Epidemiologist I (COVID-19) - Urban Indian Health Institute

LOCATION: Seattle, WA

CLOSING DATE: open until filled

OPPORTUNITY TYPE: Job

JOB #: 15814

POSTED: May 6, 2020

Description:

This position is responsible for providing a wide range of epidemiologic assistance to projects of the Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI), a division of the Seattle Indian Health Board. This work includes core epidemiologic functions such as conducting disease surveillance, primary data collection, secondary data analysis of a wide variety of national, state, and local date sets, , linking datasets, and interpretation and presentation of data for a wide variety of technical and non-technical audiences. The Epidemiologist I reports to the Lead Epidemiologist, Epidemiologist II, under the direction of the Director of Informatics and Epidemiology. This position will work to gather information, assess data, and present findings on the national and local health status and well-being of the urban American Indian/Alaska Native population.

Duties:

  • Analyze, interpret, and present health data, including data from national and local surveillance systems, surveys, and clinical data from the network of Urban Indian Health Programs (UIHPs);
  • Identify, obtain, and evaluate new data sources for use to assess the health status of urban American Indian and Alaska Native;
  • Support the Executive Leadership Team and Lead Epidemiologist in obtaining and  maintaining surveillance datasets used to monitor the health of urban American Indians and Alaska Native;
  • Independently design and conduct descriptive and advanced statistical analyses;
  • Provide epidemiological consultation and technical assistance to various public, private, nonprofit, national, state, and local health agencies and organizations, with a focus on UIHPs and other American Indian and Alaska Native serving organizations;
  • Prepare responses to requests for data and information;
  • Effectively translate and disseminate findings to diverse audiences, including developing reports, manuscripts, and data briefs and making oral presentations;
  • Participate in writing grants and other funding proposals;
  • Engage in quality control/quality improvement processes to improve the quality of data findings and it’s dissemination;
  • Develop project plans, timelines, and progress reports, and manage project deliverables.
  • Coordinate work done by project team, provide leadership and technical guidance to project staff and interns; and
  • Disseminate and report progress to the funder and other stakeholders in local, state and national settings;

Knowledge of:

  • Epidemiology, research and evaluation theory and practice.
  • Health and social issues facing the American Indian and Alaska Native population and a desire to promote the delivery of appropriate health services and public health interventions to this population.
  • Processes needed in planning, implementing and evaluating projects.
  • Coordinating the work of multi-disciplinary staff including.
  • Applied research methods and techniques. and
  • National, state, and local surveillance data and/or surveys.

Ability to:

  • Proficiently use software programs such as Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access, and statistical analysis software (Stata, SAS, R).
  • Demonstrate cultural competency in working collaboratively with American Indian and Alaska Native communities;
  • Communicate medical, statistical, and public health concepts to technical and community audiences;
  • Write and speak with clarity and precision about epidemiologic methods and research and assessment findings to both technical and lay audiences
  • Demonstrate program management, organizational and coordination skills;
  • Show initiative and work with minimal supervision;
  • Assess situations and make clear decisions which are timely and in the best interests of the organization;
  • Set priorities and monitor progress towards goals, and track details, data, information and activities for reporting;
  • Work independently or in a team environment-whichever is considered appropriate for the situation;
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, colleagues, public officials, representatives of other agencies and organizations, community members and clients;
  • Work well under pressure and stress, meet multiple and often competing deadlines;
  • Operate effectively in a team-based environment; and
  • Work varied hours, including evenings and weekends as required.

Education

  • Master’s of Public Health in Epidemiology or Biostatistics preferred
  • Master’s in Public Health with experience in epidemiology, statistics, data analysis

Experience:

  • Two to three years of experience in an applied epidemiology/statistics or research setting preferred;
  • Applicants must demonstrate experience performing both analytical and project management work;
  • Experience working with American Indian and Alaska Native populations strongly preferred;
  • Training in epidemiological and biostatistical principles and methods;
  • Experience using standard statistical computer software, preferably Stata, SAS, R;
  • Experience preparing data for analysis and conduction data analyses; and
  • Experience managing complex projects.

Other Requirements:

  • Candidates must complete a background check as part of the hiring process
  • Candidate must complete an exam assessing critical thinking skills, epidemiological principals, epidemiological methods, statistical analysis skills, data interpretation and presentation
  • Provide a current writing sample of 5-10 pages where candidate is the primary author
  • Some travel may be required

More Information »