Epidemiologist -BPH-Office of Epidemiology & Prevention Services-Kanawha

Overview

NATURE OF WORK: 1 VACANCY. KANAWHA COUNTY. Housed in the Office of Epidemiology and Prevention Services’ Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis and Tuberculosis (TB) Elimination’s STD Program, the STD Surveillance Epidemiologist will provide active surveillance and reporting to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for all STD cases among West Virginia residents. Participate in developing epidemiologic investigations using scientific and technical methods and practices to identify and evaluate STDs in high-risk populations (e.g., a person identified as having multiple sex partners, injecting drug use).

Provide training and site visits for private and public medical providers, and offer corrections and technical assistance with laboratory result interpretation for providers mandated to report STDs, applying basic public health sciences to practice. Responsible for conducting epidemiologic case investigations and surveillance to implement systems for assignment of newly identified cases to the STD field investigators statewide, including identification of data needs, implementation of CDC’s surveillance systems, reporting key findings, and supporting system evaluation.

Responsible for providing new or refined approaches and input into population-based STD investigations and public health program intervention and validation/case studies. Responsible for reviewing investigation findings to recommend measures of control and prevention based on scientifically sound resources. Provides training and technical assistance for medical lab data and record ascertainment at physician offices, hospitals, and local health departments to enforce WV law and rule mandates for reporting STD cases diagnosed among WV residents.

Develops and cultivates relationships with local health departments for training, consultation, and education about disease prevention, control, and surveillance. Attends in-state and some national STD surveillance meetings, conferences, and workshops and presents required methods for STD reporting at client-centered courses offered to health care providers who deliver such services. Located in Charleston, WV.

• Provide active surveillance and reporting to the CDC for STD cases among WV residents.
• Develop epidemiologic investigations and identify/ evaluate STDs in high-risk populations.
• Provide training and site visits for private and public medical providers; assist with laboratory result interpretation.
• Conduct epidemiologic case investigations and surveillance; implement CDC surveillance systems; report key findings; support system evaluation.
• Suggest new/refined approaches for population-based STD investigations and public health program interventions.
• Review findings to recommend control and prevention measures based on technical resources.
• Train and assist with data and record ascertainment to enforce reporting requirements; build relationships with local health departments for training and education.
• Attend in-state and national STD surveillance meetings and workshops; present methods for STD reporting.

Training: Master's degree in epidemiology, public health, biology, physical, behavioral,
natural
, or veterinary sciences from an accredited college or university.

OR
Graduation from an accredited school of nursing with state licensure and three years of full-time or equivalent part-time paid experience in conducting epidemiology.

Substitution: Bachelor's degree in biology, physical, behavioral, or natural sciences from an accredited college or university, AND two years of full-time or equivalent part-time paid experience in conducting epidemiology, including disease investigation, risk assessment or environmental epidemiology, may substitute for the required training.

• Special Hiring Rates
• $48,000.16 - Department of Health and Human Resources (SPB 2842)

"A Master's degree with a major in Mathematics OR a Bachelor's degree in mathematics and two years of full-time or equivalent part-time paid experience in conducting epidemiology, including disease investigation, risk assessment, or environmental epidemiology or conducting collection and assessment of qualitative and quantitative data for research in epidemiology and prevention services may substitute for the required training."

State employment offers a variety of benefits.  to visit the Division of Personnel's Benefits Page.