Epidemiologist I

Job ID: 814612

Department: IN DOH

Position: Measles Epidemiologist I

Location: 2 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46204

Duration: 8+ Months (Hybrid)

A Day in the Life:
The essential functions of this role are as follows:

• Provide prompt technical assistance to health care providers, local health departments, members of the public, and other audiences as appropriate.
• Coordinate with the IDOH Laboratories, health care providers, local health departments, and members of
• the public to arrange prompt diagnostic testing for diseases and public health topics where appropriate.
• Conduct surveillance for diseases and public health topics using the state electronic disease surveillance system (NBS), the state syndromic surveillance system (ESSENCE), and other systems as appropriate.
• Develop educational materials for health care providers, local health departments, the public, and other audiences as appropriate.
• Assist with surveillance and investigation of individual cases and outbreaks of diseases and public health topics.
• Provide surge capacity for data entry of relevant reports and laboratory results as needed.
• If applicable for program area, serve as the IDOH epidemiologist on call during non-business hours for approximately two to three weeks per year.
• Serve as a backup to other staff, as necessary.
• The job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

What You'll Need for Success:
You must meet the following requirement to be considered for employment:

• A master's degree in a relevant field (e.g., public health, biological sciences, or social sciences), OR A master's degree in a non-relevant field and 2 years of public health experience OR
• A bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., public health, biological sciences, or social sciences) and 2 years of public health experience , OR
• A bachelor's degree in a non-relevant field and 4 years of public health experience, OR A high school diploma or GED and 8 years of public health experience
• Ability to quickly acquire detailed knowledge of diseases or public health topics relevant to the position.
• Ability to ascertain the existence of a public health threat by gathering and interpreting relevant information.
• Ability to properly interpret and communicate state regulations and public health guidance documents.
• Ability to identify appropriate indications for public health laboratory testing.
• Ability to identify appropriate interventions for prevention of diseases or public health topics.
• Ability to perform descriptive analyses of surveillance data and identify key findings.
• Ability to identify limitations of surveillance data and support evaluation of surveillance systems.
• Ability to prepare written and oral reports, presentations, and educational materials that communicate necessary information to internal and external partners
• Ability to elicit relevant information from patients in structured or unstructured telephone interviews.
• Ability to use appropriate informatics tools in support of work activities.
• Ability to provide prompt, courteous, and helpful customer service.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external partners.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to prioritize tasks efficiently to meet internal and external deadlines.
• Ability to appropriately document work activities and maintain organized records.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to design and execute epidemiologic or other relevant scientific studies.
• Competence in statistical and/or geospatial software (e.g., Epi Info, SAS, ArcGIS).
• Able to perform essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to perform descriptive analyses of surveillance data and identify key findings.
• Ability to identify limitations of surveillance data and support evaluation of surveillance systems

Difficulty of Work:

• The employee must rapidly acquire working knowledge of the disease conditions or public health topics relevant to their position.
• They must use critical thinking skills and knowledge of epidemiology to ascertain the existence of public health threats, complete risk assessments, and identify appropriate interventions.
• The employee must often exercise independent judgment to identify appropriate actions in complex situations that are not explicitly described in state regulations and public health guidance documents.
• They are expected to show initiative in independently identifying and executing process improvements and/or special projects that would benefit IDOH and Indiana residents.
• The employee will occasionally interact with members of the public who are angry or in emotional distress and is expected to remain composed and professional in these situations.

Responsibility:

• The employee is expected to complete most work activities independently.
• The supervisor provides general direction, assists with setting objectives and prioritization, reviews completed work, and provides consultation.
• The employee will receive training prior to fully assuming their work activities and will have an increased level of oversight during the first three months after being hired.
• Thereafter, the employee will meet regularly with the supervisor and with the entire program team.
• The employee is expected to consult with the supervisor on an ongoing basis in complex or unusual situations.
• 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 always protect patient confidentiality.
• 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.

Personal Work Relationship:

• The employee works closely with a variety of stakeholders, which may include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the IDOH Laboratories, 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.

Personal Work Relationships:

• Partnership with relevant public agencies, federal, state & local governments and/or community leaders may be required.
• This individual will be expected to partner with agency personnel and related stakeholders working towards completion of assigned functions. Exceptional customer service is provided to agency partners and/or the general public.

Physical Effort:

• This role requires the use limbs/fingers to easily perform manual functions. Equipment used may include the operation of complex manual and electric powered equipment or hand-tools. This role requires the ability to lift/transport items up to 50 lbs with or without the assistance of equipment.
• This role performs work in an environment where sitting for extended periods of time could be expected.
• Depending on the duties performed or environment setting, frequent walking, standing, climbing stairs or ladders, bending, stooping, pushing, pulling and/or similar movements may be involved.

Working Conditions:

• This role performs work in a standard office environment.
• This role requires occasional and/or overnight travel.