IRID Epidemiologist II

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS • Austin, TX

8d • Hybrid

About The Position

With direction from the Invasive and Respiratory Infectious Disease (IRID) Epidemiologist III, performs advanced (senior level) epidemiological work in the Emerging and Acute Infectious Disease Unit related to invasive and respiratory infectious disease conditions. Collects, analyzes, interprets, and distributes epidemiological data on invasive and respiratory infectious diseases including outbreaks in Texas. Prepares public health information, training materials, and investigative tools for IRID disease surveillance and investigation. 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 invasive and respiratory infectious disease and assists these partners in any invasive and respiratory illness outbreak investigations. Works under limited supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited 4-year college or university with major coursework in epidemiology, infectious diseases, biostatistics or related field and 3 years of full-time work experience in epidemiology or public health
• OR
• A Master of Public Health degree from a U.S. accredited college or university or a foreign degree determined to be equivalent by an acceptable education evaluator with a focus on epidemiology or analysis and assessment and 1 year of full-time work experience in epidemiology or public health
• OR
• A doctoral-level degree in epidemiology or public health
• OR
• Other non-epidemiology graduate degree in a health-related field (e.g., RN, MD/DO, DDS/DMD, DVM, PhD, MS) with 1 year (or equivalent) of full-time epidemiological or public health experience
• Knowledge of the principles and methods of epidemiology and related biostatistics
• Knowledge of infectious diseases, especially invasive and respiratory infectious diseases
• Knowledge of infectious disease surveillance
• Knowledge of microbiological laboratory procedures including antigen testing, PCR, culture
• Skill in the use of Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Access, and statistical software, such as R, SAS, Tableau, ArcGIS, and others
• Skill in the use of National Electronic Disease Surveillance System and Labware or similar electronic interfaces
• 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 invasive and respiratory 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

Responsibilities

• Participates in invasive and respiratory infectious disease (IRID) outbreak investigations, such as legionellosis outbreaks 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, SAS, R, Tableau, ArcGIS, and others.
• Assists local and regional health departments in developing and carrying out environmental sampling plans as needed.
• Assists in the development and carrying out of facility and environmental assessments.
• Monitors the statewide surveillance system for case reports on select invasive and respiratory infectious disease 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 annual data cleanup in the system.
• Assists in establishing and implementing activities to improve surveillance for invasive and respiratory illnesses.
• As assigned, serves as the Unit on-call epidemiologist.
• 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 invasive and respiratory illness.
• Recommends measures for prevention and control of invasive and respiratory infectious disease illness.
• Working with Unit 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 invasive and respiratory illnesses such as legionellosis.
• Coordinates the establishment and implementation of activities to improve outbreak response.
• Prepares reports and graphs of surveillance and investigation data using Power Point, Excel, Access, SAS, R, Tableau, ArcGIS, NEDSS, and other platforms.
• Disseminates data reports to internal and external partners.
• Prepares 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.
• Assists in the development of disease risk assessment surveys.
• Provides telephonic and electronic technical consultations to public health professionals, health care providers, and the general public on the epidemiology of invasive and respiratory illnesses and its prevention and control.
• Prepares invasive and respiratory infectious disease data for posting to the internet.
• Reviews scientific literature as appropriate.
• 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.

Benefits

• DSHS offers insurance coverage and other benefits available through the State of Texas Group Benefits Plan administered by the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level