Epidemiologist/Disease Investigation Specialist Lead

Summary: Serves as the lead professional in studying how health, disease and illness are distributed across populations and communities in the county. The public health Epidemiologist tracks determinants of health and applies analytic results to prevention and control of health problems. They conduct ongoing and systematic assessment of the health of the community, including timely collection, analysis, interpretation, dissemination, and use of health-related data. This position works primarily in an "applied epidemiology" space, which is the practice that translates data into action and policy. They perform related duties as required, work as part of a team and independently, and may serve as the surveillance lead for specific priority areas. They contribute an epidemiologic perspective to advancing overall Departmental and divisional goals. Promotes individual and population health by leading public health informatics and quality improvement initiatives across all divisions and programs in the Department.Conducts investigations used in preventing and controlling specific communicable and chronic diseases, injuries, and other health conditions and in planning health programs. They research areas such as life-threatening diseases that are considered infectious or medical conditions that have occurred as a result of exposure to environmental pollutants. Supports the organization's vision in all programs and activities. They serve as the Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS) Program Lead and in collaboration with the Clinic Director are responsible for the overall management of the DIS team. They perform assignments of daily caseloads to DIS staff, conducting case investigations, monitoring of case investigation progress, and submits periodic progress reports on case progress and completion.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Facilitates and implements Departmental public health informatics initiatives
• Assist with communicable disease investigations and outbreaks. Assists with onsite review of facilities and procedures; interviewing patients, health-care providers, and others involved. Assist in collecting of data from local agencies and/or other health entities.
• Establishes scientific and technical methods and practices to identify and evaluate a wide range of health conditions within an assigned program area to recognize public health problems pertinent to the population and determine feasibility of and approach to epidemiologic investigations
• Performs analyses by using statistical techniques commonly employed in epidemiologic evaluations to interpret and analyze data; creates visual presentations of findings
• Identifies surveillance data needs, implements new or revises existing surveillance systems, reports key findings from the surveillance system and supports evaluation of surveillance systems
• Participates in the design and application of the community health improvement strategies with a particular emphasis on developing and implementing evaluation of specific, measurable action plans in partnership with public and private organizations
• Participates with community health partners in the development and implementation of public health data sharing
• Conducts literature reviews and assists in preparing reports from analyses of surveillance data, literature reviews, and other information. Follows direction from senior scientists and integrates other perspectives
• Public Health Preparedness: work with the Emergency Preparedness manager to plan program related public health preparedness drills, exercises, meetings, and other activities to include expanding the county's closed POD plan and MRC program
• Collect and track data for the strategic plan, CHIP, Performance Management Dashboard, QI, and QA projects
• Provides technical assistance to divisions, programs, and teams regarding public health informatics, data collection processes, information technology applications, and computer systems storage/retrieval
• Delivers targeted, culturally appropriate information to help individuals and groups understand health promotion and disease prevention information, policies, regulations, and local code.
• Assist with communicable disease investigations and outbreaks. Assists with onsite review of facilities and procedures; interviewing patients, health-care providers, and others involved. Assist in collecting data from local agencies and/or other health entities.
• Trains, guides, and lead DIS staff and ensures the program meets its outlined goals and objectives.
• Assigns daily caseloads to DIS staff
• Monitors DIS case investigation progress, documentation accuracy, and timely case completions/closures; submission of periodic progress reports on case progress and completion
• Utilizes appropriate methods for interacting effectively and professionally with persons of all ages and from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, and ethnic, sexual orientations, lifestyles, and physical abilities
• Participates in development, implementation and/or evaluation of the Department's strategic plan and/or Community Health Improvement Plan
• Participates on internal and external committees and workgroups related to areas of expertise.
• Makes oral presentations to diverse audiences, both scientific and nonscientific
• Participate in ongoing efforts to maintain agency accreditation status
• Participates in writing grants and other funding proposals
• Perform all other duties as assigned

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Possess a SupervisoryRolerelatedtodailyfunctions of the DIS program; coordinates the caseload and provides supervision/troubleshooting in the investigation process. Responsible for assigning, directing, and evaluating the DIS work completed by the DIS staff. Participates in Clinic meetings to discuss program status/updates and address issues, concerns, and suggestions for the DIS program. Train, guide, and lead employees in the DIS program and ensure the program meets its outlined objectives/goals.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Special Requirements:

• Must abide by all Departmental policies as presented in the Personnel Policy Handbook, and by all agency and Division procedures
• Must maintain required agency, grant, and programmatic training courses outlined in the New Employee Orientation and Onboarding Handbook and the Workforce Development Plan, including but not limited to HIPAA, ICS, and CPR
• All Tazewell County Health Department employees have an emergency response role and may be expected to respond to threats to the public's health which may include longer shifts, nights, weekends and to perform the duties associated with the roll assigned.
• Must maintain confidential or privileged information, adhere to client privacy laws, and utilize sound judgment and caution in communications with individuals inside and outside the Department

• Must have reliable transportation

• Must be available for occasional evening and weekend events

• Ability to research and quickly disseminate relevant, emerging, and existing evidence-base practices and models
• Ability to maintain a high level of accuracy in preparing and entering information
• Superior writing skills in terms of analysis, content, and mechanics
• Demonstrated interest and strong understanding of current and emerging public health issues

Education and/or Experience:

Master's degree in public health (MPH) or a Master of Science degree in public health (MSPH) with a focus on epidemiology or analysis and assessment or a Bachelor's or other non-epidemiology professional degree or certification (e.g., RN, MD/DO, DDS/DMD, DVM, PhD, RS) without formal academic epidemiology training and with 2 or more years experience performing epidemiology work under the guidance of a senior epidemiologist required

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

Current driver's license

Current auto insurance

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of the core functions and essential services of public health
• Knowledge of data collection, analysis, and interpretation techniques
• Knowledge and ability to use a variety of computerized data management systems
• Thorough knowledge of communicable disease code, laws, rules, and procedures
• Thorough knowledge of electronic medical record systems and disease surveillance systems
• Knowledge of emergency preparedness - at home, work and in the community.
• Knowledge of incident command structure and its use.

Language Skills:

Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, media, clients, customers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills:

Ability to interact and communicate professionally with co-workers and the public. Ability to read, write, and comprehend instructions, correspondence, and agency procedures using proper English. Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Apply principles of good ethical/legal practice as they relate to study design and data collection.

Computer Skills:

Ability to utilize basic PC hardware and software, Windows OS, email systems and operations. Ability to utilize cybersecurity skills to identify and mitigate cyber threats and recognize potential attacks like phishing. Understand security protocols and know how to respond appropriately to security incidents.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands to handle or feel. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee's office work is conducted in the office buildings located at 21306 IL Route 9, Tremont IL and 1800 Broadway Street, Pekin IL, as well as other assigned locations within Tazewell County. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to the risk of electric shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The employee may work indoors in an office setting. The employee may work outdoors and require the ability to climb stairs or traverse varying types of terrain. The employee may need the ability to work productively in an environment where noise levels could be distracting at times. The employee may need the ability to work with a high level of accuracy with frequent interruptions. The employee will need to work in a professional manner with fellow employees and members of the public. The employee will need to work within teams or workgroups on Department related projects and initiatives.

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this classification. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to perform this job.

Tazewell County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

EOE – race/color/religion/sex/Sexual orientation/gender identity/national origin/disability