Injury Surveillance Epidemiologist

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) seeks to hire a senior Epidemiologist for the Injury Surveillance Program (ISP) in the Office of Statistics and Evaluation (OSE) within the Bureau of Community Health and Prevention (BCHAP). 

This position will be responsible for the coordination and oversight of epidemiological support for violence, injury, and drug overdose programming in collaboration with the Division of Violence and Injury Prevention (DVIP) and the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS). This includes overseeing the administration of two in-house data surveillance systems, the Massachusetts Violent Death Reporting System (MAVDRS) and the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS). The epidemiologist will oversee data surveillance projects that will support data-driven actions in the prevention of violence, injury, and drug overdose by performing tasks such as grant management, strategic planning, staff supervision, advanced analytic plan development, data infrastructure development, research/evaluation design support, racial and health equity initiatives, coordinated communication, and cross-divisional projects. This position will provide leadership to OSE and collaborate closely with others within the OSE Senior Team, Bureau leadership, divisional staff, and related offices/bureaus across the department.

The epidemiologist will also apply a structural analysis of systemic and historical racism and resulting inequities to their work, in alignment with the principles and practices of the BCHAP Racial Equity Movement. This includes understanding the root causes of health inequities, particularly the role of structural racism and other systemic drivers of health, and incorporating a racial equity lens in data collection, analyses, evaluation, and dissemination materials.

Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all-inclusive):

• Oversees data collection and coordinates outreach to various agencies involved in the Massachusetts Violent Death Reporting System (MAVDRS) and the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS), including but not limited to, law enforcement, Vital Records, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. 
• Works collaboratively with the OSE, BCHAP, DVIP, and BSAS leadership, epidemiologists, and program staff to analyze, present, and contextualize data from MAVDRS, SUDORS, and other DPH data sources utilizing health equity and root cause frameworks to highlight health inequities, deepen program understanding of root causes, inform health equity approaches in programming, and support policy and practice change. 
• Supervises epidemiologic and program staff by providing mentorship, technical leadership, professional development, and overall strategic guidance. 
• Oversees grant budgets, contracts, and federally required reporting, and leads grant reapplications.
• Supports divisional epidemiological needs through the development, coordination, and review of communication/dissemination materials including data visualizations.
• Organizes and holds meetings for the MAVDRS Advisory Committee. 
• Performs related duties essential to Injury Surveillance, suicide prevention, OSE priorities, and MDPH priorities, as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Proficiency in biostatistics and survey / study design and development.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of epidemiology including principles of biology and disease processes.
• Demonstrated experience with the methods of statistical and scientific report writing.
• Capacity to oversee databases, construct data files, conduct and support data entry, and perform data edits/cleaning as needed.
• Ability to perform duties efficiently under tight deadlines, and to manage competing priorities during such situations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of epidemiology and surveillance, including research methods/techniques (such as large data sets such as claims data or medical records).
• Demonstrated experience with data management and analysis (both univariate and multivariate), research methods, and presentation of public health/epidemiologic data including statistical report writing, survey design, and development.
• Proficient use of graphics and statistical analysis data management software including SAS, GIS mapping software, and propensity scoring.                                     
• Capacity to adjust to changing situations to meet emergency or changing program or production requirement.
• Ability and desire to translate statistical findings into plain language for internal and external stakeholders, including federal funders.
• Competence in resolving problems/conflicts in a diplomatic and tactful manner; exercising discretion in handling confidential information and operating independently with minimal supervision.
• General knowledge and experience in the development and review of data documents including briefs and fact sheets.
• Passion and commitment to fostering racial equity and the application of equity to public health.
• Strong written and oral communication skills with proficiency in establishing and maintaining harmonious and collaborative working relationships with others.
• Knowledge of the form, content, collection, application, and limitations of existing agency databases such as the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), Massachusetts Acute Hospital Case Mix Database, Massachusetts Violent Death Reporting System (MAVDRS), State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS), Youth Health Survey (YHS), Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), and Registry of Vital Records & Statistics (RVRS).
• Experience supervising and providing mentorship to staff. 

About the Department of Public Health:

The mission of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is to prevent illness, injury, and premature death, to assure access to high quality public health and health care services, and to promote wellness and health equity for all people in the Commonwealth.
 
We envision a Commonwealth in which all people enjoy optimal health. Massachusetts ranks among the healthiest of states according to comparative analyses, but we face numerous challenges, including chronic and infectious disease, substance abuse, violence, preventable hospitalizations, and health disparities.
 
DPH coordinates programs and policies to address specific diseases and conditions and offer services to address the needs of vulnerable populations. We also develop, implement, promote, and enforce regulations and policies to assure that the conditions under which people live are most conducive to health and enable people to make healthy choices for themselves and their families. We license health professionals, healthcare facilities and a variety of businesses that impact public health. We operate the state laboratory and four public health hospitals. We monitor health status and manage vital records including births, marriages and deaths. We educate people about public health issues and work closely with local boards of health and community partners to identify and solve public health problems.

More information can be found at: MA Department of Public Health

 

Pre-Hire Process:

A criminal background check will be completed on the recommended candidate as required by the regulations set forth by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services prior to the candidate being hired. For more information, please visit http://www.mass.gov/hhs/cori

Education, licensure and certifications will be verified in accordance with the Human Resources Division's Hiring Guidelines.

Education and license/certification information provided by the selected candidate(s) is subject to the Massachusetts Public Record Law and may be published on the Commonwealth's website.

If you require assistance with the application/interview process and would like to request an ADA accommodation, please click on the link and complete the   Reasonable Accommodation Online Request Form

For questions regarding this requisition, please contact the Executive Office of Health and Human Services Human Resources at 1-800- 510-4122 Ext. #2

First consideration will be given to those applicants that apply within the first 14 days.  

Minimum Entrance Requirements:

Applicants must have at least (A) six (6) years of professional experience in epidemiology, biology, biostatistics, toxicology, environmental science, environmental health, ecology, public health, chemistry, virology, immunology, bacteriology, microbiology, or statistics or specific discipline related to the particular epidemiologic role (e.g., research statistics, research methods, population health, environmental health, toxicology, ecology, international health, etc.) and (B) of which at least four (4) years must have been in a supervisory or leadership capacity or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.
Substitutions: I. A Bachelor's degree with a major in epidemiology, biology, biostatistics, toxicology, environmental science, environmental health, ecology, public health, chemistry, virology, immunology, bacteriology, microbiology, statistics or other health-related field may be substituted for a maximum of two (2) years of the required (A) experience. II. Master's degree or higher in epidemiology, biology, biostatistics, toxicology, environmental science, environmental health, ecology, public health, chemistry, virology, immunology, bacteriology, microbiology, statistics, or health-related field may be substituted for a maximum of three (3) years of the required (A) experience and one (1) year of the required (B) experience.*   *Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed.   NOTE: Educational substitution at this level will only be permitted for a maximum of one (1) year of the required (B) experience.

 

 

Comprehensive Benefits

When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.

Want the specifics? Explore our Employee Benefits and Rewards!

 

COVID Vaccine: As a condition of employment, depending on job assignment and location, employees may be required to have received COVID-19 vaccination and/or other vaccinations, or to have been approved for a vaccination exemption prior to their start date. Details relating to demonstrating compliance with this requirement will be provided to applicants selected for employment. 

 

An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer.  Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

 

The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law.  Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements.  We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.