National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
NPS Office of Public Health
Visitor and Resource Protection Directorate
July 2007
National Park Service Office of Public Health
Assistant to the Director for Environmental Health
O-4 Billet
Non-Supervisory
Position Description and Duties
The Office of Public Health of the National Park Service is currently recruiting a
Commissioned Corps Officer to fill the position of Assistant to the Director for
Environmental Health. This position is located in Washington, DC. Only applicants in
the Environmental Health Officer category will be considered.
This position is responsible for assisting the Director of the NPS Office of Public Health
with programmatic activities pertaining to environmental health and providing assistance
to NPS regional public health consultants. The primary geographic area of responsibility
will be Washington, DC, but duties may also include travel to other locations and parks
throughout the United States.
Specific responsibilities include the following:
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Assist in directing environmental health surveillance activities, resources, plans
and projects under the direction of the Director
Respond to environmental health issue requests and inquiries from park
managers, regional offices, and other NPS divisions
Lead and coordinate the Zoonotic and Environmentally-Transmitted Disease
(ZED) committee, a cross-cutting committee with representatives from multiple
NPS divisions
Assist regional consultants with on-site evaluations of food service facilities,
drinking water systems, and wastewater systems
This position requires travel, which is concentrated in the summer season (April through
September). Five years of field experience in the performance of environmental health or
related fields is required. A Bachelor of Science degree in environmental health, or a
related field, is required. A Masters Degree (eg. MPH, MSPH, MS, or equivalent) is
preferred and may be substituted for equivalent years of field experience. In addition,
applicants must meet OFRD Readiness Standards. If interested, please send a cover letter
and CV to Ms. Sonya Coakley (Sonya_Coakley@nps.gov) by COB, July 24, 2007.
Contact Information:
CAPT Charles Higgins
Director, NPS Office of Public Health
Charles_Higgins@nps.gov
P: 202-513-7217
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Additional Background Information
National Park Service: The National Park Service (NPS) is a federal agency
responsible for preserving many of our nation’s natural and cultural resources. NPS
manages over 390 units including national parks, monuments, battlefields, historical
parks/sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, and several other unit designations.
In total, NPS units cover an area approximately the size of Montana. Annual visitation is
estimated at over 270 million persons.
NPS Office of Public Health: The NPS Office of Public Health, located in Washington,
DC, coordinates the work of over 30 U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned
Corps officers and 4 civil service employees located in 7 regions, parks, and other NPS
headquarters units. The relationship between NPS and PHS was formalized in 1921 and
is the oldest Memorandum of Agreement between federal agencies. PHS officers
assigned to NPS assist park managers and staff in a variety of visitor protection efforts
including drinking water and waste water systems, food safety, and zoonotic/vector-borne
disease issues.
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