STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

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

Office/On-site

Recruitment #240223-0287HC-002

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Introduction

Are you looking to make a difference in the public sector? Read below and apply today!

THE POSITION

The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health (DPH) is seeking an experienced and qualified individual for the position of Epidemiologist 2 (Infectious/Chronic Diseases). This position will work with the TB, HIV, STD and Viral Hepatitis Section under the direction of the HIV & HCV Epidemiologist 4. The program operations are in alignment with CDC’s Program Collaboration and Service Integration (PCSI) public health model, which facilitates cross-cutting program activities essential to preventing HCV transmission and HCV elimination goals. Priorities for this position are to detect and respond to hepatitis C (HCV) outbreaks; to collect and analyze data to inform the development and implementation of public health interventions to prevent and control HCV; and to support HCV elimination planning. This is a critical position to ensure the continuation of the HCV surveillance program and appropriate data collection, surveillance, and reporting. This position supports all the data needs for the Department’s efforts and initiatives to eliminate Hepatitis C, especially in high-risk/ high need populations. The posting requires expertise in epidemiology and data analytics for public health surveillance initiatives to eliminate Hepatitis C.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Section: TB, HIV, STD and Viral Hepatitis Section
  • Location: Hartford, CT
  • Work Hours: Full time, 35 hours per week 
  • Schedule: First shift, Monday through Friday 
In this role, you will be:
  • Collecting, organizing, entering, and maintaining the HCV electronic registry (CTEDSS) for Connecticut residents. Including interpreting complex laboratory results, evaluating and classifying cases according to current CSTE case definitions, following-up with ordering providers on newly reported acute and chronic cases and following-up with laboratories to ensure accurate reporting; reviewing and abstracting medical records to complete case report forms as required by state regulations
  • De-duplicating the HCV registry at least annually using LinkPlus software and daily using internal CTEDSS worklists
  • Report writing: Using SAS analytics software, write programs for quality assurance to identify errors and to ensure data accuracy; analyze the HCV registry using SAS and Excel to determine trends, prevalence rates, endemic rates, possible outbreak situations, and descriptive statistics
  • Responding to internal data requests by writing ad hoc reports and supplying current data and contributing to assessment for program evaluation, planning, and prevention activities
  • Developing charts and tables and disseminating data via the DPH website and meetings using power point presentations
  • Interviewing acute hepatitis C clients regarding their transmission risks and educating and counseling them on the disease, possible need for treatment, how to stay health and preventing further transmission in the community
  • Assisting in the development and drafting of a viral hepatitis outbreak response plan
  • Collaborating with the DPH ELR team to assure proper reporting of HCV testing and onboarding of future laboratories for electronic laboratory reporting
  • Responding to inquiries from the public and health care professionals regarding hepatitis prevention, risk factors, laboratory results, testing, etc.
  • Representing the DPH Hepatitis C Surveillance Program at local, state and national meetings
  • Participating on CDC grant required monthly jurisdictional calls, quarterly regional calls, and annual national calls
  • Assisting in achieving, maintaining, and reporting on grant activities and requirements relating to surveillance for the CDC Cooperative Agreement and others grants as appropriate

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
  • The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
  • NEW: A Platinum Healthcare Plan, the nation’s best for state employees and dependents, according to a report by Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reform and article by Ellen Andrews, Ph.D., along with comprehensive benefit offerings.
  • Extensive pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings.
  • State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.
  • Generous paid time off, including 13 paid holidays per calendar year.
  • Professional growth and development opportunities.
  • A healthy work/life balance
MORE ABOUT US

The Mission of 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.

Selection Plan

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:

Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply!

Please Note:
In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the recruiter listed on this job posting.

Please Note:
For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.

To Apply:
  • In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
  • You must specify your qualifications on your application. You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system.
  • In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.
  • 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 will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.
Important Next Step Information for After You Apply:
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Note: 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.
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
  • Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
  • Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees which is available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
Connect With Us:
  • Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process.
  • Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment please contact Pamela Rochette via email at Pamela.Rochette@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.
  • Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

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

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Six (6) years of 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 the level of an Epidemiologist 1.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 hepatitis C surveillance including working with CTEDSS (Connecticut Electronic Diseases Surveillance System)
  • Experience using basic SAS for descriptive and analytic epidemiological analyses and quality assurance
  • Experience interviewing clients and educating them on HCV morbidity and treatment options
  • Experience using LinkPlus for deduplication and matching
  • Experience performing medical record review and abstraction for case reporting

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Incumbents in this class must be willing to be immunized for communicable diseases as necessary and appropriate.
  • 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.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.




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