Workforce Pathways Professional Health Services Consultant, Disaster Epidemiology (HSC1) DOH8936

Workforce Pathways Professional Health Services Consultant, Disaster Epidemiology (HSC1)

This recruitment is open to Washington residents and those residing on the ID/WA and OR/WA borders. This Non-Permanent Appointment has a duration of 12 months (August 1, 2026 August 31, 2027). The Workforce Pathways (WFP) Program, housed within the Office of Government & Community Affairs at the Washington State Department of Health, is an innovative initiative designed to strengthen and diversify the public health workforce. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the program creates meaningful professional opportunities that prepare and support a workforce equipped to meet the diverse cultural and linguistic needs of Washington communities.

As a Workforce Pathways Professional, you will contribute to projects across public health programs, local health jurisdictions, community-based organizations, and state government. Assignments may include project coordination, community engagement, outreach and communications, data collection and reporting, policy improvement, evaluation activities, technical assistance, and cross-sector collaboration. The program values diverse lived, educational, and professional experiences and is committed to advancing health equity by increasing representation of communities historically underrepresented in the public health workforce. Through this work, you will help shape innovative public health initiatives and strengthen the health and well-being of communities across Washington State.

The Opportunity As a Health Services Consultant within the Disaster Epidemiology project, you will contribute to Washington Department of Health's preparedness and readiness efforts for communicable disease emergencies by developing disease-specific trainings, strengthening our emergency response capabilities for epidemiologists, and supporting epidemiological data systems used during public health events. You will work alongside disaster epidemiologists to design exercises, develop rapid assessment protocols, and create data collection tools that improve how our office of Communicable Disease Epidemiology prepares for and responds to emergencies.

Key Responsibilities Include: Design and implement training exercises, workshops, and preparedness activities that strengthen the Epidemiological Response Team's ability to respond to communicable disease emergencies and disasters. Develop and maintain emergency preparedness tools and exercise materials that align with national emergency management and evaluation standards. Create rapid needs assessment protocols, including Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) methodologies, to support disaster epidemiology activities across Washington State. Build and maintain REDCap projects, question banks, and data collection tools that support disaster response, public health preparedness, and language access needs. Collaborate with disaster epidemiology staff, public health professionals, and partners to improve emergency response planning, epidemiological data management, and preparedness activities. Document project outcomes and deliver presentations that communicate accomplishments, lessons learned, and Workforce Pathways experiences to program leadership and partners. Contribute to program improvement efforts by identifying opportunities to strengthen processes, reporting activities, and long-term workforce development initiatives.

Why You'll Love This Role: Gain hands-on experience in disaster epidemiology, emergency preparedness, and communicable disease response while working alongside experienced public health professionals. Develop practical skills in emergency planning, data systems, training development, and public health program implementation. Contribute to the tools, protocols, and preparedness activities that help Washington respond effectively to public health emergencies. Join a program designed to expand public health career pathways and strengthen a workforce that reflects and serves communities across the state.

What You Bring: You are curious, collaborative, and motivated by the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to public health. You enjoy learning new systems, organizing complex information, and developing practical solutions that improve how work gets done. You communicate clearly and work effectively with people from different backgrounds, experiences, and areas of expertise. You value community perspectives and approach your work with humility, professionalism, and a commitment to serving others. You are excited to grow your skills while contributing to emergency preparedness efforts that help protect the health and well-being of people throughout Washington.

Work Location & Schedule: As a Workforce Pathways Professional, you will collaborate with host sites, program staff, and community partners to advance program objectives and support meaningful public health projects. You will build strong working relationships and maintain effective communication with Department of Health staff, host organizations, and other stakeholders. This position may be based anywhere within Washington State and primarily operates in a telework environment. Workforce Pathways Professionals will work with their supervisor to establish an appropriate work schedule and may be expected to travel to the Tumwater duty station or other designated locations for meetings, training, or program activities, generally up to six times per year. Telework arrangements are subject to Department of Health policies and program needs.

Minimum Qualifications There are multiple pathways to qualify for this position. You must meet one of the options provided and any additional criteria listed. Experience may have been gained through paid or unpaid activities, and may have been gained concurrently. Please ensure any relevant experience defined below is outlined in your cover letter, resume, and/or applicant profile.

• Option 1: Two (2) years of experience in public health, health services, community outreach, or community engagement.
• Option 2: Bachelor's degree in public health, community health, nursing, health care administration, social work, health communications, public administration, business administration, or a related field AND one (1) year of experience in public health, health services, community outreach, or community engagement.

Additional Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Experience Experience organizing work, tracking tasks, and meeting deadlines across multiple assignments Experience adapting to changing priorities, assignments, or work environments Experience communicating information clearly in writing and verbally to team members, partners, or community members Experience supporting or coordinating meetings, outreach efforts, or project activities Experience documenting work, summarizing information, or contributing to reports or presentations Experience working both independently and as part of a team Experience working with or supporting communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 or underserved by public health systems, which may include relevant lived experience Experience identifying or addressing barriers to access for underserved or historically marginalized communities in program or service delivery

• Experience applying transferable skills from non-government settings to support public health or community-based work related to COVID-19 response or recovery efforts
• Experience learning or navigating new systems, programs, or service environments in support of COVID-19 response or recovery efforts
• Experience supporting or implementing COVID-19 response efforts, health equity initiatives, or programs addressing social determinants of health in community-based settings
• Experience supporting the full lifecycle of health programs or projects, including assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation
• Experience working in emergency response
• Experience with REDCap

Employee Benefits We offer a solid benefits package that supports you and your family's health, financial security, and work-life balance. You'll have access to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, life and long-term disability insurance, flexible spending and health savings accounts, and retirement plans that help you plan for tomorrow while you're living today. Paid holidays, vacation and sick leave help you recharge, and additional programs like dependent care assistance and professional development opportunities add value beyond basic coverage. Join us and enjoy benefits designed to care for you as much as you care about public health. Learn more about DOH benefits and see how we support your life at work and beyond by visiting View email address on click.appcast.io.

About the Washington State Department of Health We're nearly 2,000 professionals across Washington working together to protect and improve community health. Guided by our values of Equity, Innovation, and Engagement, we address health disparities, respond to emerging challenges, and strengthen systems that support resilience. At DOH, we help reduce barriers, collaborate with diverse communities, and champion equitable health outcomes. We're passionate people who are driven to make a difference in public health. Explore more about the Department of Health, our programs, and our impact by visiting our website.

Working Conditions: The following describes the working conditions of this position, with or without reasonable accommodation.

• This position's work can be performed fully remotely. No regular in-person attendance is required. If onsite work is requested by the supervisor, the request will be planned and communicated in advance.
• Exposure to hazards is limited to those commonly found in indoor at home or office environments. This position is sedentary, working at a computer for extended periods.
• The position requires repetitive use of a computer, inputting data and navigating a database, creating and modifying electronic documents, and using email and the internet.

• This position has a work schedule of 40 hours per week. Although DOH business hours are Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., this position requires an online presence Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The position would not normally require working in excess of 40 hours per week, but if it became necessary for business needs, your supervisor would notify you in advance. This position would not normally work an alternate schedule, but requests may be considered and are subject to supervisory approval.

• Travel is not required to perform the duties of this position; however infrequent travel may be expected to attend meetings, trainings, or conferences.

• This position uses standard office furniture and equipment, such as a