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VISION
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Washtenaw County Health Department envisions a healthy community where every resident has the opportunity to achieve optimal health and well-being.
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GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR HEALTH EQUITY
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Washtenaw County Health Department is committed to working with community members and partners to address the factors that influence health, including employment, education, housing, neighborhood, public safety, food access, air and drinking water quality, and health care. Our work toward health equity and social justice will be guided by the following principles:
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We value all people equally
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We promote the improvement of living conditions in which community members are born, grow, reside, work, play, learn and age.
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We strengthen partnerships with community members that aid in community empowerment through community capacity building, organizing, and mobilizing.
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We name racism and other -isms as a barrier to health equity and social justice.
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JOB SUMMARY
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Under general supervision of a higher-classified employee, serves as a professional lead worker, coordinating epidemiological surveillance, analysis, outbreak control and prevention activities for a designated unit within the department. Performs complex and sensitive professional public health analyses and interventions related to departmental and divisional operations and priorities.
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The purpose of this position is to initiate, lead and support epidemiologic investigations used in the prevention and control of communicable or chronic diseases, injuries, and other health conditions and in the planning of health programs. Investigations are designed to identify, analyze, and report public health issues and problems, resulting in improved monitoring of health status, identification of trends or outbreaks of diseases or other adverse health events, provision of data and information about corrective actions or programs to alleviate adverse health effects, and proposal of practices or policies based on data that will promote and protect public health.
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DEPARTMENT-WIDE CORE COMPETENCIES
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Applies ethical principles in accessing, collecting, analyzing, using, maintaining, and disseminating data and information.
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Contributes to implementation of organizational strategic plan.
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Communicates in writing and orally with linguistic and cultural proficiency (e.g., using age-appropriate materials, incorporating images).
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Describes the concept of diversity as it applies to individuals and populations (e.g., language, culture, values, socioeconomic status, geography, education, race, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, profession, religious affiliation, mental and physical abilities, historical experiences)
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Collaborates with community partners to improve health in a community (e.g., participates in committees, shares data and information, connects people to resources)
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Describes how public health sciences (e.g., biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health sciences, health services administration, social and behavioral sciences, and public health informatics) are used in the delivery of the 10 Essential Public Health Services
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Adheres to organizational policies and procedures
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Incorporates ethical standards of practice (e.g., Public Health Code of Ethics) into all interactions with individuals, organizations, and communities
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The above statements are intended to provide general guiding competencies and are not an exhaustive list.
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EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
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Essential Duties:
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Leads and provides case oversight and coordination for disease surveillance, investigation and outbreak prevention and control. Provides guidance to public health staff including nursing, health education, and epidemiology staff. Requires independent judgment, attention to detail, and strong communication skills.
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Coordinates with Epidemiology Program Manager and Medical Director in providing disease updates, and planning disease investigation, prevention and control activities.
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Coordinates disease control activities as needed with Environmental Health particularly in the areas of foodborne and zoonotic illnesses.
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Develops and implements protocols for human, animal, and environmental specimen collection and laboratory test interpretation in disease investigations, ensuring compliance with procedures to prevent contamination of specimens and maintain compliance with MIOSHA standards for health and safety.
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Provides scientific advice and technical assistance to communities and outside partners with respect to surveillance and other epidemiologic data and evaluation expertise. Effective advice and assistance requires the application of program and 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.
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Consults on technical problems where solutions may not conform to established protocols and may require the modification of approaches or applications in a specialty area. Provides epidemiologic advice and assistance in the resolution of technical issues that include significant barriers to program or project delivery.
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Active lead in incident command system for emergency preparedness during public health emergency operations.
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Designs, develops, and administers surveys and other instruments to obtain epidemiologic data.
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Performs statistical analyses related to complex analytical investigations involving highly specialized scientific data. In addition to using known techniques for analyzing epidemiologic investigation data, adapts or combines a variety of existing statistical methods to fulfill specific project needs. Selects appropriate methods of statistical and quantitative analysis to identify demographic, geographic, cultural, and other variables linked to the incidence of communicable and chronic diseases; to identify sources of exposure, disease transmission and risk factors; and to predict the probability of future occurrences of disease.
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Provides subject matter expertise for, and speaks to the media, on epidemiologic issues and disease investigations, applying principles of risk communication.
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Leads epidemiological surveillance for assigned areas which may include communicable and chronic diseases, reproductive health, child health, and injuries (unintentional and intentional).
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Engages in epidemiology strategic planning for the department.
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Participates in performance management and continuous quality improvement to provide and receive feedback on surveillance and disease control activities.
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Maintains epidemiological databases for Health Department.
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Assures timely disease reporting to Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). Prepares reports for MDHHS using local data and prepares reports from state data for local use.
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Manages epidemiology projects and research conducted with academic partners and students.
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Participates in the development of programs and strategies to prevent communicable and chronic diseases in the general public and among high-risk populations.
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Develops and prepares acute and chronic disease information for at-risk and general audiences. Contributes to data briefs and other publications as needed.
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Presents to the Board of Health, professional and community groups on population health, disease control and general epidemiological related matters.
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Provides liaison and staff support to a variety of committees and community groups.
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Important Duties
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Operates standard office equipment, including a computer terminal. May be required to drive a county vehicle or own vehicle to various work sites.
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Performs related work as assigned.
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The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by personnel so classified.
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EMPLOYMENT QUALIFICATIONS
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Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
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Extensive knowledge of public health, epidemiology, biostatistics, data management, and infectious disease epidemiology.
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Strong foundation in the etiology of communicable and chronic diseases.
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Understands standard disease and infection control practices.
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Versed in medical terminology, clinical laboratory practices and test interpretation and specimen collection and HIPAA.
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Strong skills in applied statistics and quantitative analysis, and the ability to interpret, apply, and explain complex concepts, health issues, or interventions, including data, laws, policies and regulations with diverse audiences.
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Ability to use specialized computer applications related to the work, including statistical software. Must be familiar with data management including data quality and validity.
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Knowledge of applicable State and Local standards, requirements, and guidelines.
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Basic administrative and case management principles.
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Ability to perform detailed and complex research using analytic techniques.
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Training others in work procedures.
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Understands budgetary principles and practices and has capacity to manage day-to-day project spending.
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Ability to organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and follow up on work with minimal supervision.
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Uses tact, discretion, initiative, and independent judgment within established guidelines.
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Capacity to prepare clear, concise, and effective correspondence and other written materials.
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Organizing and maintaining accurate files and records.
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Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within the department, among partners, and the community.
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LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS
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Possession of valid Michigan vehicle operator¿s license. Availability of a vehicle.
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PHYSICAL DEMANDS
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Duties require sufficient mobility to work in a normal office setting and community environments where staff are assigned, and use standard office equipment including a computer, vision to read printed materials and a computer screen and hearing and speech sufficient to communicate in person or over the telephone. Duties may require handling of blood borne pathogens and other potentially infectious materials.
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These requirements may be accommodated for otherwise qualified individuals requiring and requesting such accommodations.
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EDUCATION
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Possession of a Master of Public Health Degree in Epidemiology or equivalent graduate degree.
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EXPERIENCE
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Two (2) to three (3) years of experience working in epidemiology. Experience in communicable disease and/or population health preferred. Additional experience in health care or health research desirable.
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This class description intends to identify the major duties and requirements of the job and should not be interpreted as all inclusive. Incumbents may be requested to perform job-related duties other than those outlined above and may be required to specific job-related knowledge for successful job performance.
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FILING DEADLINE: 10/17/23
CONTROL NUMBER: 2310-5000-2207-0001
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
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