STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Epidemiologist 2 (Infectious/Chronic Diseases) (35 Hour)

Recruitment #220505-0287HC-001

Introduction

The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health (DPH) is hiring! We are seeking a qualified individual for the position of Epidemiologist 2 to work within the Food Protection Program (FPP) within the DPH’s Environmental Health and Drinking Water (EHDW) Branch. 

The EHDW oversees activities related to drinking water supply purity and adequacy, food protection, private wells, subsurface sewage disposal, lead, radon, asbestos and over 15 environmental licensing and certification categories. The FPP trains and certifies approximately 350 local food inspectors who are responsible for conducting regulatory inspections of retail food establishments in Connecticut. Program staff conduct environmental investigations in response to foodborne outbreaks and work closely with the DPH Laboratory and Infectious Diseases Program, local health departments, and federal partners at the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the United States Department of Agriculture to identify contributing factors to foodborne disease and implement controls to reduce future risk. The selected candidate will perform a variety of epidemiological functions related to food protection and reducing the risk of foodborne disease, including training and standardizing inspectors as part of the certification process.  

Under the direct supervision of a leadership position within the FPP, this position will be responsible for duties that will include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Act as a liaison between involved parties during a foodborne disease outbreak
  2. Assist in overseeing the FPP’s approach to implementing and monitoring risk reduction activities
  3. Evaluating risk factor violation frequencies from a statewide perspective
  4. Training and certifying local food inspectors to implement risk reduction inspection methods
  5. Conduct foodborne outbreak investigations
  6. Collect and evaluate foodborne outbreak and illness data 
  7. Develop strategies for conformance with the FDA Food Program Standards
  8. Assist with applying for and overseeing new grant opportunities
The Mission of the Department of Public Health (DPH) is to protect and improve the health and safety of the people of Connecticut by assuring the conditions in which people can be healthy, preventing disease, injury, and disability, and promoting the equal enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, which is a human right and a priority of the state.
DPH accomplishes this through the implementation of its Strategic Plan which outlines the actions that DPH is taking to accomplish its Mission.

This Epidemiologist 2 position is a permanent, full-time, 35 hours per week position. This position is based out of Hartford, CT. There may be opportunities for an alternate work schedule and/or teleworking in accordance with State policies. 

We offer a competitive benefits package, excellent health care, generous leave policies, retirement plan, and more!  We also encourage a healthy work-life balance to all employees!

Selection Plan

The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified. This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.  

Due to the volume of applications anticipated, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be provided through your JobAps portal account. 

Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience most closely meet the preferred requirements of the position. At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include:  a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position.

In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.  

Please Note: You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system.

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam. 

Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process. 

The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class. 

All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period.  It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception.  Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.

This position may be subject to Federal requirements for COVID 19 Vaccination Immunization.

Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Chelsea Moore at Chelsea.Moore@ct.gov.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Department of Public Health this class is accountable for performing the full range of tasks in investigating infectious, chronic and non-infectious diseases and implementing disease prevention methods.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Leads and participates in routine epidemiologic investigations to identify risk factors and implements and evaluates resulting intervention measures; collect and collates data including performing interviews; performs data analysis and summarizes relevant epidemiologic investigation data into tables, charts and written reports; provides technical information to the professional and lay public including local health departments; collaborates in the preparation and presentation of workshops; may respond to media inquiries; maintains an orderly surveillance system capable of detecting risk factors and changes in disease patterns; may administer biologics or collect specimens such as blood and urine samples, throat and rectal swabs under the supervision of a physician.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

Considerable knowledge of infectious and/or chronic disease processes; considerable knowledge of relevant disease processes which affect humans and animals; considerable knowledge of epidemiological methods and techniques; knowledge of basic biological processes; oral and written communications skills; interpersonal skills; computer skills; ability to independently perform epidemiological investigations; ability to independently collect, analyze and interpret epidemiological data.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Six (6) years' experience in conducting epidemiological investigations in a responsible technical or professional capacity.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SPECIAL EXPERIENCE

One (1) year of the General Experience must have involved interviewing and performing trend analyses at or above the level of Epidemiologist 1.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

1. College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
2. A Master's degree in Public Health, Community Medicine or a related health science may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
3. A Doctorate in a related discipline such as Public Health, Medicine or a natural or behavioral science may be substituted for the General Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience conducting foodborne outbreak investigations, including interviewing, sampling, utilizing the CDC National Environmental Assessment Reporting System, and assessing control measures
  • Experience working with FDA, CDC, and other food safety professionals on foodborne outbreak investigations and other food safety matters
  • Experience with FDA Standardization, training, and assessing candidates for food inspector certification
  • Experience with FDA Program Standard conformance
  • Experience developing training and presenting to large groups on the FDA Food Code and other food regulatory topics
  • Experience developing guidance and providing technical assistance to local health officials and industry on regulatory food safety issues
  • Experience communicating results of assessments and investigations with food safety professionals, local health officials, and the public

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Incumbents in this class must be willing to be immunized for communicable diseases as necessary and appropriate.
2. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Incumbents in this class may be exposed to communicable diseases and hazardous substance.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.