In ‘extraordinary times’ DHEC is looking to hire at least 150 to help vaccine rollout
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is looking to quickly hire at least 150 people to help with the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The new additions will support South Carolina’s COVID-19 vaccination, testing, as well as other core public health and environmental services, DHEC officials said Wednesday in a news release.
DHEC is looking to hire nurses, pharmacists, paramedics, administrative support and other key personnel across the state, according to the release.
“This is a crucial time for our state and, like many public health agencies across the nation, we’re seeking qualified individuals to serve alongside our state’s public health officials in South Carolina’s hour of need,” DHEC Senior Deputy for Public Health Nick Davidson said in the release. “We’re calling on all those who are qualified, willing and able to apply. Your state urgently needs you. Seriously consider becoming a DHEC employee who makes a real difference in the lives of South Carolinians each day.”
The focus of the hiring will be to bolster vaccination clinics, and officials said the process will be faster than the typical time needed by DHEC because of the urgency created by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“Under normal circumstances it can take several months to hire someone in South Carolina state government,” DHEC Chief Human Resources Officer Marcus Robinson said in the release. “However, these are extraordinary times and we have worked with state and DHEC Human Resources to streamline our hiring process. We expect to hire an individual within days or weeks rather than months.”
Both full- and part-time positions will be available, and salaries will range from $13-45 per hour, according to the release.
Officials said the need for new employees is great because of the tremendous demands already placed on DHEC staff. To date, 2,602 DHEC employees have worked 1,124,089 hours as part of the statewide response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the release.
In addition to new staff focusing on the coronavirus, DHEC said it’s also looking for applicants to work in positions that provide essential health and environmental services across the state.
Anyone interested in applying can start the process online.
“If you are able and willing, your state urgently needs you,” DHEC said.
Through Tuesday, there have been 328,028 cases of COVID-19 and 5,358 coronavirus-related deaths confirmed in South Carolina, according to DHEC. More than 4,000,000 tests have been issued since the process began in March 2020.
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