How to hire a sanitarian

How to hire a sanitarian, step by step

Here's a step-by-step sanitarian hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a sanitarian job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new sanitarian
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your sanitarian job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a sanitarian for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A sanitarian's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, sanitarians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of sanitarians.

   Type of Sanitarian	Description	Hourly rate
   Sanitarian	Occupational health and safety specialists analyze many types of work environments and work procedures. Specialists inspect workplaces for adherence to regulations on safety, health, and the environment... Show more	$14-34
   Public Health Internship	A public health internship provides students with a great learning opportunity to put into practice those educational principles and skills learned in the classroom. They will gain a better understanding and appreciation for the duties and responsibilities of full-time professionals in public health... Show more	$12-26
   Health & Safety Officer	A Health and Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring the workplace's safety and security to provide smooth operations and implement safety practices within the premises. They inspect the facilities and equipment's condition and report any failures and defects for immediate resolution... Show more	$17-40

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • FDA
   • Inspection Reports
   • Federal Laws
   • USDA
   • GMP
   • Federal Regulations
   • Pest Control
   • Vector Control
   • Swimming Pools
   • Sanitarians
   • HACCP
   • CIP
   • Federal Agencies
   • Environmental Health Programs

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage organization's injury/illness recordkeeping and handle worker's compensation claims.
   • Evaluate and recommend new sanitary systems to increase the establishment, follow-up, and compliance with NYC and NYS health code.
   • Audit plant for GMP compliance.
   • Educate clients on proper sanitation and HACCP implementation.
   • Apply knowledge of OSHA safety standard concepts, practices, and procedures.
   • Report writing on findings of inspections for child care providers and administrative tribunal hearings.

   More sanitarian duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your sanitarian job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A sanitarian salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a sanitarian in South Carolina may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level sanitarian usually earns less than a senior-level sanitarian. Additionally, a sanitarian with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average sanitarian salary

   $47,406yearly

   $22.79 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level sanitarian salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average sanitarian salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$57,490	$28
   2	New Mexico	$53,408	$26
   3	Montana	$48,224	$23
   4	Michigan	$47,433	$23
   5	Maryland	$46,527	$22
   6	California	$46,248	$22
   7	Illinois	$45,568	$22
   8	Colorado	$44,784	$22
   9	Ohio	$44,261	$21
   10	Texas	$43,421	$21
   11	Wisconsin	$43,245	$21
   12	Florida	$42,540	$20
   13	North Carolina	$41,771	$20
   14	Nevada	$40,805	$20

   Average sanitarian salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Calvary Hospital	$70,376	$33.83
   2	New York State Restaurant Association	$51,532	$24.77
   3	City of Houston	$50,143	$24.11
   4	City of Racine	$50,117	$24.09
   5	Bumble Bee Seafoods	$49,581	$23.84
   6	Bureau Veritas	$49,339	$23.72	2
   7	Ventura Foods	$48,936	$23.53
   8	Oakland County, Michigan Government	$48,817	$23.47	2
   9	Indian Health Service	$48,806	$23.46
   10	Texas	$48,515	$23.32	8
   11	Mel-O-Cream Donuts International Inc	$47,388	$22.78	1
   12	City of Cincinnati	$47,377	$22.78	2
   13	Kellogg	$46,237	$22.23
   14	Ab Mauri North America	$46,216	$22.22
   15	Sensient Technologies	$44,879	$21.58
   16	Ready Pac Foods	$44,184	$21.24	1
   17	State of West Virginia	$43,382	$20.86	8
   18	Foster Farms	$43,069	$20.71
   19	State Of Montana	$39,454	$18.97
   20	Schreiber Foods	$39,356	$18.92

4. Writing a sanitarian job description

   A sanitarian job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a sanitarian job description:

   Sanitarian job description example

   **Human Nutrition Food Safety Sanitation Manager**
   
   **This is an exempt level position**
   
   The Food Safety Sanitation Manager must possess educational background and technical aptitude as it relates to food plant sanitation programs, chemical handling, and food safety programs. A general knowledge of Food and environmental microbiological testing as well as preventative measures including sanitary design and automated sanitation and efficiency is required. The Human Nutrition Food Safety Sanitation Manager is responsible for the effective cleaning, sanitation and maintaining of the processing, packaging, and warehouse areas in ADM Human Nutrition locations to ensure the facilities are kept in a clean and healthy condition. This role will drive cleaning and sanitation efficacy to ensure safe food for our customers, safe facilities for our employees, and will improve efficiencies in support of plant productivity.
   
   **Principle Duties & Responsibilities**
   
   Ensures compliance with all company and regulatory product quality standards, sanitation standards, food safety standards, employee safety and environmental standards
   
   + Helps develop and implement strategic sanitation program, policies, plans and processes to ensure that sanitary performance meets ADM standards as well as supports Food Safety requirement towards regulatory compliance
   
   + Is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of sanitary design techniques and hygienic design maintenance
   
   + Designing and implementing sanitation policies and protocols for Human Nutrition locations
   
   + Training sanitation workers and organizing refresher workshops for existing staff.
   
   + Coordinating the services of contractors and external cleaning crews
   
   + Provide leadership and guidance necessary for production and sanitation personnel to effectively and safely complete production line and facility sanitation which includes Clean-in-Place (CIP), Clean-out-of-Place (COP), manual cleaning and sanitizing or a combination of methods.
   
   + Regularly review and update as needed the best practices for Master Sanitation Schedule and Sanitation department's standard operating procedures (SSOP) -
   
   + Troubleshoot sanitation and quality issues at the plant level. Identify and implement necessary and appropriate corrective measures.
   
   + Provide direction to the plant leadership on the design, maintenance and operation of CIP systems
   
   + Works with the Quality Systems / Food Safety Manager and Global Food Safety Sanitation Manager to develop procedures and techniques for verifying and validating the effectiveness of sanitation. Continually evaluates sanitary conditions of equipment and the facility.
   
   + Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure appropriate corrective actions with environmental monitoring (pathogen and non-pathogen) & Allergen validations are taken and implement preventive measures.
   
   + Create a work environment that reflects a commitment to protecting the health and safety of employees, food safety and quality of products.
   
   + Enforces GMP's and implements HACCP processes and procedures.
   
   + Train staff on proper usage of sanitation chemicals• Prepares reports regarding inspections, sanitation violations, and corrective actions taken.
   
   + Work closely with management and production personnel on sanitation problems.
   
   + Recommend changes to improve sanitation policies, procedures and standards.
   
   + Monitor completed sanitation tasks and cleanliness of plant.
   
   + Ensure a safe work environment for all employees.
   
   + Coordinate with maintenance or others as appropriate to solve sanitation-related problems.
   
   + Investigate all issues and apply corrective actions as needed
   
   **Sanitation Supervisor Requirements:**
   
   + Bachelor's Degree in Food Science or a similar field.
   
   + Previous experience as a Sanitation Manager.
   
   + Extensive knowledge of the food and beverage industry.
   
   + Strong attention to detail.
   
   + Advanced managerial skills.
   
   + Detailed knowledge of cleaning chemicals and safety protocols.
   
   + Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
   
   + Strong written and verbal communication skills.
   
   + Ability to design and implement training programs.
   
   This position offers a complete benefit package, including 401K/ESOP, pension, health, life, vision, and dental insurance.
   
   ADM requires the successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen and a background check.
   
   ADM is an EOE for minorities, females, protected veterans and individuals with a disability.
   
   **City:**
   
   Decatur
   
   **State:**
   
   IL - Illinois
   
   **Ref ID:**
   
   \#LI-SH1
   
   **EEO:**
   
   ADM is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability and veterans status.
   
   **About ADM::**
   
   ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. We're a premier global human and animal nutrition company, delivering solutions today with an eye to the future. We're blazing new trails in health and well-being as our scientists develop groundbreaking products to support healthier living. We're a cutting-edge innovator leading the way to a new future of plant-based consumer and industrial solutions to replace petroleum-based products. We're an unmatched agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. And we're a leader in sustainability, scaling across entire value chains to help decarbonize our industry and safeguard our planet. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional and sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow. Learn more at www.adm.com.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find sanitarians for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any sanitarians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level sanitarians with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your sanitarian job on Zippia to find and recruit sanitarian candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit sanitarians, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new sanitarian

   Once you've decided on a perfect sanitarian candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new sanitarian first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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