OPS BIOLOGICAL SCIENTIST IV

Ops Biological Scientist IV - 64856434This highly responsible position is assigned to the Epidemiology Section of the Okaloosa County Health Department and works with the District 1 Medical Examiner's Office providing epidemiological expertise to the department while exercising independent judgement and decision-making skills. This position will conduct data collection and analysis related to death investigations, summarizing the data on a daily/weekly basis. This information analysis related to death investigations will examine patterns, trends, and factors leading to certain types of deaths with the aim of identifying needed changes in services and interventions in the district.Your specific responsibilities include:Conducting epidemiological investigations and analysis of communicable disease, chronic disease, maternal and child health, injury, substance use and other issues of public health significance.Collecting, entering, cleaning, and organizing program data from multiple sources.Serving as a liaison to hospitals, laboratories, private provider offices, law enforcement, and emergency medical services to share information between agencies, provide surveillance results, and encourage reporting issues of public health significance related to death investigations.Collaborating with team members, local organizations, and community partners to strengthen overdose prevention efforts.Participating in community events related to overdose awareness, prevention, and response.Distributing information for the health community and for publication.Supporting general program operations, including scheduling, documentation, and communication tasks.Maintaining records and reports as required.Providing support during multidisciplinary fatality review meetings, including note-taking, preparing materials, and helping coordinate follow-up tasks.Performing administrative functions and working on assigned tasks as needed, including data entry into national and state reporting databases.Participating in local, regional, or statewide training and exercises, including in-service education programs, conferences, and staff meetings.Conducting and attending training and serving as a resource for staff and the community.Required knowledge, skills, and abilities include:Applying surveillance protocols and data collection techniques for disease monitoring and investigations.Utilizing terminology, principles, and techniques used in epidemiological research, analysis, data collection, and data management.Applying bio statistical methods used for the analysis of public health problems, including descriptive and inferential techniques.Identifying key sources of data, calculating basic epidemiology measures and describing the burden of public health problems on specific populations.Designing epidemiological studies, compiling and analyzing data, and drawing appropriate inferences from epidemiologic data for the purpose of monitoring and evaluating.Applying knowledge of privacy laws to protect confidentiality, including Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and applicable state and local privacy laws.Communicating effectively in written, oral, and electronic formats using language tailored to a variety of lay and scientific audiences, in a culturally competent manner.Utilizing strong communication skills and comfort engaging with diverse community partners.Working independently or as well as participating in or leading a team.Developing and delivering presentations.Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships within the organization and with community partners.Utilizing problem-solving techniques.Effectively determining work priorities and ensuring timely completion of work assignments.Skilled in data storytelling.Utilizing intermediate Excel skills (ability to enter data, use formulas, navigate spreadsheets and develop tables and charts).Maintaining confidentiality of all information.Qualifications include:Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Health Sciences, Biology, Social Sciences, or an equivalent health-related field.Valid U.S. Drivers' License.Experience with any data tools such as Power BI, Tableau, R, Python, or ArcGIS—preferred but not required.Where you will work:Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County 221 Hospital Drive NE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548