Communicable Disease Intern

Communicable Disease Intern

Salary

$40,913.60 - $57,283.20 Annually

Location

Adams County Government Center, 4430 S. Adams County Parkway, Brighton, CO

Job Type

Temporary 3

Job Number

07665

Department

Public Health Department

Division

Epidemiology and Data Science

Opening Date

09/28/2026

Closing Date

10/19/2026 4:30 PM Mountain

Our Mission

To responsibly serve the Adams County community with integrity and innovation.

EEO

Adams County is an equal opportunity employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status or any other legally protected characteristic.

Position classification

Hybrid -- Job duties and expectations allow for onsite and remote work scheduled every week. Employees in this classification are regularly scheduled onsite one (1) to four (4) days per week based on the County needs and as determined by Department Director. Hybrid classified roles can be onsite more than the set minimum based on employee preference.

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

What Success Looks Like In This Job

Under the supervision of the Communicable Disease Manager and Senior Epidemiologist in the Communicable Disease Program, a successful intern will be trained in and conduct case investigations of reportable diseases within the community. The intern will gain hands-on experience with real-world public health surveillance, working under the guidance of experienced epidemiologists to apply investigative protocols and contribute to the local response to infectious diseases.

In addition to daily investigation duties, the intern may complete a focused project analyzing trends in communicable diseases, with the opportunity to present findings to public health stakeholders and submit the project as an abstract to a conference and/or for publication. The intern will also contribute to outbreak response efforts as needed. Success in this position is measured by the intern's accuracy and timeliness in case investigation, surveillance reporting, active engagement in outbreak investigations, and the completion of a meaningful project that demonstrates critical thinking and contributes to public health knowledge or practice.

Benefits:

• Gain practical experience in public health epidemiology.
• Opportunity to work with experienced professionals in the field.
• Flexible hours and a supportive work environment.

The anticipated hiring range for this position is $24/hour. The full salary range is $19.671 - $27.539 Hourly.

Examples of Duties for Success

• Receive training in communicable disease case investigations and professionalism

• Attend onboarding sessions and complete required trainings on reportable diseases, data systems, investigation protocols, and workplace conduct

• Demonstrate understanding of investigation workflows by shadowing experienced epidemiologists and asking relevant questions

• Review case definitions, clinical symptoms, and laboratory criteria for commonly reported diseases

• Apply training to conduct case interviews, data entry, and perform professionally in the work environment

• Conduct supervised case interviews

• Accurately enter case details into the communicable disease surveillance system within assigned timelines

• Interpret basic laboratory and clinical data to complete case classification

• Communicate updates and findings to supervisors

• Demonstrate professionalism, respect, and maturity in the workplace, communicate gaps and needs to supervisors, and have fun.

• Participate in communicable disease outbreak investigations

• Support the outbreak response team by helping conduct interviews, contact tracing, and data collection

• Assist with data entry and organization of outbreak-related information using standardized tools

• Attend outbreak coordination meetings and provide verbal or written updates as requested

• Follow appropriate safety protocols and maintain confidentiality in high-stress or sensitive environments

• Conduct an epidemiological study (optional and encouraged)

• Define a clear research question based on local communicable disease trends or surveillance gaps

• Extract and clean relevant data sets from surveillance systems with guidance from staff epidemiologists

• Analyze findings using basic epidemiological methods (e.g., trend analysis, descriptive statistics)

• Present results to internal stakeholders through a summary report and/or presentation, highlighting implications for public health action

• Submit an abstract to a conference and/or submit for publication under the supervision and support of Adams County Health Department and your university or college.

HIPAA Statement

Maintain sensitive & confidential client information according to the HIPAA policy confidentiality requirements.

Qualifications for Success

Education and Experience:

• Completed at least one year of graduate education in Public Health Epidemiology, Environmental Health, or a related field.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Basic knowledge of public health issues and concepts.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Conduct yourself with professionalism and curiosity.

Ability to:

• Understand the needs of diverse populations within Adams County
• Work with Epidemiology supervision and guidelines
• Provide helpful, accurate, clear, simple, and direct information
• Exhibit excellent working etiquette.
• Develop and maintains effective working relationships with all staff and partners.

Equipment used:

• Standard office equipment includes but is not limited to, laptop computers, tablets and associated hardware and software, telephones, copiers/scanners, and audiovisual equipment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bilingual in English and Spanish or other primary language spoken in Adams County.

Adams County and the 17th Judicial District Attorneys Office complies with Colorado's Job Application Fairness Act ("JAFA"). JAFA prohibits employers from asking individuals to disclose their age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation on an initial employment application. However, additional application materials such as certifications and transcripts containing this information may be required for certain positions; if such additional materials are requested, applicants may redact information that identifies the applicant's age, date of birth, or dates or attendance or graduation.

Employees in this benefit class are eligible based on the number of hours worked and the duration of employment.

Employees who work within the parameters below are eligible to participate in the 457b deferred compensation plan:

• Duration - 3 months or less
• Weekly Hours - Any
• Break in Service Requirement - 13 weeks
• Lactation friendly certified workplace

OR

• Duration - Up to 12 months
• Weekly Hours - 29 or less hours
• Break in Service Requirement - 13 weeks

Employees who work within the parameters below are eligible to participate in the the medical plan for the employee and child(ren) only as well as the 457b deferred compensation plan:

• Duration - At least 3 months and up to 12 months
• Weekly Hours - 30 or more
• Break in Service Requirement - 13 weeks
• Lactation friendly certified workplace

01

Please be aware that your cover letter and resume will not be accessed in the initial screening process, so you must complete your application and supplemental questions with as much detail as possible. Any personally identifiable information (PII) such as name and address will be redacted from applications that meet the minimum screening requirements and are forwarded to the hiring manager. If the hiring manager selects you to advance in the hiring process, your cover letter and resume will then be accessible to the hiring team. Information provided on the application is used to determine if a candidate meets minimum qualifications. Only information provided at the time of the application being completed will be considered and additional information that is not listed on the application will not be considered when deciding if a candidate meets or does not meet the qualifications. Applicants are STRONGLY encouraged to include all information and details on their application. I understand and agree that only information provided at the time of my application will be used to determine if I meet the minimum requirements for this position.

• Yes, I understand and agree
• Yes, I understand but disagree.

02

This position requires completion of at least one year of graduate education in Public Health Epidemiology, Environmental Health, or a related field. Do you meet this requirement?

• Yes
• No

03

If you answered "yes" above, please elaborate on how many years you have completed and in which field(s). If you answered "no," please write "N/A."

04

Are you able to commit to working two days/week in person?

• Yes
• No

05

Do you possess bilingual or multilingual skills? If yes, please indicate which language(s) and fluency.

06

Briefly describe your interest in communicable disease and local public health.

Required Question

Employer Adams County

Address 4430 S. Adams County Parkway, Suite C4000B

Brighton, Colorado, 80601-8213

Website http://www.adamscountyco.gov/careers