IN-DOH-Wastewater Epidemiologist

Short Description:
The purpose of this position is to coordinate, collaborate,
and perform surveillance utilizing wastewater-based epidemiology for SARS-CoV-2
virus, other pathogens, or additional program targets.
Complete Description:
- Collaborate
and coordinate between IDOH IDEPD, IDOH Laboratory, and wastewater
treatment facility staff, academic partners, and local health departments
to maintain, grow, and manage wastewater surveillance program
participation;
- Collaborate
with and participate in national initiatives related to wastewater
surveillance.
- Maintain
current subject matter knowledge of the epidemiology and biology of diseases
and public health topics, particularly as it relates to wastewater-based
epidemiology;
- Provide
epidemiologic consultation and technical assistance to local health
departments, health care providers, the general public, and other partners
with respect to diseases and public health topics;
- Manage and
analyze trends and correlations in data collected through routine
surveillance and applied epidemiologic studies;
- Monitor data
reporting and correct data quality control flags as identified by the CDC
NWSS system and ensure data is uploaded regularly and correctly when
issues occur or when required for specific program areas;
- Partner with
data analysts in the Office of Data & Analytics to manage and update
the wastewater dashboard and internal reports as needed;
- Prepare and disseminate
written and oral reports and presentations that communicate necessary
information to internal and external partners;
- Conduct
educational presentations and/or trainings for a variety of audiences,
including local health departments, health care providers, utility
operators, and the general public;
- Engage
directly with members of the public at health fairs and other outreach events;
- Participate
in writing grants and other funding proposals;
- Conduct
routine epidemiologic surveillance for disease and public health topics;
- Design and
conduct applied epidemiologic studies of diseases or public health topics;
- Serve as an
agency spokesperson at the invitation and direction of the IDOH Office of
Public Affairs;
- Evaluate the
impact of legislation or policy proposals at the invitation and direction
of the IDOH Director of Legislative Affairs;
- Serve as a
backup to other staff, as needed;
- Perform related
duties as assigned.
Job Requirements:
A
master s degree in a relevant field (e.g., public health, biological sciences,
or social sciences) and e 2 years relevant public health experience OR
A
master s degree in a non-relevant field and e 4 years public health
experience OR
A
doctoral-level degree in epidemiology or other relevant fields OR
A
graduate or professional degree in a health-related field (e.g., RN, MD/DO,
DDS/DMD, DVM, PhD, RS) with specific epidemiology training (e.g., MPH degree,
CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service, or CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellowship) OR
A
bachelor s degree in a relevant field and e 4 years relevant public
health experience OR
A bachelor s degree in a non-relevant field and
e 6 years public health experience.
Current employee promotion requirement:
Internal candidate should be a high-performing Epidemiologist 1 or other
internal role based on demonstrated ability, competency attainment, and/or
performance feedback.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge
of the epidemiology and biology of diseases and public health topics;
Knowledge
of state laws and regulations as well as federal public health guidance
documents pertaining to diseases and public health topics;
Skill
in identification of public health problems pertinent to Indiana residents;
Skill
in conducting epidemiologic surveillance activities, including selection and
use of appropriate field methods as well as use and evaluation of public health
surveillance systems;
Skill
in eliciting relevant information from patients in structured or unstructured
telephone interviews;
Skill
in conducting public health investigations of individual cases and/or outbreaks
of diseases or public health topics
Skill
in designing descriptive and analytical epidemiologic investigations, including
hypothesis generation;
Skill
in managing large datasets, performing complex data analyses, and identifying key
findings;
Skill in recommending evidence-based interventions and control
measures in response to epidemiologic findings;
Skill
in preparing written and oral reports, presentations, and educational materials
that communicate necessary information to internal and external partners;
Skill in applying principles of informatics, including data
collection, processing, and analysis, in support of epidemiologic practice
Demonstrated
skill in statistical, analytical, and/or geospatial software (e.g., EpiInfo,
SAS, ArcGIS, SQL, SPSS, R, Python, Stata, etc.);
Ability
to identify appropriate laboratory resources and use them appropriately;
Ability
to provide prompt, courteous, and helpful customer service;
Ability
to collaborate with others inside and outside the agency to identify public
health problems and form recommendations;
Ability
to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, using principles of
risk communication where appropriate;
Ability
to prioritize tasks efficiently to meet internal and external deadlines;
Ability
to appropriately document work activities and maintain organized records.
Supervisory Responsibilities/Direct Reports:
May be responsible for directing
and coordinating the work of interns assigned to the program.
Difficulty of Work:
The employee must have or rapidly acquire expert knowledge of the
epidemiology of diseases and public health topics. They must use this knowledge
and their critical thinking skills to ascertain the existence of public health
threats, conduct public health investigations, and identify appropriate interventions.
The employee will routinely exercise independent judgment to identify
appropriate actions in complex situations that are not explicitly described in
state regulations and public health guidance documents. The employee must routinely
reorganize their work activities to prioritize emergent public health threats,
often with little to no advance warning. They are expected to show initiative
in independently identifying and executing process improvements and/or special
projects that would benefit IDOH and Indiana residents. Failure of the employee
to properly execute their duties could have grave consequences for Indiana
residents.
Responsibility:
The employee is expected to support IDOH's vision, comply with agency
administrative and fiscal policies, and practice cultural sensitivity in all
work activities. The employee must have knowledge of state and federal privacy
laws and protect patient confidentiality at all times.
The employee must identify possible ethical conflicts in work activities and
request assistance from the supervisor in resolving them. The employee is
expected to independently identify opportunities for their professional
development that would benefit IDOH and Indiana residents.
The employee initially works under the close supervision of
their supervisor, but works more independently with acquired experience. The
supervisor sets the overall objectives and determines what resources are available.
The employee and the supervisor will work together to develop guidelines,
projects, and work to be done. The employee plans, directs, monitors, evaluates
and identifies needs and resolves most conflicts within assigned projects. The employee
interprets and applies policies in terms of established goals, objectives, and
accepted practices. The employee is expected to bring controversial or complex
issues to the attention of the supervisor for more detailed direction and
guidance. The employee is expected to keep the supervisor informed of progress
and potentially critical items. Completed work is reviewed for feasibility,
conformance to program policy and practices, and effectiveness in meeting
specific goals and objectives.
Personal Work Relationships:
The employee works closely with a variety of stakeholders, which may
include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Water Environment
Federation, the IDOH Laboratories, wastewater utility operators, health care
providers, local health departments, and other state agencies. The employee is
expected to maintain good working relationships with these entities as well as
other internal and external partners.
Physical Effort:
The employee must be physically able to
type on a computer, to communicate via telephone, and to sit and/or stand at a
workstation for a 7.5-hour workday. If this position is field based, the employee
must also be physically able to lift 10-20 lb, drive long distances, walk long distances over uneven terrain,
see arthropods under a stereo microscope, and manipulate arthropods using tools
that require fine motor control.
Working Conditions:
Work is performed in an indoor office
setting. Occasional field work and/or overnight travel may be required. The
employee must be willing to receive immunizations for communicable diseases
when necessary and appropriate. If the position is field based, the position may
require work to routinely be performed outdoors as well as in an indoor office
setting. There is seasonal variation in the volume of field work, with a peak
in summer. Field work may result in exposure to biting arthropods, inclement
weather, and/or extreme temperatures. Field work may also require driving long
distances in inclement weather.