sanitation and safety specialist

Requisition No:

Agency: Business and Professional Regulations

Working Title: SANITATION AND SAFETY SPECIALIST

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number:

Salary:  $1,535.26 Bi-weekly 

Posting Closing Date: 10/03/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

DIVISION OF HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS
Sanitation and Safety Specialist (Health Inspector)

Position Number:
Hiring Salary: $1,535.26 Bi-weekly

*Anticipated Vacancy*

**Open Competitive Announcement**

This position is assigned to work in Pinellas County with occasional day-travel to the Tampa district office.

***Applicants must complete all fields in the Candidate Profile.  Work history, hours worked, and formal education are required to qualify for this position.  Responses to Qualifying Questions must be verifiable in the Candidate Profile. Resumes and other documentation can be attached to provide additional information. ***

Our Organization and Mission

The Division of Hotels and Restaurants (H&R) licenses, inspects, and regulates public lodging and food service establishments in Florida under Chapter 509, Florida Statutes (FS). The division also licenses and regulates elevators, escalators and other vertical conveyance devices under Chapter 399, FS. The division's three bureaus – Sanitation and Safety Inspections, Licensing and Elevator Safety – comprise a team of approximately 358 personnel fulfilling the regulatory obligations of the division throughout the state.

Our Mission is to protect the health and safety of the public by providing the industry with quality inspections and fair regulation.

The Work You Will Do

This position is located with the Division of Hotels and Restaurants and conducts sanitation and safety inspections of hotels and restaurants and investigations of food-borne illness complaints.

• Conducts inspection and inspection related activities. 
• Conducts regulatory, standardized inspections of public food service establishments and lodging facilities for compliance with environmental health and sanitation regulations, and other safety or sanitation-related areas as deemed necessary.
• Investigates food borne illness and environmental sanitary nuisance complaints and investigates and takes administrative action against unlicensed activity. Works with other city, county and state agency officials to secure compliance of state regulations.
• Participates in the inspection and licensing of temporary events.
• Conducts routine inspections on iPad and prepares accurate facility inspection reports relating to safety, sanitation and misrepresentation violations, daily activity reports, time sheets and travel reimbursement reports.
• Prioritizes all assigned work according to department guidelines to insure compliance with state laws and rules.
• Prepares and submits legal documents to secure compliance through administrative actions by following department guidelines and attends and testifies as needed in formal and informal hearings. Also delivers legal documents in person to facility operators to secure "Good Service" as required.
• Communicates with the district office and supervisor as necessary or required.
• Maintains Continuing Education Units, Certified Food Manager Certification, FDA standardization and Florida driver's license.
• Maintains state issued equipment in proper working condition.
• Participates in meetings and training sessions as required.
• Provides a high standard of customer service.
• Performs other work as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of laws and rules pertaining to sanitation and safety inspections.
• Experience in a variety of inspection activities.
• Ability to work on a team and participate in team activities.
• Ability to stand for long periods, bend, lift, climb, stoop, and carry work equipment.

Minimum Requirements

• Valid driver license; and
• Must be able to stand for long periods; bend, lift, climb, stoop, and carry work equipment.

Preferred Qualifications

Preference will be given to applicants with two or more years of *industry-related experience (food service and/or lodging experience).

Preference will be given to applicants with an Associate or higher degree in culinary or hospitality management.

 *Industry-related experience is considered to be hotel or restaurant management, restaurant or lodging operations, field or laboratory experience in environmental or public health, food sanitation or quality control. 

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State's total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• State of Florida retirement package: 3% employee contribution required.
• Nine annual paid holidays and one personal holiday
• Ability to earn up to 104 hours of paid annual leave annually as a new employee with the State of Florida
• Ability to earn up to 104 hours of paid sick leave annually.
• The State of Florida offers health insurance coverage (i.e. individual and family coverage) to eligible employees.
• The State of Florida provides a $25,000 life insurance policy to eligible employees.
• Additional supplemental insurance policies are available for dental, vision, hospital supplement, cancer, etc.
• Tax deferred medical and childcare reimbursement accounts are available.
• Tuition waiver program to attend an approved State of Florida College or University

For additional benefit information, please visit the following website: 

Applicant Note If you are the selected candidate for this position and hold a current license through the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, you may be required to place your license in an inactive status.
 
NOTE This position requires a security background check, and participation in direct deposit. You will be required to provide your Social Security Number (SSN) and date of birth in order to conduct this background check.
 
Applicants are required to apply through the People First system by the closing date, by applying online.  All required documentation must be received by the closing date of the advertisement.  If you have any questions regarding your application, you may call

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation is committed to increasing recruitment and hiring of individuals with disabilities and improving employment outcomes. 

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must contact the DBPR Human Resources (HR) Office at DBPR requests applicants notify HR in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

SPECIAL REMINDERS
Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion unless they are registered with the Selective Services System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS.  For more information, please visit the SSS website:  

If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement.

The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation values the sacrifices veterans and their family members have given to our country and support the hiring of returning service members and military spouses.

A candidate for veterans' preference who believes he or she was not afforded employment preference may file a complaint in accordance with Rule 55A-7.016, F.A.C., with the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs, Veterans' Preference Coordinator, 11351 Ulmerton Road, Suite 311, Largo, FL, The Department of Veterans' Affairs has also established an email where people can electronically file claims or ask questions. The email is 

The Department of Business and Professional Regulation will only hire U. S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers. Our agency participates in the E-Verify System which is a federal government electronic database available for employers to use to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section , F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS' PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans' Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans' Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.