Enteric Disease Epidemiologist
Indianapolis, IN, US, 46204
Work for Indiana
Grow your career with the State of Indiana! With more than 50 executive branch agencies, the State of Indiana is a diverse workforce offering employees stimulating and challenging projects across a broad scope of career opportunities. As a State of Indiana employee, you impact the well-being of Indiana’s communities every day.
At the State of Indiana, we don’t just talk about diversity and inclusion – Our goal is to create a welcoming, accessible, and equitable workplace, with a workforce that is representative of the State of Indiana population. As a proud equal opportunity employer, reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities to complete the application and interview process, as well as perform the essential functions of a role.
Next Level benefits at the State of Indiana are here! Be sure to review our expanded benefit package offerings below.
About the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH):
The Indiana Department of Health’s mission is to promote, protect, and improve the health and safety of all Hoosiers so that they can reach their optimal health regardless of where they live, learn, work, or play.
Salary Statement:
The salary for this position traditionally starts at $59,800.00 but may be commensurate with education or work experience.
Role Overview:
The Enteric Epidemiologist serves in a state epidemiologist position on the Enteric Disease Epidemiology team in the Infectious Disease Epidemiology & Prevention Division (IDEPD) at the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH). The Enteric Epidemiologist conducts routine surveillance, completes programmatic duties including health education communication and prevention and grant activities and serves as the main point of contact for local health departments, hospitals, and healthcare providers for routine subject matter consultation. This position provides additional capacity during outbreak or cluster investigations, special projects, and epidemiological studies. The purpose of work is to oversee routine surveillance reports for multiple enteric diseases, including but not limited to campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), giardiasis, cryptosporidiosis, hepatitis A infections, listeriosis, and shigellosis.
A Day in the Life:
The essential functions of this role are as follows:
- Provide prompt technical assistance to health care providers, local health departments, members of the public, and other audiences as appropriate.
- Coordinate with the IDOH Laboratories, health care providers, local health departments, and members of the public to arrange prompt diagnostic testing for diseases and public health topics where appropriate.
- Conduct surveillance for diseases and public health topics using the state electronic disease surveillance system (NBS), the state syndromic surveillance system (ESSENCE), and other systems as appropriate.
- Develop educational materials for health care providers, local health departments, the public, and other audiences as appropriate.
- Assist with surveillance and investigation of individual cases and outbreaks of diseases and public health topics.
- Provide surge capacity for data entry of relevant reports and laboratory results as needed.
- If applicable for program area, serve as the IDOH epidemiologist on call during non-business hours for approximately two to three weeks per year.
- Serve as a backup to other staff, as necessary.
The job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.
What You’ll Need for Success:
You must meet the following requirement to be considered for employment:
- A master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., public health, biological sciences, or social sciences), OR
- A master’s degree in a non-relevant field and ≥ 2 years of public health experience OR
- A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., public health, biological sciences, or social sciences) and ≥ 2 years of public health experience , OR
- A bachelor’s degree in a non-relevant field and ≥ 4 years of public health experience
- Ability to quickly acquire detailed knowledge of diseases or public health topics relevant to the position.
- Ability to ascertain the existence of a public health threat by gathering and interpreting relevant information.
- Ability to properly interpret and communicate state regulations and public health guidance documents.
- Ability to identify appropriate indications for public health laboratory testing.
- Ability to identify appropriate interventions for prevention of diseases or public health topics.
- Ability to perform descriptive analyses of surveillance data and identify key findings.
- Ability to identify limitations of surveillance data and support evaluation of surveillance systems.
- Ability to prepare written and oral reports, presentations, and educational materials that communicate necessary information to internal and external partners.
- Ability to elicit relevant information from patients in structured or unstructured telephone interviews.
- Ability to use appropriate informatics tools in support of work activities.
- Ability to provide prompt, courteous, and helpful customer service.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external partners.
- Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
- Ability to prioritize tasks efficiently to meet internal and external deadlines.
- Ability to appropriately document work activities and maintain organized records.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
- Ability to design and execute epidemiologic or other relevant scientific studies.
- Competence in statistical and/or geospatial software (e.g., Epi Info, SAS, ArcGIS).
Supervisory Responsibilities/Direct Reports:
Benefits of Employment with the State of Indiana:
The State of Indiana offers a comprehensive benefit package for full-time employees which includes:
- Three (3) medical plan options (including RX coverage) as well as vision and dental plans
- Wellness Rewards Program: Complete wellness activities to earn gift card rewards
- Health savings account, which includes bi-weekly state contribution
- Flexible work scheduling options, including the potential for hybrid remote work for employees whose work may be performed outside state facilities
- Deferred compensation 457B account (similar to 401k plan) with employer match
- Two (2) fully-funded pension plan options
- A robust, comprehensive program of leave policies covering a variety of employee needs, including but not limited to:
- 150 hours of paid new parent leave
- Up to 15 hours of paid community service leave
- Combined 180 hours of paid vacation, personal, and sick leave time off
- 12 paid holidays, 14 on election years
- Education Reimbursement Program
- Group life insurance
- Referral Bonus program
- Employee assistance program that allows for covered behavioral health visits
- Qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
- Free Parking for most positions
- Free LinkedIn Learning access
Equal Employment Opportunity:
The State of Indiana is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruit, select, develop, and promote employees based on individual ability and job performance. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunity to all people in all aspects of employer-employee relations without discrimination because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or veteran status. We will comply with the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable state and federal laws.
If you are a qualified individual with a disability and require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, you can request assistance by contacting the Indiana State Personnel Department at jobs@spd.IN.gov.
The State of Indiana has established a culture that welcomes equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all employees and applicants. We encourage you to apply if you feel you have the transferrable skills to be successful in this position and we look forward to reviewing your application.