STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Connecticut Careers Trainee (Health Care Professional) (35 Hour)

Office/On-site

Recruitment #240912-1991HC-002

Introduction


THE POSITION
The State of ConnecticutDepartment of Public Health (DPH), Katherine A. Kelley Public Health Laborartory, is currently seeking enthusiastic and driven candidates to apply for the position of Connecticut Careers Trainee (Health Care Professional), Target Class Health Program Assistant 1, for the Newborn Screening (NBS) Program, Follow-up and Tracking Unit. This position will play a key role in the reporting of testing results of newborn bloodspot samples for over 65 different disorders that can be detected through Newborn Screening for the approximately 37,000 infants born in Connecticut annually.

This position will enhance the overall receipt, login, tracking and reporting processes and promote the timeliness and accuracy with which the overall NBS process is carried out. The position will complete training to carry out the following tasks: assist with maintenance of and data entry in the NBS Follow Up/Tracking database and other associated databases; assist with compiling data related to program and national quality indicators; assure specimen and patient information match in both Horizon and NBS Follow Up/Tracking databases; assist with running Horizon and NBST database daily reports and workflows; report out-of-range newborn screening results to hospital-based and community health care providers, assist with the development and deployment of digital educational modules to be delivered to a variety of Newborn Screening stakeholders, assist with maintenance of the CT NBS Program web pages and assist with grant monitoring.

This Connecticut Careers Trainee Program is a developmental program designed to help people obtain the experience necessary to qualify for the designated target class of Health Program Assistant 1. The Connecticut Careers Trainee Program is for a minimum of 1 year to a maximum of 3 years and is based on how long it will take the candidate to meet the experience and training requirement of Health Program Assistant 1. Candidates must possess the general experience of the target class, Health Program Assistant 1, at the conclusion of the developmental program. The experience is: five (5) years of experience in a professional capacity in a health organization (NOTE: A health organization is defined as a large multi-dimensional agency with responsibility for administering health programs). 

HIGHLIGHTS
  • UNIT: Connecticut Newborn Screening (CT NBS) Program 
  • ADDRESS: 395 West St, Rocky Hill, CT 
  • WORK HOURS: Full-Time, First Shift, 35 Hours per Week 
  • SCHEDULE: 8:30am - 4:30pm with one-hour lunch 
    • Following a training and probationary period, a flex schedule is available.
    • Teleworking is not an option for this position. 
    • This position requires our employees to report to the physical work site daily during normal business hours and, possibly, during inclement weather events.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

*SALARY INFORMATION    
  • Starting Salary with a Bachelor's degree: $47,708
  • Starting Salary with a Master's degree: $49,427
Additional salary information can be found here
As a Connecticut Careers Trainee (Health Care Professional) (Target Class: Health Program Assistant 1), you will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following duties:     
  • Follow established NBS protocols and reports out of range NBS results to providers and hospitals;
  • Initiate requests for samples for repeat newborn screening or reports positive results to the Newborn Diagnostic and Treatment Network (the Network) for follow up;
  • Document all case specific interactions with providers, the Network and parents in the NBST database;
  • Collect demographic/specimen information missing from the newborn’s record or NBS specimen card and enters in Maven and Horizon;
  • Create new cases in Maven for out-of-hospital births. Confirms current health care provider for infant;
  • Assist with reporting, preparation and faxing of NBS Hemoglobin trait letters;
  • Assist with screening and directing incoming phone calls and emails;
  • Assist with the monitoring of the dph.nbstracking mailbox and DPH.nbstraincourse@ct.gov;
  • Assist with the development of material for and maintenance of digital educational offerings to stakeholders through the CT-Train Platform;
  • Assist with daily NBS QI activities (run Maven reports; assist with tracking of specimens, including contacting hospitals and other health care providers by phone when needed; follow up on results of repeat newborn screens and closes cases in the system); and 
  • Assist with grant activities and Laboratory Information Management Software (LIMS) configuration activities.
ABOUT US 
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.

The Connecticut Newborn Screening Program (CT NBS) began bloodspot screening for one disorder, Phenylketonuria (PKU) in 1964. Two additional disorders were added in 1979, followed by an additional sixteen disorders and Hemoglobin (Hb) trait screening through 1983. With the implementation of Tandem Mass Spectrometry instrumentation in 2004, the number of disorders detectable through newborn screening increased to over fifty (50) by 2010. Between 2016 and 2024 new screening technologies and treatment options led to even more disorders being added, bringing the number of disorders detectible through bloodspot screening to over sixty-five (65). The Connecticut Newborn Screening Program works to ensure that every newborn, who is born or resides in Connecticut, has a valid newborn screening on record and that those infants with abnormal screening results are promptly referred to a specialty treatment center for further evaluation and treatment when needed. These comprehensive efforts help prevent unnecessary disability and premature death.


Selection Plan

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING: 

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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. 
  • 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.
  • 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.
AFTER YOU APPLY 
  • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email and/or phone, 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. Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.
  • 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 Jensine Tran at Jensine.Tran@ct.gov

    PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

    In a state agency this class is accountable for mastering the skills necessary to satisfactorily complete the training program for a professional position.

    EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

    • In a department or institution receives training in introductory governmental work for development of skills and knowledge in field of public administration in order to qualify for advancement into agency professional positions;
    • Performs a variety of increasingly difficult duties as skills are acquired during course of training period;
    • Performs related duties as required.

    KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

    • Oral and written communication skills;
    • Ability to
      • acquire knowledge and skills required for the target classification;
      • understand, evaluate and solve problems by exercising judgement and logic;
      • read, interpret and understand written material;
      • perform basic arithmetical computations;
      • interpret charts, graphs and tables;
      • learn and reason;
      • establish and maintain cooperative relations with superiors, associates and general public;
      • utilize computer software.

    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

    Candidates must be able to meet the experience and training requirements of the designated job class at the completion of the development program.

    PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

    • Experience working with the Microsoft Office Suite, various digital platforms such as documentation systems, electronic databases, website development platforms, digital learning platforms, laboratory information management systems and other electronic documentation systems
    • Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary team following written and verbal instruction from supervisory level and senior staff
    • Experience working and communicating with hospital staff and other health care providers/workers with attention to detail and problem-solving ability
    • Experience working in the area of Newborn Screening, Public Health or Maternal Child Health
    • Experience with disease processes and medical terminology

    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.