03/29/2010 34510

DIRECTOR, BUREAU OF EPIDEMIOLOGY

DEFINITION: This is highly responsible managerial, scientific and administrative work directing the development and implementation of statewide epidemiology programs and operations in the Bureau of Epidemiology, Department of Health.

The employee in this job serves as the State Epidemiologist and is responsible for ensuring that epidemiologic programs and services are integrated within the overall mission of the Department. Work involves establishing, implementing and coordinating clinical and administrative standards, policies, procedures and plans for statewide programs related to epidemiology and disease control. The employee serves as principal advisor to the Secretary of Health and other high-level decision-makers on the development and administration of the statewide epidemiology and disease control program. Work involves directing, preparing, formulating and publicly advocating for substantive program policy related to epidemiology and disease control, and recommending changes when necessary. The employee provides consultative technical expertise and advisory services and provides policy direction to agency personnel, other state agencies, federal program officials, public and private organizations and the public for the purpose of program planning; recommends program changes in accordance with federal, state or local rules and regulations; explains, clarifies or advocates program needs or intentions; and reviews and implements proposed legislation to determine its impact on epidemiology and disease control program delivery. Supervision is exercised over Epidemiologist Managers and other managerial,
supervisory, professional, technical and clerical personnel. Work is assigned in the form of broad program goals and objectives and is performed with a high degree of independence. Work is reviewed through reports and conferences by an administrative superior for effectiveness of results.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: Directs, through subordinate Epidemiologist Managers and other professional managerial and supervisory personnel, a multi-faceted public health surveillance and assessment program involving infectious disease epidemiology, environmental health epidemiology, community epidemiology and other related programs.

Advises the Secretary of Health, the Deputy Secretary for Health Planning and Assessment and other Deputy Secretaries regarding regional disease distributions and containment and control measures as related to public health programs.

Advises the Secretary of Health and other high-level agency decision- makers on the development and administration of the statewide epidemiology and disease control program.

Assists other Department programs and state agencies in the development of programs for the prevention, detection, control and treatment of infectious and chronic diseases.

Establishes and implements statewide policies, procedures, priorities and plans relating to epidemiology and disease control, and integrates them into the Departmental mission.

Recommends program and policy changes in accordance with federal, state and local rules and regulations.

Establishes and maintains contact with high-level agency personnel, other state agencies, federal program specialists, public and private organizations, and the public for program planning and development.

Explains, clarifies or advocates program needs and intentions.

Promotes public interest in and utilization of public health services by speaking before interested lay and professional groups.

Establishes epidemiological program goals, standards of performance and methods of program implementation for use by field offices in carrying out the mandates of the program.

Directs, plans and administers a statewide epidemiology program designed to collect occurrence information, monitor, investigate, and control acute infectious diseases including planning and preparedness, reporting and surveillance, and investigation.

Directs, plans and administers a statewide epidemiology surveillance system for identifying cases of disease and validating case reporting.

Develops regular reports concerning the course of diseases and provides technical expertise on the interpretation of epidemiological information.

Directs, plans and administers a statewide epidemiology program designed to perform environmental health surveillance and monitoring activities related to the health effects of specific human exposure to environmental hazards including occupational health and toxicology.

Directs the investigation and study of chronic diseases, injuries, and family health issues.

Reviews and comments on legislation and defines the need for legislation in specific epidemiology and disease control services.

Evaluates epidemiology program effectiveness to determine if client populations are adequately served.

Directs Bureau budgeting, personnel, grants and other administrative activities.

Directs the collection, analysis and interpretation of public health statistics and reviews and analyzes public health program statistics to determine the effect on Bureau activities.

Prepares and submits monthly and annual reports of program activities.

Performs the full range of supervisory duties.

The employee in this job may participate in the performance of subordinates’ work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

Performs related work as required.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of the theory, principles, practices, current developments and techniques in programs devoted to infectious disease epidemiology, environmental health epidemiology, community epidemiology, and other related fields.

Knowledge of the principles and practices of preventive medicine.

Knowledge of the principles of effective supervision.

Knowledge of the principles and practices of public administration.

Knowledge of the epidemiology of the more commonly occurring diseases and major plagues of the world.

Knowledge of medical jurisprudence, including public health laws and regulations.

Knowledge of the statistical processes and methods applied to the analysis of biological data.

Knowledge of federal, state and local agencies, programs, resources, funding sources, rules and regulations that affect the delivery of epidemiology and disease control services.

Ability to interpret public health statistics in relation to epidemiology and disease control programs.

Ability to analyze and interpret study findings.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Ability to communicate effectively orally.

Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: One year as an Epidemiologist Manager (Commonwealth of PA job title);

or

Two years as an Epidemiologist Supervisor (Commonwealth of PA job title);

or

Possession of a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree; or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in epidemiology; or Doctoral degree in Medicine (MD), Osteopathy (DO), Dental Surgery/Medicine (DDS/DDM/DMD), or Veterinary Medicine (DVM); or Doctor of Philosphy (PhD) degree in a biological science such as biology, genetics, nursing or virology and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree or Master of Science (MS) degree in epidemiology; AND five years of professional experience investigating disease outbreaks or clusters, designing and conducting epidemiologic studies, or designing and maintaining a disease surveillance system, two years of which must be supervisory.