The successful candidate’s starting pay will fall within the pay range 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.

This position requires that the employee reside within the DC, Maryland or Northern Virginia area with flexibility to attend quarterly in-person meetings at APHL Headquarters in Bethesda, MD.

 

The Specialist, Environmental Health, provides programmatic support for APHL’s US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-funded work to strengthen the state and local chemistry and radiochemistry laboratory workforce. APHL’s environmental health workforce development efforts include a radiochemistry graduate certificate program at the University of Iowa, national online communities of practice, and peer-to-peer exchange networks. The Specialist, Environmental Health, will also develop a new graduate certificate scholarship program for analytical chemistry.

 

State and local radiochemistry laboratories play an essential role in the public health laboratory system, testing environmental matrices for radiochemistry analytes to meet Safe Drinking Water Act and other federal and state regulatory needs, and as needed for radiological surveillance and nuclear emergencies. The Specialist, Environmental Health, will collaborate with a variety of partners essential to strengthening these laboratories and building up their workforce, including state and local radiochemistry laboratory scientists, University of Iowa, a national radiochemistry advisory committee, CDC, US Environmental Protection Agency, US Food and Drug Administration, National Alliance for Radiation Readiness, and others. This person will work with the Environmental Health Senior Program Manager, the Environmental Health Senior Director, and other team members to implement project activities, develop resources and facilitate member training.

 

At this time, this position is funded through June 30, 2027 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.

• Provides project management, strategic thinking, and administrative support to implement and execute radiochemistry and analytical chemistry workforce activities:
  
  • Administers contracts with the University of Iowa and a scholarship program for state and local laboratory scientists to continue the radiochemistry graduate certificate program.
  • Develops and administers analytical chemistry graduate certificate scholarship program.
  • Manages the APHL Radiochemistry Advisory Committee to inform the direction of most radiochemistry work. This may include coordinating bi-monthly meetings and an annual in-person meeting.
  • Manages the APHL Analytical Chemistry Advisory Committee to inform the direction of the analytical chemistry graduate certificate scholarship program. This may include coordinating bi-monthly meetings.
  • Manages the radiochemistry laboratory scientist community of practice, providing a digital and bi-monthly call forum for all state and local laboratory scientists to learn from each other and other experts in the field.
  • In collaboration with APHL marketing and communications department, develops communication materials (e.g., guidance documents, Lab Matters articles) that help radiochemistry laboratory scientists perform all relevant activities (e.g., policy, scientific, and management) to meet radiochemistry testing needs in their jurisdiction.
  • Shares timely radiochemistry and analytical chemistry information through APHL’s communication platforms.
  • Connects this radiochemistry and analytical chemistry work to APHL’s national Environmental Laboratory Science Committee and Environmental Health Committee and all state and local environmental health laboratories through monthly calls and relevant activities.
  • Works on Environmental Health Committee and Environmental Laboratory Science Committee projects as needed.
• Tasks to successfully complete these activities include:
  
  • Takes meeting notes, writes summary reports and articles for newsletters and other publications, and conducts research and analysis to develop survey, report, and other project drafts.
  • Maintains communication with APHL committees, CDC and other partners by email, telephone, and direct meetings and represents APHL interests at meetings, trainings, workshops and site visits.
  • Organizes and coordinates committee activities, workgroup meetings, trainings, webinars, and associated staff and member travel.
  • Manages and monitors consultant and vendor contracts and reviews and evaluates technical and non-technical reports prepared by consultants and contractors.
  • Enlists APHL member and staff experts and non-member experts to support implementation of activities, organizes project teams, manages communities of practices, monitors overall project performance and reports on project outcomes.
  • Tracks financial activities and reports and writes corresponding reports for assigned projects.
  • Communicates program activities and cooperative agreement reporting requirements with CDC project officers and other partners via written reports and phone calls.
• Other duties as assigned.

Special Requirements 

• Flexibility to attend quarterly in-person meetings at APHL Headquarters in Bethesda, MD required
• Flexibility to travel up to 10% of the time required

• 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. Master’s degree in a relevant field is preferred.
• 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 that they can carry projects out 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

Radiochemistry, chemistry and/or environmental public health and project management.

 

Skills

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 organizational, verbal and written communication skills.

 

Abilities

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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.