Public Health Program Specialist I

Job Description

Under general supervision, provide program-specific outreach and/or investigation activities of communicable diseases

Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

Counsel individuals on prevention of communicable diseases e.g. HIV, STIs, TB, etc. Conduct fact-finding and/or informational interviews. Refer citizens to appropriate agency or program. Answer citizen questions and provide assistance. Conduct public health investigations as required by position. Counsel physicians, laboratories, clinics, etc. about disease reporting requirements Research information as requested and/or needed. Perform program-specific outreach activities such as TB/HIV/STI education, testing and counseling. Perform phlebotomy and specimen collection. Compile data/information and prepare reports. Some positions may require employee to meet patients at home, work or elsewhere to administer medications or perform testing, as needed.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of general public health programs, specifically those related to communicable diseases.
• Skill in oral and written communications, especially interviewing techniques.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with City employees and the public.
• Skill in recording data from interviews and investigations accurately.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Graduation with a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• Related experience may substitute for education up to a maximum of four (4) years.

Licenses and Certifications Required:

Valid Texas Class C Driver's License at the time of hire and maintain during employment, as necessary for position.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience utilizing best practices and/or direct experience in public health/community outreach.
• Experience in establishing and maintaining good working relationships with patients, clinic staff and others.
• Experience taking initiative and working independently.
• Proven successful customer service experiences
• Experience working with individuals from a diverse background and experiences.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish.
• Trained or willing to train in phlebotomy.
• Texas Driver License

Notes to Candidate

Position Overview:

Provide directly observed therapy (DOT) and directly observed preventative therapy (DOPT) to patients with TB disease and TB infection. Monitor compliance of the patients with TB treatment, educate patients and contacts to patients on TB treatment and transmission, and provide feedback to nurse case managers and TB contact investigators relevant to patient care and contact investigations.

Salary Range: Minimum: $22.48 to MidPoint: $25.24

Location: RBJ Health Center

General Work Schedule: Monday – Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

*Hours may vary due to operational needs. An alternative schedule and remote work/telework options may be available, but this position requires a minimum of 40% per week in-office standard. Evenings and weekends may be required on occasion, especially during an emergency response.

Grant Funded Position:

This position is grant-funded, meaning its financial support comes from allocated funds that may be modified, reduced, or canceled at the discretion of the City of Austin or the grant provider.

Why Join Us?

Meaningful Work

Contribute to services and programs that improve the lives of the people in our community. Your work directly enables our department to deliver tangible resources, knowledge, and services in high-impact areas.

Innovation and Collaboration

Collaborate with diverse and talented teams, leveraging technology, continuous improvement, and best practices to drive progress and deliver meaningful services to the Greater Austin Area.

Professional Growth and Development

Achieve your professional goals. APH offers opportunities to advance in multiple career paths, including nursing, medical fields, program management, environmental health, finance, business administration, process improvement, and data analytics. Education assistance is available through our tuition reimbursement program, and other financial and professional development support for continuing education, licenses, and certifications may be available.

Work-Life Balance

Enjoy a balanced lifestyle in a city renowned for its quality of life, outdoor activities, and cultural experiences. Our employees also enjoy the ability to work up to 60% remotely, depending upon position and business needs.

Health and Wellness

The City of Austin is committed to providing cost-effective, sustainable benefits that assist employees in being physically and mentally healthy. For employees that are covered this includes low-cost medical, dental, vision, paid leave time, a highly competitive retirement plan, training opportunities and more. Click here to review the City of Austin's Employee Benefits Guide.

To learn more about working with the City of Austin, click here to watch a short video!

Application Details:

A detailed, complete City of Austin employment application is required to help us better evaluate your qualifications. Please be thorough in completing the employment application and list all experience that is relevant to this position.

• If you are selected as the top candidate for a position, we may be contacting your current and former employer listed on the application for reference checks as a part of the pre-employment verification process.
• If you are identified as a top candidate, verification of your education, which may include High School graduation or GED equivalent, undergraduate and/or graduate degrees, will be required depending on position requirements.

Additional Details:

• This position may require a skills assessment.
• The Austin Public Health Department may close this job posting at any time after it has been advertised for seven (7) days, please apply as soon as possible if interested.
• Please be aware that the Job Posting Close Date reflects the final day to apply, but the posting will close at 11:59 PM the day before the date listed. All application steps, including attachments and submissions, must be fully completed before that time.
• We also recommend that you save or print a copy of the job posting for your records. Once a posting has closed, it will no longer be viewable in the system.
• This position will require a pre-employment Criminal Background Investigation (CBI).

Immunization Requirement:

Austin Public Health employees must comply with the department's immunization policy. Proof of having had certain vaccinations is required for employees that work in an environment that involves face-to-face interaction with pregnant women, infants, children, STI/TB clients, immunocompromised clients, and clients at high risk for TB on a routine basis.

Tobacco-free Workplace:

The City of Austin is a tobacco-free workplace. Use of tobacco products and/or e-cigarettes is not permitted on any City of Austin worksite- including construction sites, parking lots, garages, or in personal vehicles parked on the premises.

Travel:

The Austin Public Health Department is comprised of multiple facilities located throughout the Greater Austin area. If you are selected for this position, and meet the Driver Safety Standards in the City of Austin Driver Record Evaluation you may drive when necessary to multiple locations as part of your regular job duties. Otherwise, you are responsible for getting to and from these locations.

Driving Requirement:

This position requires a Valid Texas Class "C" Driver's License. External New Hires must meet the City of Austin's Driver Record Evaluation (DRE) requisite. To be considered for a driving position, applicants cannot have more than three moving violations or a total of six Driver Record Evaluation points within a period of thirty-six (36) months.

Hybrid Work Environment:

The City of Austin Telework Program is designed to empower employees and leaders to establish hybrid work arrangements that promote high levels of performance and engagement. The City of Austin has an established work arrangement under which an employee is scheduled to work at least 2 days per week at their designated worksite, depending on the position. Some positions may require additional time at their designated worksite.

90 Day Provision for Additional Vacancy:

If the same or an additional vacancy occurs within the Austin Public Health Department in the same job title within 90 days after the start date of the top candidate, the additional position may be offered to another top candidate from the same candidate pool. This may include filling other vacancies with the same job title in other division/work locations within the Austin Public Health Department. Decisions on assigned selection may be made at the time of hire based on the business needs of the department.