What are the responsibilities and job description for the Environmental Health Specialist II position at City of Edina?
Are you ready to take on a rewarding career that makes a real difference in your community?
The City of Edina is seeking a licensed Environmental Health Sanitarian who is ready to make an immediate impact while growing within a highly collaborative, forward-thinking public health team.
This role is designed for a professional who already has the required certifications and experience to operate independently from day one—someone who values sound judgment, partnership, and continuous improvement over checklist enforcement.
You will lead food establishment inspections and work directly with business owners, colleagues, and community partners to solve real-world public health challenges in a city that is engaged, supportive, and just complex enough to keep the work interesting.
What You’ll Do
Edina is large enough to offer meaningful complexity and small enough for your work to truly matter. Environmental Health Specialists here are trusted professionals whose expertise influences decisions—not just enforcement outcomes.
What We Offer
The Public Health Division is part of the Edina Fire Department and will be based at the newly constructed Fire Station #2 at 4401 76th St W, Edina, MN.
Job Description
The Environmental Health Specialist II will assist the Community Health Administrator in planning and administering the Health Division; will protect public health and safety by conducting inspections and investigations, providing education, and encouraging voluntary compliance with City Codes. Codes enforced include; The Minnesota Food Code, Minnesota Pool Code, City of Edina Health Code, and other applicable Federal, State and local codes. The EHS II will coordinate activities and perform lead work duties in assigned program areas.
Scope Of Impact
The duties and responsibilities of the Environmental Health Specialist II are performed with latitude for independent judgment in accordance with Department and City policies, Federal, State and local regulations and are based on detailed knowledge of Department operations. Work is subject to periodic review by the supervisor, who provides input on and approval of recommendations, and discusses assignments, priorities, and work.
General
The job requires a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Environmental Health, Public Health, Biological Science, Sanitary Science, Food Science or related field and a minimum of five years experience in regulatory environmental health. The employee must be a Registered Environmental Health Specialist and possess a valid driver’s license
Desired Qualifications
A standardized Food Inspection Officer is preferred.
Knowledge, Skills And Abilities Required For Successful Job Performance
Physical effort is light with lifting or carrying limited to 40 pounds intermittently. Approximately 70% of work is performed in the field conducting inspections where the employee may bend, lift, climb or crawl, and could be in confined areas or exposed to inclement weather conditions. The job includes driving a vehicle on a regular basis. Report preparation and writing at times requires extended use of a keyboard. Work interruptions are frequent.
Working Conditions
Approximately 70% of the work is performed in the field and 30% in a normal office environment. Work in the field may include exposure to disagreeable environments, including potential hazards such as emergency scenes, chemicals, vectors, rats, and contagious diseases. The job may involve dealing with and calming individuals who are emotionally charged over an issue.
Some requirements in this job description may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees. All requirements are subject to modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.
Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills, and experience required. To perform this job successfully, the worker must possess the abilities and aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.
This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" employment relationship. The City retains the discretion to add duties or change the duties of this job at any time.
The City of Edina is seeking a licensed Environmental Health Sanitarian who is ready to make an immediate impact while growing within a highly collaborative, forward-thinking public health team.
This role is designed for a professional who already has the required certifications and experience to operate independently from day one—someone who values sound judgment, partnership, and continuous improvement over checklist enforcement.
You will lead food establishment inspections and work directly with business owners, colleagues, and community partners to solve real-world public health challenges in a city that is engaged, supportive, and just complex enough to keep the work interesting.
What You’ll Do
- Lead food establishment inspections with an emphasis on education, compliance, and risk reduction
- Apply professional judgment to evaluate conditions affecting public health
- Collaborate with operators and partners to achieve practical, sustainable solutions
- Support additional Environmental Health programs and cross-functional initiatives
- Contribute to program evaluation and continuous improvement efforts
Edina is large enough to offer meaningful complexity and small enough for your work to truly matter. Environmental Health Specialists here are trusted professionals whose expertise influences decisions—not just enforcement outcomes.
What We Offer
- Competitive, market-based salary
- Strong leadership and a supportive, people-centered City culture
- Opportunities to influence Environmental Health work at the City, State, and National level
- Ongoing training, conferences, networking, and continuing education
- City-provided vehicles for inspections and field work
The Public Health Division is part of the Edina Fire Department and will be based at the newly constructed Fire Station #2 at 4401 76th St W, Edina, MN.
- Modern, purpose-built workspace
- 24/7 on-site workout facility
- Team norms emphasize collaboration, realistic expectations, and mutual support
Job Description
The Environmental Health Specialist II will assist the Community Health Administrator in planning and administering the Health Division; will protect public health and safety by conducting inspections and investigations, providing education, and encouraging voluntary compliance with City Codes. Codes enforced include; The Minnesota Food Code, Minnesota Pool Code, City of Edina Health Code, and other applicable Federal, State and local codes. The EHS II will coordinate activities and perform lead work duties in assigned program areas.
Scope Of Impact
The duties and responsibilities of the Environmental Health Specialist II are performed with latitude for independent judgment in accordance with Department and City policies, Federal, State and local regulations and are based on detailed knowledge of Department operations. Work is subject to periodic review by the supervisor, who provides input on and approval of recommendations, and discusses assignments, priorities, and work.
General
- Coordinate assigned Health Division program area tasks.
- Act as liaison with other divisions, departments, agencies, or industry representatives.
- Assist in the development, implementation and monitoring of progress and procedures to achieve Division goals and objectives.
- Assist in development and updating of new and existing City codes and ordinances.
- Approve appropriate permits and licenses.
- Perform environmental health inspections including lead work on complex cases, follow-ups, issuing written orders, and maintaining organized records on violations and corrective actions.
- Assist in reviewing staff effectiveness and continuously improve operating procedures.
- Interpret and enforce applicable Federal, State and local codes relating to environmental health issues.
- Assist with public health emergency preparedness response in event of disaster.
- Perform field work in all program areas.
- Respond to citizen complaints in all program areas, or as assigned.
- Complete other duties as apparent or assigned.
- Promote recycling and solid waste reduction activities to educate the public meeting City, county, state, and federal requirements.
- Negotiate citywide recycling contract.
- Manage recycling grant requirements, including report writing and submittal.
- Develop educational brochures and give presentations about recycling activities.
- Provide staff support to Recycling and Solid Waste Workgroup.
- Respond to citizen questions and concerns regarding recycling.
- Maintain recycling budget, submitted bi-annually.
- Perform advanced level risk based inspections and investigations of a variety of establishments and facilities including restaurants, daycares, swimming pools, parking garages, schools, housing units, and temporary food stands.
- Investigate reports of food and water borne illnesses and coordinate epidemiological investigations with Minnesota Department of Health.
- Implement enforcement actions where necessary to achieve code compliance.
- Maintain ongoing contact with licensed establishments to address emerging trends.
- Manage enrollment and participation in FDA Food Program Standards.
- Maintain records required by Minnesota Department of Health Delegation Agreement.
- Review commercial construction plans for adherence to Minnesota Food Code and City of Edina Health Department Code.
- Develop and maintain food service construction plan review documents for food service owners/operators.
- Maintain relationship and manage licensed establishment plan review process with other City departments and divisions.
- Perform lead worker tasks for abatement of public health nuisances, enforcement actions, and complex cases.
- Respond to citizen complaints regarding equipment, noise, environmental conditions, and nuisances that may be a danger to public health or a violation of City of Edina Code.
The job requires a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Environmental Health, Public Health, Biological Science, Sanitary Science, Food Science or related field and a minimum of five years experience in regulatory environmental health. The employee must be a Registered Environmental Health Specialist and possess a valid driver’s license
Desired Qualifications
A standardized Food Inspection Officer is preferred.
Knowledge, Skills And Abilities Required For Successful Job Performance
- Knowledge of the Minnesota Food Code and FDA Food Program Standards.
- Knowledge of governmental operations and departments.
- The ability to read and understand commercial blueprints.
- General knowledge of plumbing, mechanical and fire codes.
- The ability to perform work requiring a high degree of concentration and judgment in interpreting practices and procedures to solve problems.
- The ability to work independently and to prioritize work requests.
- Knowledge of and ability to operate standard office software sufficient to manipulate data, draft reports and maintain records.
- Verbal and written communication skills sufficient to effectively present information and respond to questions from a wide variety of audiences, persuade stakeholders, and to perform public speaking to the City Council and community and other groups, and reading comprehension skills sufficient to read, understand and interpret complex and varied work-related materials.
- Demonstrates the desired standard of conduct and work performance including confidentiality and privacy requirements of the Health Division.
- Interpersonal skills sufficient to exchange and/or convey information, receive work direction, and maintain effective working relationships.
Physical effort is light with lifting or carrying limited to 40 pounds intermittently. Approximately 70% of work is performed in the field conducting inspections where the employee may bend, lift, climb or crawl, and could be in confined areas or exposed to inclement weather conditions. The job includes driving a vehicle on a regular basis. Report preparation and writing at times requires extended use of a keyboard. Work interruptions are frequent.
Working Conditions
Approximately 70% of the work is performed in the field and 30% in a normal office environment. Work in the field may include exposure to disagreeable environments, including potential hazards such as emergency scenes, chemicals, vectors, rats, and contagious diseases. The job may involve dealing with and calming individuals who are emotionally charged over an issue.
Some requirements in this job description may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees. All requirements are subject to modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.
Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills, and experience required. To perform this job successfully, the worker must possess the abilities and aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.
This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" employment relationship. The City retains the discretion to add duties or change the duties of this job at any time.