Assistant Rodentologist, Bureau of Veterinary and Pest Control Services

About the role

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Division of Environmental Health 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.

The New York City Department of Health's Rodent Control Program is se ting new standards in urban pest management, driving measurable progress in some of the city's most impacted neighborhoods. By serving communities across all five boroughs, the program not only protects public health but also champions environmental equity and justice ensuring every New Yorker lives in a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment.

The New York City Department of Health is seeking a dedicated and knowledgeable Assistant Rodentologist to join our Rodent Control team. This role is central to advancing the city's integrated pest management (IPM) strategies, supporting public health, and improving quality of life across all five boroughs especially in communities most impacted by rodent-related health risks.

Duties Will Include but Not Be Limited to

• Rat Population Monitoring Assist with ongoing surveillance and mapping of rat populations throughout New York City, contributing to data driven mitigation strategies.
• Innovative IPM Strategy Development Team development of Innovative community integrated rodent management strategies, designing and implementing community-integrated rodent management approaches that are sustainable, equitable, and effective.
• Research & Analysis: Assist on the rodent control team's proposed research projects that need to keep pace with the incoming rat behavior research analyzing rat populations and rat management techniques relative to shifts associated the City s new containerization laws. Additional assistance will be essential to address the efficacy of the forthcoming rodent baits designed to replace the previous highly toxic baits of the past two decades.
• Translate findings into actionable improvements for DOHMH PCS field operations and to the environment improvement and quality of life to New York as a whole.
• Operational Support & Troubleshooting Collaborate with PCS field teams to refine rat management procedures, troubleshoot operational challenges, and enhance service delivery.
• Technical Consultation Assist in preparing and providing guidance on rodent management updates to internal programs and partnering city agencies, ensuring alignment with best practices and regulatory standards.
• Rodent Academy Staff support and participation. Assist with preparation of the Department's Intensive 3-day Rodent Academy that provides City-specific rat control training to a wide-ranging audience of academics, municipalities, technology teams, and pest professionals on an international scale twice every year.
• Staff Education & Support Assist in providing on-going education to over 170 Bureau of Veterinary and Pest Control team members as well as multiple training courses each year to the Bureau of Food Safety and Sanitation staff.
• Assist in guiding the Senior Extermination staff on field trials and purchases of the forthcoming more eco-friendly approaches and rodent bait tools and techniques and advise staff on updates/changes to product labels.

Preferred Skills

• Advanced degree in biology, public health, entomology, wildlife, urban ecology, or a related field preferred
• Demonstrated experience in epidemiology, public health related sciences, or environmental health
• Strong writing, listening, and verbal communication skills
• Comfortability in working out in field scenarios, surveys addressing rodent occurrences within communities especially as they relate to New York Cities on-going refuse management and reforms.
• Comfortability in co-teaching classes, workshops, both in person and online.
• Ability to work collaboratively within and across departments and with diverse communities

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
• 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.

Additional information

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.

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!

Qualifications & Requirements

• For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.

To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have

• A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or
• A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or
• Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in "2" above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in "1" and "2" above.

NOTE: Probationary Period

Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.