships through effective communication techniques.  
• An ability to work out of hours, including weekends, on a rostered on-call basis.

 Essential Requirements:

•        Queensland ‘C’ Class driver’s licence that is current and maintained.

Position Description

For a full position description containing essential and desirable criteria, please click here. 

Who to Contact

For information regarding the requirements of this role, please contact Council's Coordinator Environmental Health, Nadia Bannerman on 07-5481 0455 or email nadia.bannerman@gympie.qld.gov.au

For assistance lodging your application using Council's online system, please contact Council's Officer Recruitment, Sue Rossi on 07-5481 0971 or email sue.rossi@gympie.qld.gov.au