City and County of Denver

Food Safety Investigator I - Department of Public Health and Environment

Downtown Denver Full time

About Our Job

With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver means seeing yourself working with purpose — for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver.

What We Offer

The City and County of Denver offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. The salary range for this position is $28.87 - $44.75. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but are not limited to:

  • A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service

  • 457B Retirement Plan

  • 140 hours of PTO earned within first year + 12 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday, 1 Wellness Day and 1 volunteer day per year

  • Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date

The City and County of Denver has announced furlough days, or unpaid days off, for most employees to meet a budget shortfall in 2025. There are two fixed furlough days for all limited (temporary positions with an end date) and unlimited (permanent) employees on August 29th, the Friday before Labor Day, and November 28th, the day after Thanksgiving. If you receive an offer for this position, your annual pay will determine whether you are required to take additional furlough days. Details will be discussed during the offer process for selected candidate(s).

Location

This is a field-based position, and the Food Safety Investigator I can expect to spend most of their time in the field. The City and County of Denver supports a hybrid workplace model. Administrative tasks will be performed remotely or at our Downtown office located in the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Building at 201 W. Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80202. Employees must work within the state of Colorado on their offsite days.

What You’ll Do

Denver's Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) is dedicated to advancing Denver's environmental and public health goals. DDPHE works collaboratively with city, state and community partners to conduct education, community engagement, and enforcement to promote healthy people, healthy pets, and a sustainable environment. DDPHE oversees a number of services related to public health and the environment and is comprised of seven divisions: Division of Shared Services and Business Operations; Community & Behavioral Health; Public Health Investigations; Denver Animal Protection; the Office of the Medical Examiner; Emergency Management and Medical Operations; and Environmental Quality. For more information on DDPHE’s programs and services, visit the DDPHE website at: Denver Department of Public Health and Environment.

We foster an inclusive culture by respecting the values, customs, and authenticity of everyone and by implementing equitable public health strategies so Denver communities can thrive.

As the Food Safety Investigator I, you will be responsible for conducting investigations in retail food regulated businesses. The Investigator will manage an inspection workload and become independent in performing investigations, determining investigation outcomes, and effectively communicate with all stakeholders.  

Specifically, as the Food Safety Investigator I you will:

  • Visit food and cannabis establishments and conduct inspections/investigations, business license sign offs, and respond to public complaints

  • Interact with business owners, employees, citizens, and other stakeholders to educate them on applicable health regulations

  • Write detailed reports and summaries of investigations

  • Execute educational and/or enforcement actions

  • Identify problems and recommend solutions to DDPHE leadership

  • Along with all department staff, this position will actively participate on an emergency preparedness and response team to support DDPHE’s responsibilities outlined in the City’s Emergency Operations Plan. This may require being ‘on-call’ from time to time to help respond to emergencies. Additional training commensurate with assigned duties will be provided.

  • Other duties as assigned.

What You’ll Bring

We value diversity of ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, sexual identity, gender, religion, language, ability, and experience and exemplify this through the makeup of our team at all levels. You'll be right at home here if you cultivate strong relationships and push yourself, your work, the people around you and Denver to the next level.

Our ideal candidate has some or all the following experience, skills, and characteristics:

  • Strong time management skills, along with flexibility, versatility, resourcefulness, and adaptability.

  • Be self-motivated and have initiative.

  • Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written.

  • Strong organization and planning skills.

  • 2 – 5 years of restaurant management experience.

  • Second language proficiency.

Required Minimum Qualifications

  • Education requirement: Bachelor's Degree.

  • Experience Requirement: None.

  • Education/Experience Equivalency: One (1) year of the appropriate type and level of experience may be substituted for each required year of post-high school education.

  • Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirements.

  • License/Certifications: Requires a valid Driver's License at the time of application.

  • Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment.

Application Deadline

This position is expected to stay open until Monday, November 10, 2025. Please submit your application as soon as possible and no later than that date at 11:59 p.m. to ensure consideration.

To be considered for this position, you must include the following on your job application (upload the attachment(s) to the Resume/CV section on the My Experience tab):

  • Resume

  • Cover letter addressing the following questions:

--What makes you passionate about food safety? Please explain what has led you to this position.

--What do you see yourself accomplishing within 3 – 5 years of being in this position?

--What do you find is important in a workplace culture and how do you encourage that at work?

About Everything Else

Job Profile

CE2264 Environmental Public Health Investigator I

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.

Position Type

Unlimited

Position Salary Range

$28.87 - $44.75

Target Pay

$28.87 - $44.75 per hour

Agency

Dept of Public Health & Environment

Redeployment during Citywide Emergencies

City and County of Denver employees may be re-deployed to work in other capacities in their own agencies or in other city agencies to support core functions of the city during a citywide emergency declared by the Mayor.

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law. 

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact Jobs@Denvergov.org with three business days’ notice.

Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.