Specialist, Environmental Health

The successful candidate’s starting pay will fall within the pay ranges listed below. Base salary is localized according to an employee’s work location. Ranges are market-dependent and may be modified in the future.

For candidates living in Boston, MA, Denver, CO, New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA, Sacramento, CA, San Diego, CA, and Washington, DC, the pay range is $69,300 - $80,550.

For candidates living in the United States, besides Boston, MA, Denver, CO, New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA, Sacramento, CA, San Diego, CA, and Washington, DC, the pay range is $58,700 - $68,250.

Position Summary

PLEASE NOTE: This is a US-based role that requires the employee to reside within the 48 contiguous states.

The Specialist, Environmental Health, provides programmatic support for APHL’s collaborative project with the Council for State and Territorial Epidemiologists, Centers for Disease Control National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) team, and organizational members to expand wastewater surveillance in critical sewersheds nationwide and enhance the quality of laboratory testing for priority public health targets.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater surveillance emerged as a useful public health tool to understand the presence of pathogens and their trends, as well as variants of diseases by analyzing samples of a community’s wastewater. Agnostic of healthcare-seeking behavior and symptom presentation, wastewater surveillance can fill gaps in existing clinical surveillance systems, provide early warnings for healthcare facilities, help determine resource prioritization, and offer insight into the next public health threat. Since 2021, the NWSS has funded 50 states, five cities, two territories and one county to develop wastewater surveillance programs. These jurisdictions have built capacity from the ground up to cover 45% of the US population and have used wastewater surveillance to detect targets such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B, respiratory syncytial virus, mpox, and polio.

To continue expanding the use of wastewater as a cost-effective public health tool, the incumbent of this position will help develop resources through the variety of projects outlined below with the Environmental Health Senior Manager, Environmental Health Specialist, Environmental Health Senior Director, and other team members.

At this time, this position is funded through July 31, 2026 and is dependent upon continued availability of funds.

The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) works to strengthen laboratory systems serving the public’s health in the U.S. and globally. APHL’s member laboratories protect the public’s health by monitoring and detecting infectious and foodborne diseases, environmental contaminants, terrorist agents, genetic disorders in newborns and other diverse health threats.

Responsibilities

• Provides project management, coordination, and administrative support to implement wastewater surveillance project activities.
• Organizes, coordinates and completes the following activities:
  • Work with a writing consultant, APHL staff, and partners to develop and publicize an updated and expanded version of APHL’s 2022 guidance document “SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance Testing Guide for Public Health Laboratories” to include additional targets and consider advances in techniques and technology.
  • Develop webinars to help laboratory scientists and epidemiologists understand the key roles that each other play in the wastewater surveillance system and foster collaboration amongst the two groups.
  • Collect and document examples that demonstrate the impact and best use of wastewater surveillance in jurisdictions nationwide to inform public health practice.
  • Work with a facilitator, APHL staff and partners to convene a small in-person workshop to develop messages that meet the communication needs for WWS to be an effective and valued public health program.
  • Using workshop findings and products, create wastewater surveillance interpretation and messaging resources for public health professionals, policymakers, the media and the public.
  • In collaboration with APHL Marketing and Communications and Quality Systems and Analytics teams, develop dissemination and impact tracking plan of messaging workshop report/resources.
  • Collaborate with CSTE and APHL staff on peer-to-peer exchange program to facilitate in-person meetings between epidemiologists and laboratory scientists from different jurisdictions to provide learning opportunities within and between these professions.
  • Track financial activities, administer consultant contracts, write reports, and communicate progress of assigned projects to partner organizations and cross-departmental APHL staff.
  • Connect this wastewater surveillance work to APHL’s Environmental Laboratory Science Committee and all state and local environmental laboratories through monthly calls and relevant activities.
  • Work on other APHL wastewater surveillance, Environmental Laboratory Science Committee and additional projects as needed.
  • Collaborate with environmental health staff on inter-department projects.
  • Other duties as assigned.
• TRAVEL: Periodic travel to conferences and meetings will be necessary to fulfill the job requirements, including the messaging workshop that is scheduled to be held in March 2026 at APHL headquarters in Bethesda, MD, as well as APHL 2026 in May 2026 in Baltimore, MD.

Education and Experience

• Incumbents at this level typically have a specialty gained through a college degree, two to five years of relevant on-the-job experience or advanced technical training or experience. An advanced degree may be substituted for work experience. A master’s degree in a relevant field is preferred but not required.
• The Specialist is responsible for providing professional support for programs or internal functional activities and typically performs analysis, research, writing, and project coordination, usually under the direction of a Senior Manager or Senior Director.
• Work at this level requires that the Specialist understand the concepts, practices and procedures of the area of specialization and can apply them to work that may be difficult in nature.
• Specialists work under supervision and have limited latitude and decision-making authority; but they have sufficient knowledge and experience to carry out projects fairly independently once a plan is in place.
• A Specialist may have frequent contact with outside organizations or internal customers that may involve project coordination, information sharing, or resolution of problems.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge -

Knowledge of wastewater surveillance, public health systems, laboratory processes, project management, group facilitation and management, and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Skills -

Skilled in the use of Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook email systems, as well as an adaptive nature to new computer programs and other digital tools. Excellent project management, organizational, verbal and written communication skills.

Abilities -

Ability to establish working relationships with diverse groups, work independently and switch between a variety of projects and organize work projects and complete tasks within assigned timeframes.

APHL Weeks:

APHL Week is a Conference/Convention that is held at the APHL Home Office Bethesda, MD. This event is mandatory for all employees to attend. Travel and lodging will be reimbursed by APHL.

Please Note: Reimbursement for travel and lodging may not be possible for employees that are local to the APHL Home Office.

Position Description Status:

The duties and responsibilities listed in this job description are illustrative ones anticipated for this position. Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned as required. Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) reserves the right to amend or change this job description to meet the needs of its programs. This job description and any attachments do not constitute or represent a contract.

Work Environment:

Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made for known physical or mental limitations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a colleague to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made for known physical or mental limitations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role.

During the job, the colleague may need to sit for extended periods, use a computer keyboard to type, read information visually, and communicate orally through a computer monitor.

Equal Opportunity Employment Statement:

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, protected veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or any other characteristics protected by applicable law.