Food Health Inspector Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $55,961.00 - $82,679.00 Annually
Location : City Hall-1528 3rd Ave, Rock Island, IL 61201, IL
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 2026-8280
Department: CED
Opening Date: 06/10/2026
Closing Date: 6/24/2026 5:00 PM Central
Description
This is responsible health inspection work in securing and maintaining compliance with sanitation and environmental standards for food and beverage service operations within the City.
Work involves on site inspections, responses to complaints, record keeping, and the education of food and beverage managers and employees to decrease the possibility of food borne illness. Work is performed under the supervision of the Chief Building Official and is reviewed through reports and conferences.
Examples of Duties
Inspects all restaurants, retail food stores, taverns, and any other establishments requiring a health permit in order to determine compliance with the Illinois Sanitation Code and the Rock Island Food and Beverage Ordinance.
Issues and revokes licenses as required.
Inspects Body Art Facilities in accordance with state code regulations.
Performs LC-13 Program liquor inspections for the Illinois Control Commission.
Responds to emergency incidents related to power outages, fires, boil orders and other environmental health related concerns.
Works with property maintenance inspectors on nuisance and environmental health issues encountered in the rental housing program.
Completes inspection reports and maintains a variety of state and federal reports of public health sanitation activities.
Reviews plans and specifications for proposed new food service facilities and proposes renovations to existing facilities to ensure compliance with codes.
Prepares on the computer and distributes educational materials to food service establishments to educate them on proper food handling procedures; creates computerized forms.
Sends out annual permit application forms; collects fees for the permits.
Stays current on changes in health related codes; recommends code changes.
Provides effective and efficient customer services and promotes and maintains responsive community relations.
Typical Qualifications
Graduation from college with a Bachelor's Degree in biological, environmental, or physical sciences with a minimum of 30 semester hours in biological sciences; some experience in the environmental/sanitation inspection field; or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the following knowledge, abilities, and skills:
Considerable knowledge of the methods and techniques of code enforcement.
Considerable knowledge of the laws and ordinances relating to food service sanitation procedures and related environmental standards.
Considerable knowledge of food service problems and practices which can lead to foodborne illness.
Knowledge of computer operations including word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.
Ability to perform technical inspections and make corrective recommendations following such inspections.
Ability to tactfully and firmly enforce codes using good judgment and discretion.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other city employees, business owners and operators and the public.
Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Other Qualifications
Must be a Registered Environmental Health Practitioner by the State of Illinois.
Obtain IDPH Body Art Training within six (6) months of hire.
Complete training with Illinois Liquor Control Commission for LC-13 Program within six (6) months of hire.
No later than the end of the first (1) year of employment, must pass certification testing as a Licensed Pest Control Technician.
No later than the end of the second (2) year of employment, must pass International Code Council (ICC) certification testing as a Property Maintenance and Housing Inspector.
No later than the end of the third (3) year of employment, must complete IDPH Sanitarian Training.
Must continue to maintain professional certifications by earning required CEU's through training, self-study, and seminars.
Possession of a valid Class D Illinois driver's license or an equivalent license from the employee's state of residence.
Supplemental Information
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of the job, the employee is regularly required to use hands and fingers to handle, feel, or operate tools and testing equipment as well as equipment controls reached with hands and arms. The employee frequently is required to talk, hear, and smell. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in outside weather conditions and is exposed to cold temperatures in freezers. The employee occasionally works near moving parts and regularly works with hot cooking equipment and surfaces; and is occasionally exposed to wet and slippery surfaces, humid conditions, extreme cold and heat.
Additional Information
Selected candidates must meet a residency requirement, which includes living in the state of Illinois or Iowa and maintaining a sixty (60) minute response time.
The City of Rock Island offers a wide range of competitive benefits including personal leave, paid holidays, accumulated sick leave, paid vacation, longevity pay, health, dental & vision, employee discounts, pensions, bereavement pay, workers compensation, disability insurance and optional life insurance plans. Additional Benefits are outlined in the positions respective bargaining contract available below:
http://www.rigov.org/citydepartments/personnel/contracts.html