Public Health Inspector, Bureau of Food Safety and Community Sanitation (BFSCS)

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Division of Environmental Health (DOHMH) works to prevent and control illness and injury related to environmental and occupational health risks through outreach, education, surveillance, and enforcement. With staff of 1,000, the Division covers a broad range of subject matter, including oversight of environmental investigations, lead poisoning, injury prevention, occupational health, food safety, childcare, radiation control, recreational and drinking water quality, air quality, climate health, vector control, veterinary public health, and pest control.

PROGRAM: The Bureau of Food Safety and Community Sanitation (BFSCS) protects the public, including New York's most vulnerable citizens from a broad range of hazards that may pose a threat to health or safety. DOHMH is mandated to inspect 26,000 restaurants annually, school cafeterias, and mobile food vending unit, adult day care centers, senior centers, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and other facilities.

SUMMARY/ JOB DESCRIPTION: Inspectors report directly to the unit supervisor, they are tasked with making periodic inspections of commercial and social service establishments, to include but not limited to restaurants, bars, nightclubs, adult entertainment establishments, hookah bars, mobile food vending carts, commissaries, bakeries, homeless shelters, senior centers, correctional facilities, schools to review compliance with the New York City Health Code and other public health regulations to ensure they have a safe and wholesome food supply.

DUTIES WILL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
- Making periodic inspections of commercial and social service establishments, to include but not limited to restaurants, bars, nightclubs, adult entertainment establishments, hookah bars, mobile food vending carts, commissaries, bakeries, homeless shelters, senior centers, correctional facilities, schools to review compliance with the New York City Health Code and other public health regulations to ensure they have a safe and wholesome food supply.
- Enforcing provisions of Smoke-Free Air Act, Tobacco Product Regulation Act.
- Reviewing menu and menu boards to observe compliance with nutritional requirements aid at reducing and combating chronic diseases and obesity.
- Preparing inspection reports using handheld computers. Preparing and serving court summonses when specific violations of applicable City, State laws and regulations are found.
- Enforce anti-corruption control policies.
- Testifying at Office of Trials and Hearings, and other courts when required. Traveling throughout the five boroughs using mass transit.

PREFERRED SKILLS:
- Technical and scientific skills.
- Effective communication skills
- Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal and organizational skills as well as computer skills.
- Able to carry and constantly using approximately 20 pounds of inspection equipment.

Why you should work for us:

- Loan Forgiveness: As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal/state loan forgiveness and repayment assistance programs that lessen your payments or even fully forgive your full balance. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website (https://studentaid.gov/pslf/)
- Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as:
o a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment.
o additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position’s associated union/benefit fund.
o a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement.
o a tax-deferred savings program and
o a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.
- Work From Home Policy: Depending on your position, you may be able to work up to two days during the week from home.
- Job Security - you could enjoy more job security compared to private sector employment and be able to contribute to making NYC a healthy place to live and work.

Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the U.S., dedicated to protecting and improving the health of NYC. Our mission is to safeguard the health of every resident and cultivate a city where everyone, regardless of age, background, or location, can achieve their optimal health. We provide a wide array of programs and services focused on food and nutrition, anti-tobacco support, chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment, family and child health, environmental health, mental health, and social justice initiatives. As the primary population health strategist and policy authority for NYC, with a rich history of public health initiatives and scientific advancements, from addressing the 1822 yellow fever outbreak to the COVID-19 pandemic, we serve as a global leader in public health innovation and expertise.

Come join us and help to continue our efforts in making a difference in the lives of all New Yorkers!

The NYC Health Department is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation to all individuals. To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, contact Sye-Eun Ahn, Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, at [email protected] or 347-396-6549.


If you were educated outside of the United States, you must have your foreign education evaluated to determine its equivalence to education obtained in the United States. This is required only if you need credit for your foreign education in this examination. For more information, see the Foreign Education Evaluation Guide in the Required Information section on page 8.

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college, including or supplemented by 30 semester credits in the physical and/or biological sciences, i.e., biology, botany, chemistry, geology, physics, physiology, and zoology; of which not more than 12 credit hours may be in the applied sciences, i.e., environmental technology, sanitation technology, medical technology, public health, infection control or food service; or

2. An associate degree from an accredited college, with 15 semester credits in the physical and/or biological sciences, of which not more than 6 credit hours may be in the applied sciences, and 5 years of experience as a public health technician assisting sanitarians and engineers in carrying out the various elements of prevention and control programs affecting the public’s health.

Medical Requirement: Medical guidelines have been established for the position of Public Health Sanitarian. Candidates will be examined to determine whether they can perform the essential functions of the position of Public Health Sanitarian. Where appropriate, a reasonable accommodation will be provided for a person with a disability to enable him or her to take the examination, and /or to perform the essential functions of the job.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.