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4E091 Career Guide

Air Force

4E091: Public Health Technician

Career transition guide for Air Force Public Health Technician (4E091)

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Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 4E091 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Specialist

$75K
High matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

ASP/CSP Safety CertificationKnowledge of EPA and OSHA regulations

Food Safety Auditor

$68K
High matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Certified Professional - Food Safety (CP-FS)HACCP Certification

Public Health Inspector

$65K
High matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS) CredentialLocal/State public health regulations

Occupational Health and Safety Technician

$55K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

OSHA 30-Hour CertificationFirst Aid/CPR Certification

Infection Control Specialist

$80K
Good matchVery high demand

Skills to develop:

Certification in Infection Control (CIC)Knowledge of current hospital infection control practices

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 4E091 training built — and where they transfer.

Situational Awareness

As a Public Health Technician, you constantly assess your surroundings during inspections, investigations, and briefings. You anticipate potential health risks, whether from contaminated food, disease outbreaks, or environmental hazards, allowing you to proactively implement preventative measures.

Your ability to remain aware of your surroundings and anticipate potential problems makes you an excellent risk manager in any setting. You can quickly identify threats and implement strategies to mitigate them.

Procedural Compliance

Your role demands strict adherence to established protocols and regulations in areas like food safety, sanitation, and disease control. You ensure inspections are thorough, documentation is accurate, and procedures are followed meticulously to maintain public health standards.

Your dedication to following procedures and maintaining compliance translates directly to highly regulated civilian sectors. You excel at ensuring processes are followed correctly and consistently.

After-Action Analysis

Following disease outbreaks, food recalls, or other public health incidents, you participate in investigations to identify root causes and contributing factors. This analysis informs future preventative measures and improves response strategies.

Your experience analyzing past events to improve future performance makes you a valuable asset in any continuous improvement environment. You can identify weaknesses, suggest solutions, and drive positive change.

Pattern Recognition

You are trained to recognize patterns and trends in public health data, such as disease outbreaks or foodborne illnesses. This helps you identify potential risks and implement preventive measures before they escalate.

Your pattern recognition skills allow you to quickly identify anomalies and potential problems in complex datasets. This is invaluable for data analysis and predictive modeling.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Health and Safety Manager

SOC 11-9199.09

You've been managing public health risks and ensuring compliance with safety regulations throughout your career. This directly translates to the responsibilities of a Health and Safety Manager, where you'll implement safety protocols, conduct inspections, and investigate incidents to maintain a safe working environment.

Regulatory Affairs Specialist

SOC 13-1041.00

You've developed a deep understanding of public health regulations and compliance standards. As a Regulatory Affairs Specialist, you'll use this knowledge to ensure companies comply with relevant laws and regulations, navigate the approval process for new products, and advocate for responsible practices.

Quality Assurance Auditor

SOC 13-1199.04

You've honed your auditing skills through countless inspections of food facilities and public spaces. You're detail-oriented and understand what to look for. As a Quality Assurance Auditor, you'll use these skills to assess products and processes, identify deficiencies, and ensure adherence to quality standards within an organization.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Public Health Apprentice Course, Sheppard Air Force Base, TX

560 training hours14 weeksUp to 9 semester hours recommended in Allied Health Sciences

Topics Covered

  • Food Safety and Defense
  • Sanitation and Hygiene
  • Communicable Disease Control
  • Medical Entomology
  • Occupational Health
  • Force Health Management
  • Preventive Health Assessment (PIMR)
  • Medical Readiness

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

Certified Professional in Food Safety (CP-FS)70% covered

Requires study of specific food safety regulations, HACCP principles in civilian food service, and retail food handling practices.

Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS)60% covered

Requires knowledge of environmental health regulations, advanced epidemiology, and specific state/local public health laws. Usually requires a bachelor's degree and passing an exam.

Certified Safety Professional (CSP)40% covered

Requires additional knowledge of safety engineering principles, risk management, and advanced safety management techniques. Requires a bachelor's degree and passing an exam.

Recommended Next Certifications

Certified in Public Health (CPH)OSHA 30-Hour General IndustryCertified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support (DMLSS)Hospital supply chain management systems (e.g., SAP Ariba, GHX)
Armed Forces Pest Management Board (AFPMB) online tools and resourcesEPA pesticide information databases and resources; Pest control management software (e.g., PestPac, FieldRoutes)
Preventive Health Assessment and Individual Medical Readiness (PIMR) ProgramElectronic Health Records (EHR) systems with preventative care modules (e.g., Epic, Cerner)
Occupational Health Physical Examinations ProgramOccupational health management software (e.g., Cority, Medgate)
Tri-Service Food CodeFDA Food Code; ServSafe certification program
Theater Medical Information Program (TMIP)Global disease surveillance and outbreak management systems (e.g., HealthMap, ProMED-mail)
Hearing Conservation Program (HCP) using audiometric testing equipmentOSHA compliant audiometric testing and hearing conservation programs

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