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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
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POSITION DESCRIPTION FOR JOB POSTING |
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Position Number: 00130898 |
Description Activated On: 3/9/2026 11:17:15 AM |
Position Purpose: Describe the primary purpose of this position and how it contributes to the organization’s objectives. Example: Provides clerical and office support within the Division to ensure its operations are conducted efficiently and effectively. This position, in the Bureau of Epidemiology, Division of Surveillance, supports the Bureau’s mission to protect public as a cross-cutting epidemiologist. This position will supervise masters-level epidemiology staff, contractors, and student interns in the foodborne and waterborne disease team while also providing subject-matter expertise and support for cross-cutting projects related to surveillance informatics and workforce development. This position will provide scientific and technical expertise in the analysis and interpretation of epidemiological data, design and maintenance of public health surveillance systems, and in the control of infectious community health threats. |
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Description of Duties: Describe in detail the duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Descriptions should include the major end result of the task. Example: Types correspondence, reports, and other various documents from handwritten drafts for review and signature of the supervisor. Supervises epidemiology research associates, student interns, and contractors in the foodborne and waterborne disease section of the Division of Surveillance who work on enteric disease and legionellosis surveillance and outbreak response activities. Manages a team of student interns who assist with enteric disease-related case investigations for both routine and outbreak-associated cases by assisting with hiring and onboarding, implementing best practices for tracking performance, and providing necessary training. Performs the full range of supervisory duties, including completing performance evaluations, approving/disapproving leave, effecting discipline, and making hiring decisions. Leads surveillance, identification, and investigation of suspected foodborne and waterborne outbreaks to identify etiological agents, sources, modes of transmission, and appropriate methods for prevention and control. Outbreak response may include travel to outbreak investigation sites, during single case investigations, clusters, and disease outbreaks Maintain expertise in federal surveillance systems for outbreak detection and management such as the System for Enteric Disease Response, Investigation, and Coordination (SEDRIC) and National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) data repositories. Supports the development of statewide plans, policies and procedures for epidemiology, disease control and related issues, such as managing the design and development of epidemiological database activities for assigned statewide public health programs. Reviews, develops and recommends foodborne and waterborne disease-related policies and procedures, such as foodborne or waterborne disease cluster detection procedures utilizing various surveillance data sources. Applies knowledge of regulations and policies, such as PA Code Chapter 27 related to reportable diseases to job duties. Evaluates complex analytical problems as they pertain to foodborne/waterborne disease surveillance data and outbreaks to develop and recommend solutions and best practices. Use available software including Excel, SAS, R, and ArcGIS. Uses epidemiologic surveillance data to prioritize and direct and supervise prevention activities and track progress of collaborative prevention work. Maintains knowledge of PA-NEDSS or the Pennsylvania disease surveillance system in use, as well as other statewide surveillance systems, such as syndromic surveillance systems, including content, data input, and analysis. Analyzes, summarizes, and reviews epidemiologic data, including annual disease statistics to produce reports and summaries for internal and external partners or the public. Leads projects related to workforce development by organizing meetings and conferences including the Quarterly Epidemiology Meeting. Builds team capacity for integrating novel methods into current workflows such as spatial analysis and disease forecasting. Summarizes epidemiologic data and program-specific information via webinars, written publications or guidance, and presentations to educate healthcare providers and facilities, external partners, commonwealth employees, and the public. Participates in workgroups, conference calls, conferences, etc. to enhance the foodborne and waterborne disease and informatics sections and contribute to the public health infrastructure. Participates in the writing of grants and manages grant-related administrative functions for assigned epidemiology or public health programs. Coordinates and fosters collaborative relationships with inter-Department and external partners, including county and municipal health departments, other DOH bureaus, health care providers and facilities, and Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), among others, to facilitate attainment of Department goals. Provides expert consultation to Department field staff, county/municipal health departments, and healthcare providers and facilities via phone or email to guide disease investigations, prevention and control. Work requires occasional statewide travel and irregular/flexible work hours including overnights, weekends and holidays in accordance with policy. Employee may travel using public transportation, private transportation or carpooling with other epidemiology investigation team members as assigned. Demonstrate awareness of the vulnerable populations the organization serves by identifying, providing, and advocating for resources, services, communication methods, and policies that would help those populations achieve health equity. |
Decision Making: Describe the types of decisions made by the incumbent of this position and the types of decisions referred to others. Identify the problems or issues that can be resolved at the level of this position, versus those that must be referred to the supervisor. Example: In response to a customer inquiry, this work involves researching the status of an activity and preparing a formal response for the supervisor’s signature. Supervisory Role: Position is permanently assigned direct supervision, which includes completing performance evaluations, approving/disapproving leave, effecting discipline, and making hiring decisions for direct reports. Work Decisions: Decision making occurs following careful interpretation, analysis and diagnosis. Employee is responsible for finding information to develop solutions or approaches. Employee is responsible for informing supervisor when a request is outside of the PHI or DOH guidelines or outside of the purview of the Bureau of Epidemiology. Supervisor’s Control: Position’s supervisor reviews on-going work progress after completion or if there is a problem or exception. Employee has authority to change internal procedures or approaches as needed within the accepted professional approach. Communications: Position provides technical or administrative services and coordinates activities with others outside its work unit. |
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Requirements Profile: Identify any specific experience or requirements, such as a licensure, registration, or certification, which may be necessary to perform the functions of the position. Position-specific requirements should be consistent with a Special Requirement or other criteria identified in the classification specification covering this position. Example: Experience using Java; Professional Engineer License Experience: Licenses, registrations, or certifications: 1. N/A 2. N/A 3. N/A 4. N/A 5. N/A 6. N/A |
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Essential Functions: Provide a list of essential functions for this position. Example: Transports boxes weighing up to 60 pounds.
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