Epidemiologist II, Texas HHS

Job Description

With direction from the epidemiologist III team lead, performs advanced (senior-level) investigative and consultative epidemiological work in the Emerging and Acute Infectious Disease unit related to gastrointestinal illnesses. Collects and analyzes, interprets, and distributes epidemiological data on foodborne illness in Texas. Coordinates the work of others in data collection. Provides telephonic and electronic technical consultation to public health professionals, healthcare providers, and the general public on the epidemiology of foodborne illness and assists these partners in any foodborne illness outbreak investigations. Prepares public health information, training materials, and investigative tools for foodborne illness surveillance and investigation. Works under limited supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

Essential Job Functions

• Epidemiologic investigations and studies: Participates in gastrointestinal GI illness outbreak investigations and studies by coordinating data collection with local and regional health department partners, abstracting medical data from hospital and medical records, designing and modifying questionnaires or report forms, interviewing patients, coordinating collection and transport of clinical specimens, performing data analysis using statistical programs, and assisting with recommendations for control measures. Analyzes and interprets epidemiological data, including laboratory findings. Creates, maintains, and distributes databases using applications such as Excel, Access and Epi Info.
• Surveillance activities: Monitors the statewide surveillance system for case reports on select enteric pathogens in the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS); assists and provides consultation to local and regional health department staff on data entry, case classification, and other aspects of case investigations; conducts some data entry; ensures data quality, reviews and approves or rejects notifications, and oversees year-end data cleanup in the system. Assists in establishing and implementing activities to improve surveillance for enteric illnesses. Retrieves data from the Department’s laboratory information system (LabWare), NEDSS, Bionumerics, and CDC’s System for Enteric Disease Response, Investigation, and Coordination (SEDRIC) site.
• Leadership: Coordinates activities related to the reporting of metrics for the OutbreakNet Enhanced (OBNE) portion of the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Cooperative Agreement. Coordinates with local and regional health department partners on inter-jurisdictional cluster and outbreak investigations. As assigned by the team lead, serves as a point of contact with CDC for multi-state cluster and outbreak investigations of GI illness. Recommends measures for prevention and control of GI Illness. Working with Branch staff, develops protocols, procedures, and training materials related to surveillance and outbreak investigations. Participates in training regional and local staff in investigation methods. Develops and disseminates data collection instruments. Requests and collates information collected during investigations of GI illnesses. Coordinates establishment and implementation of activities to improve outbreak response.
• Communication: Prepares reports and graphs of surveillance and investigation data using Power Point, Excel, Access, Epi Info and NEDSS. Disseminates data reports to internal and external partners. Prepare and delivers oral presentations on surveillance data and epidemiological investigations for professional and lay audiences. Assists in the development of disease fact sheets, pamphlets, brochures and press bulletins. Assists in preparing articles for publication in journals. Provides telephonic and electronic technical consultations to public health professionals, health care providers, and the general public on the epidemiology of GI illnesses and its prevention and control. Prepares GI Illness data for posting to the web. Reviews scientific literature as appropriate.
• Other Duties as Assigned: Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation. Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Knowledge of the principles and methods of epidemiology and related biostatistics
• Knowledge of infectious diseases, especially gastrointestinal infectious diseases
• Knowledge of infectious disease surveillance
• Knowledge of microbiological laboratory procedures including PCR, PFGE and WGS
• Ability to plan, conduct, and report on infectious disease surveillance and epidemiological investigations
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
• Ability to interpret laboratory results and apply them in outbreak investigations
• Ability to apply the principles and methods of epidemiology as related to investigation of infectious diseases, especially gastrointestinal infectious diseases
• Ability to build and manage databases
• Ability to design and implement systems necessary to collect, maintain, and analyze data
• Ability to analyze data and apply findings in outbreak investigations
• Ability to work collaboratively on a team
• Ability to work effectively with regional and local health department personnel, private practice physicians, and hospital staff
• Ability to provide operational guidance and leadership to field staff
• Ability to achieve grant deliverables
• Ability to manage projects and facilitate trainings
• Ability to train others in infectious disease surveillance and epidemiology
• Skill in the use of Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Access, and statistical software
• Skill in the use of National Electronic Disease Surveillance System and Labware or similar electronic interfaces

How to Apply 

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