Job Description:

The Epidemiologist (Outbreak Investigations Team) works on the California Department of Public Health COVID-19 Community and Workplace Outbreak Investigation Team (hereafter referred to as Outbreak Team) to provide epidemiologic expertise and analysis of COVID-19 outbreaks investigated by the Outbreak Team. The work of the Epidemiologist is under the supervision of the Senior Epidemiologist Supervisor/Outbreak Team Lead. Other Outbreak Team members include clinicians, epidemiologists, and administrative staff.  

The Outbreak Team assists and guides California local health departments (LHDs) with community and workplace COVID-19 outbreak response and prevention, particularly for severe or unusual outbreaks that are beyond the capacity of the LHDs. In California, COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred in many non-healthcare settings including federal and state prisons, jails, homeless shelters, churches, schools, universities, and food processing plants. Investigation of these outbreaks requires coordination with local, state, and federal agencies as well as employers, administrators, medical executives, and labor unions.  

This position is a senior epidemiologist who will play a key role in building and maintaining a data management system for tracking COVID-19 outbreaks investigated by the Outbreak Team. The Epidemiologist will collaborate within the team to ensure that basic control measures are implemented rapidly for these complex outbreaks. The Epidemiologist will also design and conduct complex analyses that contribute to the understanding of the risks for COVID-19 outbreaks in congregate settings and workplaces. The analyses will provide the science base for developing and updating guidance to prevent future outbreaks in congregate or workplace settings.  The Epidemiologist may offer technical expertise regarding outbreak response to epidemiologists in other teams within CDPH, LHDs, or other state departments, including California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS). The Epidemiologist will assist in outbreak investigations with the interpretation of case and outbreak data, identification of risk factors, and the development of preventive measures based on the analysis of outbreak data. Depending on the workload of the Outbreak Team and Team Lead, the Epidemiologist may be designated as lead of an outbreak investigation, if needed.

The Outbreak Team functions within an incident command structure (ICS) as part of the broader CDPH Data, Investigations, Surveillance, Clinical, and Outbreak Response (DISCO) team. The Team interacts with other sub-teams within DISCO to provide technical assistance, collaborate on outbreaks, and share information. Common DISCO partners include the Epidemiology Team, the Clinical Team, Occupational Health Branch, Healthcare Associated Infections Program, and the Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Laboratory (VRDL). The Outbreak Team also provides consultations to other state departments, including California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS), and the Department of State Hospitals (DSH).

Most work done by the Epidemiologist will occur during standard business hours. However, as the nature of the pandemic is ever-changing, issues occasionally arise after-hours or over the weekend that need to be addressed in real-time.

Applicants must submit a cover letter that addresses their interest in and suitability for this position and curriculum vitae to be considered.

 

Must be able to work flexible hours, outside of normal business hours, including weekends. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Contribute to structuring a mechanism to compile outbreak data to identify specific severe or unusual outbreaks for in-depth investigation.


• Create visual aids, such as dashboards with outbreak data.


• Coordinate with LHDs, state agencies (e.g., Cal/OSHA), other state departments (e.g., California Correctional Health Care Services), federal agencies (e.g., Federal Bureau of Prisons), facility administrators (e.g., wardens), and employers.


• Respond to data-related inquiries and provide epidemiologic subject matter expertise, as needed.


• Query, mine, analyze, and manipulate structured and unstructured data.


• Prepare reports.


• Interact with internal and external stakeholders to support ongoing COVID-19 investigations.


• Respond to media inquiries related to ongoing outbreaks and/or data.


• Participate in other asks of the Team, such as drafting and updating guidelines based on epidemiologic findings, collaborating with other outbreak investigation teams within CDPH, in other state departments, and in LHDs.


• If requested, assist in Team leadership or in other roles of Team supervisor.


• As time allows, the Epidemiologist will collaborate with members of the Occupational Health Branch’s COVID-19 Epidemiology Team, which may include special projects on the burden of COVID-19 on particular segments of the workforce and work-related risk factors for COVID-19.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

• Strong knowledge of epidemiology and data analytic methods.


• Experience in reviewing and interpreting data results, trends, and comparisons.


• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with public health staff and healthcare professionals and other partners.


• Ability to follow all applicable requirements for protection of health information.


• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.


• Ability to prioritize, delegate, and manage multiple tasks.


• Demonstrate reliability, integrity, and ability to work in rapidly changing environment.


• Fluency in spoken English is required.

Education/Experience

• Master’s degree in public health, required.


• Doctoral degree in epidemiology, public health, or other closely related field, preferred.


• Experience in outbreak investigations, preferred.


• Strong knowledge of epidemiologic methods, required.


• Experience in managing or overseeing complex projects, required.


• Knowledge and use of Statistical Analysis Software (SAS) or R, preferred.

Other Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Knowledge of and skilled in the use of Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, and Power Point.


• Must be able to work flexible hours, outside of normal business hours, including weekends.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Stand: Occasionally

Walk: Occasionally

Sit: Frequently

Handling / Fingering: Occasionally

Reach Outward: Not applicable

Reach Above Shoulder: Not applicable

Climb, Crawl, Kneel, Bend: Not applicable

Lift / Carry: Not applicable

Push/Pull: Not applicable

See: Constantly

Taste/ Smell: Not Applicable

Not Applicable = Not required for essential functions

Occasionally = (0 - 2 hrs/day)

Frequently = (2 - 5 hrs/day)

Constantly = (5+ hrs/day)

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Rare travel to other settings.

Remote position.  Must have active Wi-Fi/internet access. There is no reimbursement for Wi-Fi/internet access.

 

EEOC STATEMENT

It is the policy of Heluna Health to provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

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