Epidemiologist II at WELD COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES

This epidemiologist serves as a member of the Communicable Disease and Emergency Preparedness and Response team and is responsible for performing, with little or no supervision, epidemiologic studies, disease/outbreak investigations, data collection/analysis, surveillance, and program assessments. Position provides complex epidemiologic consultation to health department staff which includes analyzing and interpreting data collected during outbreaks, disease investigations, surveillance, and program evaluation. Team member evaluates and revises tools and training for data collection, management, analysis, and visualization. Provides the highest quality services and proactively prevents the spread of diseases in the community. Two or more years of professional work experience related to epidemiology and/or data analysis is required.

The ideal candidate will have two or more years’ experience in epidemiology in a public health or healthcare setting, an advanced degree in Epidemiology or Biostatistics, and a passion for communicable disease. Intermediate to advanced data analysis abilities, including SAS and Tableau, are required and previous involvement with disease data dashboards and syndromic surveillance is preferred. Strong verbal and written communication skills, the ability to effectively communicate information to a variety of audiences, working in a team environment, and being detail-oriented are central to performing well in this position. The drive to work cooperatively with multiple programs within the Health Department, manage time well when balancing multiple projects, incorporate logical thinking, and evaluate contributions to the organization are also important for success.

$74,677.55 - $94,599.29 annually plus benefits (see benefits tab on the job posting). The anticipated hiring salary is $74,677.55.

As an applicant for this position, you should be aware of Senate Bill 19-085, the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. The act requires employers to announce the pay range for job openings. This range encompasses the nine pay steps available should you receive the position and demonstrate satisfactory performance over time.

This position is exempt from the minimum wage and overtime requirements of the Fair Labor
Standards Act.

This position requires submission of both a resume and a cover letter. The cover letter should briefly outline your interest in communicable disease work.

All Candidate must apply on the Weld County Government site at 

https://www.weldgov.com/Government/County-Information/Join-Our-Team

The following job duties are established to outline the basic duties and responsibilities of the above captioned position. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

Case Investigation and Outbreak Response (35%):
• Investigate communicable disease to determine risk factors, causes, sources, and modes of transmission.
• Identify and analyze public health issues related to enteric, zoonotic, vector-borne, and vaccine- preventable diseases.
• Use expertise in epidemiology to solve diverse and often complex human health problems affecting a range of clients.
• Design, manipulate, and use databases for analysis of health problems to assess the potential public health impact. Databases may include the Colorado Electronic Disease Reporting System (CEDRS), EpiTrax, BioSense ESSENCE, CORHIO, and other electronic medical records.
• Apply epidemiologic expertise to complex public health issues, with an understanding of the appropriate cultural/social/political framework, as well as the ethical/legal issues related to epidemiologic data collection, dissemination, and use.
• Oversee and ensure timely and accurate data input and utilization of electronic health records and/or state or local data reporting systems.
• Manage surveillance systems for diseases and conditions of public health importance.
• Combine the use of memory and pattern recognition to identify complex problems and develop actions/solutions based on these observations.

Data Analysis (25%):
• Initiate and conduct advanced analysis and reporting on communicable diseases, public health issues, and program evaluation.
• Identify program surveillance data needs, design instruments for the collection of surveillance information and data, and implement new, or revises existing, surveillance systems.
• Perform statistical analyses related to complex analytical investigations involving highly specialized scientific data.
• Develop and maintain computerized record management systems to record, store, and process data for reports. Prepare reports to inform management of the program status and disease rates in the community.
• Review and analyze data to aid planning and to improve services to the community.
• Oversee the design and use of databases for analysis of public health problems including creating and maintaining communicable disease data dashboards.
• Enter data into several different computer programs; learn and apply new computer skills on a regular basis; and maintain a strong working knowledge of computer programs used daily such as electronic health records, program specific software applications, SAS, Tableau, ArcGIS, Microsoft Windows, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Write routine reports and correspondence and communicate effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Communication and Outreach (15%):
• Communicate research findings on various types of communicable diseases and health issues to health practitioners, policy makers, and the public.
• Present data and facts without incorporating judgement or personal biases into the interpretation.
• Use exceptional customer service skills to respond to community needs, enhance public relations, coordinate activities, and represent the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment in order to promote and maintain a positive public health image and foster pride and professionalism in the workplace and community.
• Interpret a variety of instructions provided in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Read and comprehend information and ideas presented in written form including all forms of correspondence, instructions, procedure manuals, departmental policies, safety rules, operating manuals, and maintenance instructions.
• Communicate information and ideas in writing with a thorough knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, punctuation, and grammar.
• Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences; give full attention to what other people are saying, take time to understand the points being made; ask questions as appropriate; and not interrupt at inappropriate times.
• Speak clearly and communicates information and ideas verbally so others will understand, identify and understand the speech of another person, and competently responds to questions in one-on-one and small-group situations to a variety of audiences, such as managers, colleagues, customers, clients, and the public. Appropriately tailor messages to meet the needs of the audience.
• Work well in a team environment; work with a diverse group of people; establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, professionals, other departments, agencies, and the public; and brings others together to reconcile differences.
• Awareness of others’ reactions and understand why they react as they do. Adjust actions in relation to others’ actions.
• Select and use training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
• Listen to constructive criticism from coworkers and supervisors and then use this information to improve performance.
• Take responsibility for your actions and performance.

Job Knowledge and Application (15%):
• Conduct literature reviews on a variety of health topics and read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Acquire and retain knowledge of various policies, procedures, rules, and regulations related to numerous local, State, and Federal programs managed at the Health Department.
• Recognize when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It may not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Identify complex problems and review related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions; apply common sense to problem solving in a work environment; apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense; deal with
problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations; solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; and combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
• Proactively review the CSTE and CDC Applied Epidemiology Competencies (AECs) and work towards improving domains applicable to one’s interests and job duties.
• Understand the implications of new information for both current and future problem solving and decision-making situations. Remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
• Increase job knowledge through trainings and education related to program responsibilities.
• Use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative
solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
• Consider the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Identify measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
• Ability and willingness to proactively look for ways to help people.

Administrative (5%):
• Participate in writing grants and other funding proposals.
• Participate in program evaluation, conduct literature reviews, design methods, and analyze
data to evaluate program progress and effectiveness.
• Work the scheduled hours each day/week established for this position and be available
when needed outside of normal operating hours to assist with public health emergency
responses or community outreach events.
• Commute and work from all Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment
locations including the Greeley and Southwest Weld offices and other locations as needed.
• May train or mentor other co-workers and staff.
• Responsibly manage one’s own time and is respectful of the time of others.

Other Duties as Assigned (5%):
• Follow policies and procedures, the Weld County Code of Conduct, and adheres to strict
confidentiality guidelines including HIPAA and appropriate release of information outlined
in both.
• Adapt to a fast-paced, high-volume, and ever-changing work environment and handle high stress
situations professionally.
• Concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
• Maintain professional conduct and adhere to the Public Health Code of Ethics.
• Assist with public health emergency preparedness disaster epidemiology duties.
• Not all duties mentioned may be applicable to every position, and the examples provided do
not encompass all possible duties that may exist within this job classification.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a physical, biological, or social
science AND;
• Master of Public Health or Master of Science degree from an accredited college or university
in epidemiology or biostatics AND;
• 2 years’ experience.
• Experience using advanced statistical analysis programs such as SAS, R, or STATA to analyze
data.
• Must have and maintain a valid Colorado driver’s license and use of personal, insured
vehicle. Dependable transportation and auto insurance, maintained at all times as required
by State law.
• Candidate must pass a background check.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Experience using data visualization software such as Tableau and ArcGIS.
• Understanding of and experience with syndromic surveillance.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
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 stand, talk, and
hear.
• The employee frequently is required to walk or sit for long periods of time; use hands and
fingers to handle or feel objects, tools, controls, or equipment; and reach with hands and
arms.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include visual acuity according to Colorado
driver's license requirements, including close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral
vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus such as that utilized when using a
computer or reading.
• The employee is occasionally required to sit, stoop, kneel, and crouch.
• The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 20 pounds and occasionally lift or
move 50 lbs.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Workstation locations may change based on the needs of the agency.
• Hours of work are typically Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. However, work
outside of those hours and on the weekend may be required.

All Candidate must apply on the Weld County Government site at 

https://www.weldgov.com/Government/County-Information/Join-Our-Team