Public health officer
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Public health officer

This is a position with Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, and P&O Australia. A superstar behind the scenes, you will help keep our guests and crew safe and healthy by ensuring shipboard compliance with the highest public health standards in the areas of Disease Surveillance, Prevention and Control of Infectious illnesses, Food Safety, Potable & Recreational Water Safety, and Integrated Pest Management through structured audits, training, and effective communication.

DISEASE PREVENTION & CONTROL
  • Oversees the implementation and compliance with shipboard prevention and control activities at all response levels including for COVID-19, AGE, and other communicable diseases
  • Participates as a key member of the shipboard Outbreak Management Team (OMT) and coordinates the implementation and compliance with OMT decisions
  • Oversees the correct and safe storage, par levels, condition and use of all infection control related PPE, disinfectants, hand sanitizers, and other supplies and related equipment. Monitors compliance with all shipboard public health and infection control procedures including, hotel services for isolated/quarantined individuals, PPE use, and disinfection protocols
  • Assists with investigating illness cases and contact tracing to identifying exposure and transmission risks to individuals, areas, or events
  • Monitors the public health and infection control protocols and measures related to individuals in quarantine and/or isolation
  • Coordinates drills on the company’s Outbreak Prevention and Response Plan (OPRP) to ensure all crew are adequately trained, equipped, and prepared to effectively respond to outbreaks of communicable diseases
  • Assists the Medical Team in responding to local health authority requests for public health information, data, or investigations
  • Provides regular reports to shipboard and shoreside leadership outlining illness status and operational preparedness and response during elevated illness response levels.
VESSEL SANITATION COMPLIANCE
  • Oversees the implementation of shipboard Public Health procedures and compliance with the Global HESS Public Health policies and Corporate Instructional Notices
  • Oversees facilities and equipment cleanliness & maintenance issues to ensure compliance with applicable public health standards
  • Works with the Technical and Deck Departments onboard to identify and prioritize relevant repair and maintenance activities and refit planning.
  • Measures and reviews chemical and microbiological parameters within potable water (PW) and recreational water facilities (RWFs) to ensure compliance with applicable public health standards. Works with both the Hotel and Technical Departments onboard to implement corrective actions and/or close the facilities when values are out of range
  • Reviews the food safety management, PW, RWF and air handling systems and records, to ensure compliance with public health standards
  • Effectively communicates with both shipboard and shoreside management to facilitate the correct interpretation and application of public health policies and procedures
  • Accompanies internal and external public health inspectors during inspections
  • Reviews all internal and external inspection reports to identify trends and avoid repeat deficiencies
  • Escalates issues of non-compliance and/or public health gaps to management both onboard and ashore
  • Follows-up to ensure open items are corrected and appropriate actions taken as soon as possible
  • Reviews the public health standards and operating procedures on company-approved shore excursions and company-owned private ports and destinations as part of illness investigation, reported non-compliance by crew or guests or upon request from shoreside or shipboard management
  • Accompanies and facilitates third-party vendor public health services, including but not limited to water samplers and sampling events
PUBLIC HEALTH AUDITS AND INSPECTION
  • Conducts internal audits of shipboard public health programs and activities to verify compliance with applicable requirements
  • Delivers information on public health observations based on trends and audit results to shipboard management to address in their operations
  • Conducts daily public health monitoring rounds of targeted areas and operations to ensure compliance with company policy and to evaluate public health gaps and risks onboard
  • Conducts a minimum of one public health unannounced inspection of an area per week
  • Engages crew with feedback and coaching
  • Provides disciplinary recommendations on reported public health violations
  • Provides public health audit reports to onboard and shoreside management
PUBLIC HEALTH TRAINING
  • Delivers effective public health training applicable to identified and specific training needs
  • Conducts ad hoc training of shore excursion operators and private destination team members based on gap analyses or at the direction of the shoreside Public Health Department
  • Uses trend and gap analyses to determine public health training needs
  • Employs a variety of techniques to evaluate and improve the efficacy of public health training
  • Works with the shoreside Public Health Department to improve and standardize public health training content
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM)
  • Oversees the IPM program, implementation, and compliance onboard the vessel
  • Ensures departmental inspections are conducted and recorded appropriately
  • Coordinates all pest control activities and applies appropriate pest control method(s) for targeted pests
  • Ensures the inventory of pesticides, IPM equipment, and PPE is stocked and fully functional
  • Complies with all regulations regarding the safe and secure storage, use, and disposal of approved pesticides and related chemicals and used packaging/containers
  • Accompanies external or 3rd party pest control applicator or service providers during routine and emergency applications/services
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
EDUCATION

Degree in Public Health, Environmental Health, Sanitary Engineering, Medical & Biological sciences, or closely related fields

EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND

Two years of shipboard experience or three years of full-time shoreside experience in implementing, overseeing, or auditing public health programs

KNOWLEDGE BACKGROUND

Knowledge of infection control practices and Vessel Sanitation Standards

CERTIFICATION & TRAINING

USPH Vessel Sanitation Program Certification; Infection Control Certification, SHIPSAN certification, training, potable water, recreational water facility or IPM certification or qualifications preferred

CRUISE INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE

Is strongly preferred

FLUENCY IN ENGLISH

both conversational and technical

COMPUTER LITERACY AND EXPERIENCE

with Microsoft Windows 7 (or higher) and MS Office programs

ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS

Experience with use of electronic health records is preferred

FAST-PACED WORK

Ability to thrive in a fast-paced cruise ship environment, while prioritizing workloads

PERSONALITY

Outstanding interpersonal, customer services and communication skills

SELF-SUFFICIENT

and able to work independently

BENEFITS OF WORKING ONBOARD
SINGLE CABIN WITH PRIVATE BATHROOM
ACCESS TO SHIPS’ AMENITIES AND ENTERTAINMENT
CRUISE BENEFITS
STEWARDING SERVICES
FREE GYM ACCESS AND CREW WELFARE PROGRAM
DISCOUNTED PRICES ONBOARD SHOPS AND SPA

WHY CHOOSE US?

Embark your medical career on a new international voyage of discovery. Join our team of skilled Medical team working on any of our 90 ships across our nine brands: Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, Cunard, AIDA Cruises, Costa, P&O Cruises (UK) and P&O Australia. Our staff are passionate about providing quality healthcare to our guests and crew while they sail the world creating lasting memories.

WORLD’S LARGEST CRUISE OPERATOR

90 SHIPS ACROSS 9 CRUISE LINES AND +8 NEW SHIPS COMING BY 2025

SAIL TO MORE THAN 500 PORTS

SAILING IN NORTH AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, EUROPE AND MORE

LIFE AT SEA AND BENEFITS

COMING SOON

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