Epidemiologist II

Job Description

Lewis County is currently hiring an Epidemiologist II within their Public Health and Social Services Department. This is a full time FSLA Non-Exempt position. Preference will be given to existing Teamsters Represented employees.

Full Salary Range: Grade 123: $5,256-$7,068/mo.

HOW TO APPLY
Application materials and job description are available online at https://jobs.lewiscountywa.gov/.

DEPARTMENT / OFFICE

This is a Teamsters represented position with the Public Health & Social Services Department located at 360 NW North Street, Chehalis, WA.

POSITION SUMMARY

Under general supervision, collects, manages, analyzes, interprets, evaluates, and presents information describing the health status of specific populations and communities and researches, monitors, and evaluates projects and programs. Assists with communicable disease investigations as needed.

As an employee of the Department, in the event of an identified emergency you may be required, as a term and condition of employment, to assist in meeting the
emergency responsibilities of the Department.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Monitors, collects, evaluates, and interprets public health and demographic data; prepares and presents reports and statistical analyses on health status and trends in order to assess the health needs of the community and propose and evaluate interventions that are designed to reduce risk and improve the health of the population.
• Responds to requests for data; assists a variety of audiences with their data needs; assures compliance with state and federal regulations and ethical standards for data sharing and confidentiality.
• Compiles and analyzes data; assures validity, accuracy, and completeness of data; interprets the significance and meaning of data; performs population and domain-specific analyses using data sources to identify key health inequities and understand their root causes, to determine disease trends, and to detect possible clusters and/or outbreaks.
• Reviews regional health issues and disease trends; researches and interprets technical data and general information; researches and analyzes statistical models to resolve questions and validate data; prepares and reviews a variety of records, reports and other documents; organizes the data for presentation to Department leadership, health care providers, community groups and other entities as assigned.
• Investigates reported, suspected, and potential cases of infectious diseases.
• Updates and maintains a variety of files, records, charts and other documents; gathers, compiles and synthesizes data; maintains appropriate records and prepares reports as required.
• Coordinates public health program evaluation and planning; assists with grant applications.
• Assists Department staff and representatives from other agencies; provides training and professional assistance on technical skills and survey models; serves as a liaison between the Department and various organizations and agencies; serves on inter-agency work groups.
• Serves as a resource for public health information and recommendations to the community and healthcare providers.
• Maintains absolute confidentiality of work-related issues, personnel records and County information; complies with the confidentiality standards of the Privacy Act of 1974, {U.S.C. § 552A} as amended, and HIPAA policies and procedures.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT / PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Work is performed in an office environment and involves light physical demands and frequent use of a personal computer.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
This is the senior-professional level position in the Epidemiologist job series; incumbents work independently to manage complex assignments, and are required to maintain technical certification.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS:
Bachelor’s Degree in epidemiology, public health, biological science, mathematics, or related science field; AND three (3) year’s professional experience in public health epidemiology programs.

Must possess a valid driver’s license.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
Knowledge of:
• County policies and procedures.
• Federal, state, and county laws, codes, rules, and regulations related to environmental health.
• Data management and analysis including determining data quality and validity.
• Principles and practices of database systems, computerized data compilation techniques, and statistical and spatial models for computer analysis.
• Techniques of investigating and analyzing complex public health problems and conditions.
• Public health research protocols and statistical evaluation principles and methods.
• Surveillance program design and management.
• Infectious disease transmission patterns.
• Customer service and public relations methods and practices.
• Record keeping and file maintenance principles and procedures.

Skills in:
• Managing data, extracting data, building databases, scrubbing data, and merging data sets.
• Incorporating data from a variety of sources to create an overview of a community health issue for presentation and report.
• Conducting literature reviews and environmental scans.
• Using computerized data bases for disease monitoring and trend analysis.
• Compiling, analyzing, and presenting technical and statistical information in reports.
• Interpreting technical instructions and analyzing complex variables.
• Collecting and analyzing data, and making appropriate recommendations.
• Preparing and producing clear and concise reports, records, and case notes.
• Working with and providing services to a very diverse community.
• Assessing and prioritizing multiple tasks, projects, and demands.
• Operating a personal computer utilizing standard and specialized software.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with internal and external colleagues, partners, clients, and the public.
• Communicating very complex scientific and technical information effectively verbally and in writing

If you are looking for an exciting and rewarding profession, consider a career in public service. Join Lewis County’s workforce of dedicated public servants in helping shape the future of our growing community.

Lewis County offers the following benefits:

CORE BENEFITS:
(for Employees and family)

Medical
Dental
Vision
Life insurance
AD&D
Retirement
Long-term disability
EAP Program

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS:

Flexible Spending account
Dependent care assistance
Supplemental insurance
Deferred Compensation Program

Please see the job posting on our county website at https://jobs.lewiscountywa.gov/ for additional information on benefits and compensation.