FOODBORNE ILLNESS RESPONSE COORDINATOR (50080521)

Job Role Summary

Leads foodborne illness and related epidemiological response for the Food and Consumer Safety program. Serves as subject matter expert for foodborne illness, food safety, and applied epidemiology; coordinates surveillance, field investigations, and control measures; supports FDA Voluntary Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (primarily Standard 5); and performs risk-based inspections of higher-risk facilities. Work involves complex, time-sensitive decisions with department-wide impact.

Essential Duties

Foodborne Illness & Epidemiologic Response (40%)

• Lead foodborne illness and related communicable disease investigations.
• Conduct environmental assessments, interviews, and sample collection.
• Collaborate with Epidemiology on case definitions, data analysis, and final reports.
• Implement control measures (including exclusion/restriction of food handlers).
• Coordinate lab testing; interpret and communicate results.
• Monitor food recalls and conduct recall effectiveness checks.

Program Coordination, Procedures & Training (25%)

• Lead Foodborne Illness Response Support Team (F.I.R.S.T.) meetings, trainings, and after-action reviews.
• Maintain and update written procedures and tools for foodborne illness response.
• Train new and existing staff on prevention, investigation, documentation, and sampling.
• Coordinate mock investigations/exercises and ensure alignment with FDA Retail Program Standards (Standard 5).

Risk-Based Inspections, Education & Enforcement (25%)

• Perform risk-based inspections in a specialized high-risk district (airport, detention centers, medical facilities, large venues).
• Identify and reduce foodborne illness risk factors and contributing factors; support active managerial control.
• Prepare inspection reports, corrective actions, and enforcement recommendations.
• Respond to complaints, including single-case foodborne illness concerns, and communicate outcomes.
• Conduct follow-up inspections and initiate enforcement (civil penalties, suspensions, court referrals) as needed; provide testimony when required.
• Provide food safety education and materials to operators, staff, and consumers.

Associated Job Duties

Data, Reporting & Other Duties (10%)

• Compile and summarize illness and inspection data; identify trends and emerging issues.
• Monitor overdue fees and civil penalties in the assigned district and follow up for resolution.
• Participate in public health emergency preparedness activities and 24/7 on-call rotation for food-related emergencies (fires, power outages, transportation incidents).
• Support community health events (H.O.P.E.) and other Environmental Health projects.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

This job description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions; it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. The employee may be asked to perform other duties as needed to support departmental and organizational goals.

Qualifications

Education

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Health, Microbiology, Food Science, Public Health, Epidemiology.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree (MPH, MS) in Public Health, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, and Food Safety.

Experience

Required:

A combination of education and experience equivalent to at least five (5) years of progressively responsible work in environmental health, food safety, applied epidemiology, communicable disease control, or closely related public health work, typically obtained by:

• Bachelor’s degree + 5–7 years relevant professional experience; OR
• Master’s degree in a relevant field (MPH with Environmental Health/Epidemiology/Food Safety focus) + 3–5 years relevant professional experience; OR
• Bachelor’s degree + 3–4 years relevant professional experience AND 18+ graduate credit hours in a relevant field.

Experience must include:

• Regulatory inspections and/or disease investigations, and
• Documentation of findings, communication of results, and completion of follow-up and/or enforcement actions.

Preferred:

Lead or primary investigator experience on foodborne illness or outbreak investigations, projects, or workgroups.

Licenses/Certifications Required

Required:

• Valid Indiana driver’s license and reliable transportation.

Preferred / May Be Required by Assignment:

• Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Sanitarian (REHS/RS), Certified Professional – Food Safety (CP-FS), or similar recognized credential.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Technical & Epidemiologic:

• Knowledge of foodborne illness etiology, transmission, and control; basic applied epidemiology (case definitions, line lists, person/place/time, trend recognition); public health laboratory processes; state/local food codes; FDA Food Code; and FDA Voluntary Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (primarily Standard 5).

Investigative & Regulatory:

• Skill in conducting environmental assessments, interviews, sampling, and documentation; ability to perform independent risk-based inspections and apply appropriate enforcement tools.

Analytical & Decision-Making:

• Ability to analyze surveillance, inspection, and complaint data; identify trends; and make timely decisions with incomplete information to protect public health.

Communication & Leadership:

• Clear written and oral communication for technical and non-technical audiences; ability to lead investigations, trainings, and small teams; provide guidance and informal coaching; and build effective relationships with internal and external partners.

Organization & Technology:

• Strong time management and prioritization for high-risk facilities and incidents; proficiency with basic computer applications and the ability to learn inspection and data systems/software.

Working Environment

• Considerable physical effort in walking, standing and bending during food establishment inspections.  Must carry and utilize computer tablet, printer and necessary equipment to effectively perform a food establishment inspection.
• Exposure to extreme heat and cold, excessive noise, and slippery and uneven walking surfaces during inspections.
• Requires working around machinery and equipment with moving parts or hot surfaces.
• Exposure to sanitizing and cleaning chemicals, steam, smoke, grease, strong odors and insects or vermin with food establishments.
• Steady use of hands and fingers; use of computer keyboard and monitor.
• Regular work outside regular business hours (evenings and weekends) as needed.
• Automobile driving for all field inspection duties, in varying weather conditions.
• Moderate light lifting.