Epidemiologist - Respiratory Virus

MPHI is a Michigan-based and nationally engaged, non-profit public health institute. We are a team of teams, process and content experts, dedicated to building A world where tomorrow is healthier than today!

Title: Epidemiologist - Respiratory Virus

$64,147.20 - $90,750.40 / Posted Thru: 4-16-25

Purpose: This position conducts surveillance and analysis for vaccine preventable respiratory diseases, such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19, to identify trends, respond to outbreaks, and prevent further transmission. The employee will work to enhance existing surveillance systems, design and execute epidemiological investigations, and facilitate the creation of data materials to disseminate findings to partners, including local, state, and federal public health practitioners, healthcare providers, and the public. This position is housed within the Bureau of Infectious Disease Prevention's Emerging Infectious Diseases Division.

• Maintain and monitor statewide surveillance and laboratory systems to identify cases, clusters, and outbreaks of vaccine preventable respiratory virus diseases.
• Perform epidemiological and statistical analysis on related data and prepare results for review and dissemination.
• Identify public health interventions to prevent or alleviate public health problems based on epidemiological findings.
• Coordinate outbreak response with the local health departments, state subject matter experts, and other partners to ensure appropriate and timely follow-up of cases and contacts
• Provide subject matter expertise in the form of epidemiologic consultation and support to local health departments and providers as needed
• Investigate deaths associated with respiratory virus infection among children and adults and assist with VPD-associated death investigations as needed.
• Liaise with federal, state, local, and community partners on disease activity
• Participate in grant writing and submission tasks as needed
• Conduct data analyses for routine reports and other data requests
• Provide updates for national and statewide teleconference calls, meetings, and conferences.
• Ensure reportable disease cases have been reported to public health and that clinical specimens have been sent to the MDHHS Bureau of Laboratories
• Maintain a positive, credible, professional relationship with all parties relevant to projects, and represent the best interest of MPHI and MDHHS at all times
• All other duties as assigned.

Education: Possession of a master's degree with a major in epidemiology or public health with a minimum of 8 semester (12 term) graduate-level hours in epidemiology and biostatistics courses.

Experience: Two years of professional experience carrying out a variety of surveys, investigations, tests, and analyses of human disease and chronic health conditions, including one year equivalent to an Epidemiologist 10.

• Considerable knowledge of the basic principles and methods of epidemiology and the methods used to conduct epidemiological investigations.
• Considerable knowledge of the methods to control communicable health conditions.
• Considerable knowledge of the transmission of infectious diseases and the pathologic process leading to disease.
• Ability to organize raw data in forms suitable for epidemiological analysis.
• Ability to design and use data collecting instruments, such as survey forms and questionnaires.
• Ability to analyze surveillance data and other information for the purposes of determining the need for epidemiological investigations.
• Ability to develop proposals for interventions indicated by epidemiological analyses.
• Ability to derive concepts of causality from the results of epidemiological analyses.
• Ability to prepare technical reports, records, and papers related to the work.
• Ability to maintain records and conduct correspondence related to the work.
• Works well in team situations, is self-motivated, meets deadlines, and handles multiple tasks at one time with minimal supervision.
• Must possess excellent oral and written communication skills and be able to present scientific and technical information to audiences.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements: Job may require moderate physical effort including lifting materials and equipment of <25# and involves viewing a CRT or VDT screen 50% to 75% of the time. Standard office environment. Requires valid vehicle operator's license where needed to perform duties of the position. Frequent deadlines. In-state and out-of-state travel for related meetings.

Impact on Projects, Services, and Operations: As part of a team, will help ensure data quality and assist stakeholders with infectious disease outbreak response. This position will also support data requests, data matching, special projects, and annual reports for other conditions of public health interest.

"For purposes of employment standards, this classification is "Exempt" from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act."

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