Commercial Shellfish Inspector and Enforcement Lead (PHA 3) DOH8777

Commercial Shellfish Inspector and Enforcement Lead - Public Health Advisor 3

Environmental Public Health – Office of Environmental Health and Safety

Permanent · Full-time · Hybrid Remote/Field 

The Opportunity

Join the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (OEHS) within the Division of Environmental Public Health (EPH) and help advance the Department of Health’s mission to protect and improve the health of Washington residents. In this role, you’ll support implementation of the Healthy Environments for All (HEAL) Act, strengthen Tribal partnerships, improve environmental justice outcomes, and ensure safe shellfish harvesting across Washington’s shorelines.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct standardized public health inspections of licensed shellfish operations—non-tribal and tribal—to verify compliance with state, Tribal, and National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) requirements.
• Perform pre-operational, routine, certification, and follow-up inspections.
• Review HACCP plans, monitoring records, Harvest Site Certifications, sanitation procedures, and shellfish identification practices to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Provide technical assistance to operators on regulatory requirements and corrective actions.
• Lead the enforcement program, ensuring all actions include proper citations from WAC, RCW, and NSSP.
• Serve as liaison with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for joint enforcement activities.
• Follow the HEAL Act’s community engagement expectations and conduct environmental justice assessments.
• Coordinate, draft, and track enforcement documents and support consistency across inspectors.
• Process export certificate requests in alignment with regulatory standards.
• Monitor the Shellfish Inbox and support timely responses to inquiries.
• Provide customer service support via the program’s mainline phone.

Why You’ll Love This Role

You’ll help protect one of Washington’s most iconic natural resources—shellfish—while advancing equity, innovation, and engagement in environmental public health. Your work directly supports healthier environments, stronger Tribal partnerships, greater environmental justice, and safer seafood for communities across the state.

The Ideal Candidate

You are a detail-oriented public health professional with experience in environmental health, food safety, shellfish operations, or regulatory compliance. You navigate complex situations with fairness, communicate clearly, and bring a collaborative, equity-centered mindset to your work. You are comfortable engaging with Tribal partners, conducting field inspections, interpreting regulations, and leading enforcement actions with consistency and professionalism.

Location and Flexibility 

Enjoy the flexibility of our hybrid work environment, where you can balance working from home and collaborating in the office. It is anticipated that you’ll be expected to perform work activities in the field within the Western Washington region 70% of the time. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

We value all relevant experience (paid or unpaid) and encourage applicants from all backgrounds. You must meet at least ONE of the options provided and any additional criteria listed. Experience may have been gained through paid or unpaid activities. While “Preferred Experience” is not required, these skills or experiences can help you stand out as a candidate.

Option 1: A bachelor’s degree in public health, environmental health, natural or physical science or closely allied field. AND four (4) or more years of experience in a public health or environmental health position, including at least two (2) years of field experience with food safety and inspections.

Option 2: Eight (8) or more years of experience in a public health or environmental health position, including at least two (2) years of field experience with food safety and inspections.

Preferred/Desired Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Experience:

• Dual Language: Experience as a Spanish/English interpreter/translator.
• Education: Training on legal matters and/or enforcement requirements.
• Professional Registration: Registered Sanitarian with the Washington State Board of Registered Sanitarians, or Registered Environmental Health Specialist, or Registered Sanitarian with the National Environmental Health Association

We are the Washington State Department of Health (DOH)

We're nearly 2,000 professionals across Washington working together to protect and improve community health. Guided by our values of Equity, Innovation, and Engagement, we address health disparities, respond to emerging challenges, and strengthen systems that support resilience. At DOH, we help reduce barriers, collaborate with diverse communities, and champion equitable health outcomes. We’re passionate people who are driven to make a difference in public health. To learn more about the DOH, please visit doh.wa.gov and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and our blog, Public Health Connections.

Benefits and Lifestyle

We prioritize your work-life balance and offer one of the most competitive benefits packages nationwide, tailored to support your lifestyle. Discover more about "Why DOH" by visiting Work@Health.

Conditions of Employment:

This position is covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative. 

I am prepared, with or without accommodations, to do the following:

• Commit to a full-time 40-hour workweek schedule (flexible work schedule requests must be approved supervisor).
• Communicate through applications such as MS Teams and MS Outlook, and by phone while working remotely.
• Adjust my work schedule occasionally to align with business needs, which may entail working evenings and weekends.
• Perform job duties either remotely from home, in the field, or in person at the designated DOH site location.
• As travel will be necessary, sometimes requiring overnight stays or trips out of state. You must be able to legally drive a vehicle or arrange alternative transportation for state business.
• Engage in emergency response exercises and high-priority assignments as assigned during emergency events. 

APPLICATION DIRECTIONS:

To apply, click "Apply" and complete the application. Attach your resume, and cover letter. 

In your Applicant Profile, include at least three professional references (including a supervisor, a peer, and someone you’ve supervised or led, if applicable). Please do not include private information such as social security number or year of birth.

Do attach the following:

Veterans Preference: Applicants wishing to claim Veterans Preference must attach a copy of their DD-214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22, or a signed verification of service letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to their application. Please remove or cover any personally identifiable data such as social security numbers and birth year

Do not include or attach the following – these documents or details will not be reviewed:

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: We regard diversity as the foundation of our strength, recognizing that differing insights and abilities enable us to reflect the unique needs of the communities we serve.  

DOH is an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination based on race/ethnicity/color, creed, sex, pregnancy, age, religion, national origin, marital status, the presence or perception of a disability, veteran’s status, military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender expression, or gender identity. 

Questions and Accommodations: If you have questions, need assistance with the application process, require an accommodation, or would like to request this posting in an alternative format, please contact Andrea Thieme at employment@doh.wa.gov and reference the assigned “DOH8777” recruitment number.

Technical Support: Reach out to NEOGOV directly at 1-855-524-5627 for technical support and login issues. 

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