What is the Recruit-An-Environmental Health Officer Program (RAE)
The Recruit-An-Environmental Health Officer program is an outreach activity of the U.S Public Health Environmental Health Officer Professional Advisory Committee (EHOPAC) and is administered by EHOPAC Marketing & Recruitment Subcommittee. The RAE program works under the broad scope of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S Public Health Service (USPHS) to educate University, faculty, staff, students and professionals about environmental health related career opportunities available within the Commissioned Corps.
What is the purpose of the program?
The purpose of the RAE program is to support the recruitment of qualified candidates for appointments as Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) into the USPHS Commissioned Corps. The program voluntarily pairs Environmental Health Officers with a college, university or professional event. Officers who volunteer are expected to serve as point of contact for the institution, routinely communicate with key faculty and staff and provides periodic recruitment presentations and outreach support.
Assigned Officers responsibilities 
Assigned Officers are responsible for establishing relationship with accredited institution, forward information to established contacts about USPHS opportunities including the Commissioned Officers Student Training Extern Program (JrCOSTEP), job opening application/ changes and other useful information. Assigned Officer also serves as a mentor to students, graduates and alumni considering serving with the USPHS, post any relevant job opening, JrCOSTEP opportunities and general USPHS information to increase awareness.
What competencies, skills, and qualifications do you seek in candidates?
- U.S. native or naturalized citizen
- Less than 44 years of age (this may be adjusted based on eligible federal PHS civil service and uniform service active duty time)*
- Less than 8 years of prior active duty service in any uniformed service other than the Commissioned Corps*
- Meet suitability, professional, medical and security requirements
Degree and certifications:
To be an environmental health officer requires one of the following:
- Bachelors, masters, or doctoral degree in environmental health from a program accredited by the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council
- Bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in industrial hygiene, safety, or health physics from a program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
- Master’s or doctoral degree in environmental health, occupational health, or industrial hygiene from a school of public health accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
- Certification as an Industrial Hygienist (CIH) by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene
- Certification as a Health Physicist (CHP) by the American Board of Health Physics
Where can students learn more about the U.S Public Health Service Commissioned Corps?
- More information about the USPHS can be found at https://www.usphs.gov/
- More information about EHOPAC can be found at https://dcp.psc.gov/osg/eho/
When will you be visiting the IU Campus and how can students connect with you?
- Conversation with…U.S. Public Health Service on Thursday, September 14 from 2:45-3:30 pm at the Indiana Memorial Union, Redbud Room.
- Scheduled to be at the Career Expo presented by SPH & SPEA on September 14, 2017 from 4- 7pm at the Indiana Memorial Union.
- Scheduled to be at the Public Health, Safety, and Social Service Career Fair on November 09, 2017 from 5- 8pm at the Indiana Memorial Union.
Who is our assigned Recruit-An-Environmental Health Officer?
LT.Lewis K. Antwi, MPH
Email lewis.antwi@fda.hhs.gov
LT.Antwi Bio/Career background
I am currently serving as an Environmental Health Officer with the U.S Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and assigned to the U.S Food & Drug Administration as an Investigator. Some of my primary responsibilities as an Investigator with FDA is conducting inspections and investigations in the field of Biologics and Bioresearch Monitoring, investigating complaints, injury/illness or death caused by an FDA regulated product, advising industry, state and local officials and consumers on enforcement policies, methods and interpretation of regulation and initiating action against violators. As an Environmental Health Officer am trained to respond to protect the public from environmental threats and help communities recover during natural disasters and other public health emergencies.
Prior to joining the USPHS, I served with the U.S Navy as Hospital Corpsman Dental Assistant (HMDA) for approximately 5 years. I was assigned to Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, SC and 2nd Dental Battalion (Marine Logistics Group) in Camp Lejeune, NC.
I pursued Marine Engineering at Regional Maritime University for 3years and obtained my bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Liberty University. Obtained MPH in Environmental Health Science & Graduate Certificate in Industrial Hygiene from New York Medical College. Currently pursuing M.A Executive Leadership at Liberty University.
