CONTRACT SCOPE/OVERVIEW

This contract will cover the requirements of an Associate Epidemiology Specialist with the Department of Health (DOH), Bureau of Epidemiology, Division of Environmental Health Epidemiology, Environmental Public Health Tracking Program (EPHT).

LOCATION

The Associate Epidemiology Specialist will be expected to work remotely, with occasional travel to headquarters in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and to locations throughout Pennsylvania approximately 2–3 times per year.

SERVICE/HOURS

The Associate Epidemiology Specialist will work 37.5 hours per week. The Associate Epidemiology Specialist may follow a daily schedule of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or another scheduled work time mutually agreed upon with the PI of the project. A ½-hour (30-minute) unpaid lunch break and two 15-minute breaks will be provided to the contractor performing duties under this contract.

MANDATORY TRAINING

All contract staff are required to complete mandatory DOH training and will be required to attend environmental health training during normal daytime business hours.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

This individual will be responsible for supporting the Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) Program and collaborating with other programs within the Division. The EPHT Program is dedicated to growing environmental health capacity, strengthening surveillance, making environmental health data accessible to the public to minimize environmental exposures, and informing health interventions and policy initiatives.

The individual will also provide support, as needed, to the Pennsylvania Environmental Health Capacity (EHC) Program, the Pennsylvania Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance (PennOSHS) Program, and other ad hoc assignments. Support may include, but is not limited to, analyzing data, creating and reviewing outreach projects, coordinating with partners, and assisting with the evaluation of grant-related activities.

This position is funded under the CDC EPHT grant.

Specific duties of this position include, but are not limited to:

• Assist Epidemiologists and Epidemiology Research Associates with the analysis and dissemination of EPHT indicator data, including the development and maintenance of data dashboards.
• Support the preparation and upload of required grant metrics to the CDC.
• Develop and design environmental health educational materials, including, but not limited to, infographics, posters, fact sheets, trainings, toolkits, social media messages, newsletter articles, and reports, at the request of Environmental Health team members, who will provide the general content for these materials.
• Ensure that materials incorporate adult-learning principles, Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards, and best practices for education and graphic design. Materials should also take into account gaps identified by stakeholders and the public.
• Maintain and update Environmental Health webpages on the DOH website.
• Identify and attend community events to promote environmental health literacy and strengthen public engagement on environmental health topics.
• Facilitate communication with new and existing partners and environmental health stakeholders.
• In collaboration with other Environmental Health staff, assist in planning quarterly virtual Environmental Health Lunch & Learn events for DOH staff. Invite speakers from academia, nonprofit organizations, and other government agencies to speak on environmental health topics of interest. Propose topics for future Lunch & Learn events.
• Participate in meetings such as Tracking Subgroups, Environmental Health Advisory Group meetings, internal meetings, and other relevant meetings with the CDC.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

The DOH reserves the right to reject or remove any unqualified contract staff member who cannot perform their duties at an acceptable level in order to meet the needs of this project.

DRESS CODE

An ID must always be worn and must be clearly visible and readable, except when teleworking. The Associate Epidemiology Specialist shall dress in a manner that conveys professionalism, typically in a "business casual” style when appearing online or in person.

COMPETENCY MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES

Attend and participate in ongoing mandatory DOH training programs.

ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS

• Maintains regular communication with the supervisor and other team members.
• Interacts with colleagues and stakeholders using professional communication skills.
• Provides clear, concise, and comprehensive written work.
• Develops culturally and linguistically appropriate content and materials for presentations and messages.
• Uses appropriate imagery, vocabulary, and grammar when designing educational content.
• Engages groups during the presentation of educational content.
• Uses Microsoft Teams and Outlook to facilitate meetings.
• Interacts with colleagues in a cooperative and respectful manner to develop effective working relationships.
• Reports problems accurately through the appropriate chain of command.
• Keeps conversations free from discriminatory, abusive, or sexually harassing comments.
• Prepares and submits thorough and accurate reports in a timely manner.
• Submits incident reports and work-related injury paperwork in a timely manner.

CRITICAL THINKING

• Prioritizes work tasks to be accomplished.
• Researches and learns necessary technical information.
• Integrates technical information into work products.
• Recognizes and anticipates project needs and priorities.
• Identifies recurring problems and barriers.
• Implements practical solutions to mitigate problems and overcome barriers.
• Coordinates with multiple organizations and colleagues to accomplish common goals.
• Seeks guidance and permission when appropriate.

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

• Maintains the confidentiality of protected health information (PHI).
• Always demonstrates professional conduct and ethical behavior when working.
• Maintains a nondiscriminatory work environment.
• Abides by the Governor's Code of Conduct and DOH Personnel Regulations, policies and procedures, and Bureau of Epidemiology policies and procedures.
• Adheres to scheduled work hours or informs the supervisor of any changes to the schedule.
• Submits timesheets and travel expense reports in a timely manner.