PUBLIC HEALTH EPIDEMIOLOGIST

Public Health Epidemiologist

The primary role of this position is to help support the day-to-day management of the HIV surveillance program by conducting epidemiological surveillance of new HIV cases, cleaning and importing labs into the Enhanced HIV/AIDS Reporting System (eHARS), monitoring lab reporting volume and timeliness, participating in lab exchange with neighboring states, performing data quality projects, matching with vital records data, assisting with duplicate record review, and more. In addition to HIV surveillance activities, this position also supports HIV partner service activities, re-engagement in care activities, and cluster detection and response activities. This position contributes to grant applications and progress reports, conducts epidemiological analyses, presents at meetings, ensures privacy and confidentiality policies, and may conduct special projects, as necessary. This position works closely with other Center epidemiologists, investigators, and nurses, and may support other activities as assigned.

To analyze and document the impact of various chronic and infectious disease processes on the population of the state and/or communities, as well as on other specific subpopulations at risk; to monitor and analyze the incidence, prevalence and determinants of disease such as environment, genetics, lifestyle and access to medical care; to identify effective health promotion and disease prevention strategies; to design and/or implement health promotion and disease prevention interventions; and to do related work as required.

Works under the administrative supervision of a superior with latitude for the exercise of initiative and independent judgement; assignments are made in broad outline and work is reviewed upon completion for results attained and conformance to established policies, objectives, provisions of law, rules and regulations.

Illustrative examples of work performed include:

• Analyzing and documenting the impact of various chronic and infectious disease processes on the population of the state and/or communities, as well as on other specific subpopulations at risk.
• Monitoring and analyzing the incidence, prevalence and determinants of disease such as environment, genetics, lifestyle and access to medical care.
• Identifying effective health promotion and disease prevention strategies.
• Designing and/or implementing health promotion and disease prevention interventions.
• Developing specific hypotheses which may lead to the better understanding of the etiology of disease entities, which affect the population of the state.
• Analyzing and interpreting data relating to the health status of the state's population.
• Conducting investigations which will expand the epidemiologic data base so that more precise and meaningful information will become available.
• Describing the diseases and determinants of disease in a population.
• Identifying major health status problems of a population.
• Using data to identify strategies for reducing the adverse effects of major health problems in a population.
• Developing strategies and activities that define the most effective means of intervening in major health problems in a population.
• Establishing procedures and standards for the evaluation of health-related programs within the state; such evaluation may include analysis of the costs and benefits of such programs and overall program efficiency and effectiveness.
• Providing analytic and evaluation assistance to other state agencies, community partners, and stakeholders.
• Doing related work as required.

Required qualifications for appointment include:

A thorough knowledge of descriptive and analytical epidemiologic techniques, research and evaluation methodologies, and biostatistics as described in national standards such as the Council for State and Territorial Epidemiologists' Applied Epidemiology Competencies; strong written and oral communication and presentation skills; the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external partners; and related capacities and abilities.

Education: Possession of a Master of Public Health, a Master of Science in Epidemiology, or a master's degree in a related health field with specialization in the area of epidemiology.