Epidemiologist

Overview

Job Title: Epidemiologist

Project: Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit

Reports To: Project Director, Epidemiology and Surveillance

Department: NWTEC

Salary Range: $84,000 – $86,000 DOE

Status: Salaried, Exempt

Classification: Full Time (1.0 FTE) w/ benefits

Funding duration: September 2026 – likely to be extended

Location: Remote work considered from OR, WA, ID; preference in the Portland Area

Closes: 5/1/23

Position Description:

The epidemiologist’s primary responsibility is to support data management, analysis, reporting, communication, and coordination activities related to the Northwest Tribal Epidemiology Center’s (NWTEC) epidemiology and surveillance activities. Topics include, but are not limited to: communicable diseases, substance use, mental health, cancer, chronic diseases, and commercial tobacco.

Partner with Tribes and other partners to improve surveillance and data quality by participating in Tribal, state, regional, and national working groups; analyzing and communicating data on a variety of health conditions among Northwest American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) people; working to improve Tribal access to accurate data on these conditions; and providing training and technical assistance to Tribes on data sources available to further epidemiology needs.

Coordinate with NPAIHB’s internal programs to support Tribal needs.

Participate in efforts to improve, expand, and modernize NWTEC’s data and epidemiology services by participating in strategic planning activities, engaging in training and upskilling opportunities, contributing subject matter expertise, collaborating with other technical staff, and coordinating across teams to improve the quality and timeliness of our services.

Identify opportunities to expand this position’s scope to more comprehensively address the Northwest Tribes’ health priorities by assessing Tribes’ data needs, coordinating access to existing data, and informing efforts to collect primary data to address these needs.

This position reports directly to the Project Director of the Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit within NWTEC. Additional oversight and guidance will be provided by the Project P.I., Director of the EpiCenter. Duties include, but are not limited to: leading the statistical analysis and interpretation of data; developing local-level health status reports, manuscripts, dashboards, and presentations; assisting with data access and quality improvement activities, such as record linkages; developing and providing trainings to Northwest Tribes on epidemiology and application of data for community health improvement; providing technical assistance to Tribes and Tribal health programs on a variety of data and public health issues; developing partnerships with Tribal, state, and federal partners; and coordinating activities across programs and partners. Activities must be accomplished with minimal day-to-day supervision.

Essential Functions

Data and Statistical Support Functions
Design and conduct statistical analysis of health status data, including but not limited to: cancer registries, vital statistics, hospitalization, emergency department, and health services utilization data.
Understand and document dataset limitations, and maintain and support quality improvement and data management activities
Prepare and maintain technical documentation, including data quality reports, data dictionaries, and linkage methods
Assess racial misclassification in AI/AN health data, disseminate findings, and support NWTEC work to correct misclassification and improve recording of racial data
Conduct interpretation of statistical findings and translation of results for tribal health status reports and other publications
Prepare reports, manuscripts, and presentations to disseminate project activities and results
Respond to data requests and provide technical assistance to Tribes and partners upon request.
Support epidemiology and surveillance by working with NWTEC data modernization efforts
Participate in state, regional, and national workgroups related to AI/AN health data and support NWTEC and Tribal data interests
Assist in collecting and analyzing evaluation data to measure progress towards grant and organizational goals.
Assist with assessing Tribal data and training needs, and lead the development of trainings, capacity building tools and products to respond to tribal needs
Ensure that all project data are maintained with complete confidentiality in accordance with the Federal Privacy Act, IRB specifications, and NWTEC policies for data management, analysis, and dissemination

Administrative Support Functions
Coordinate and support internal and external advisory groups
Collaborate with internal and external partners in order to achieve tribal, organizational, and grant-related goals
Ensure compliance with all human subjects’ requirements for confidential and/or limited data access.
Assist in preparing and submitting IRB protocols, data sharing and confidentiality agreements, and ensuring compliance with all human subjects’ requirements.
Assist the Project Director with outreach, planning, and implementation of project activities.
Participate in and lead workgroups, meetings, site visits, and conferences as required to achieve project objectives
Make travel arrangements for project-related travel as requested.
Submit a Monthly Activity Report (MAR) to the Project Director at the end of each month.
Track project activities for regular, year-end, and ad-hoc reporting requirements to grant agencies and other parties

Other Duties
Maintain well-organized filing system for documents and computer files.
Research, and with the approval of supervisor, attend trainings as needed to improve skills that enhance overall capabilities related to job performance.
Participate willingly in NPAIHB activities.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Work in a cooperative, professional manner with all NPAIHB employees.

Standards of Conduct:

Consistently exhibit professional behavior and the high degree of integrity and impartiality appropriate to the responsible and confidential nature of the position.
Consistently display professional work attire during normal business hours.
Effectively plan, organize workload, and schedule time to meet workload demands.
Maintain a clean and well-organized office environment.
Exercise judgment and initiative in performance of duties and responsibilities.
Work in a cooperative manner with all levels of management and with all NPAIHB staff.
Treat NPAIHB delegates/alternates and Tribal people with dignity and respect and show consideration by communicating effectively.

Qualifications:

Minimum education required: Master of Public Health (MPH) Degree, with focus in epidemiology and/or biostatistics highly preferred.
At least two years’ work experience in a health or public health field, preferably as an epidemiologist or biostatistician
Experience working with tribal communities or a tribal organization preferred. Experience with NW tribes preferred.
Minimum 2 years work experience managing, analyzing, and/or interpreting public health data
Must have experience in management and analysis of large and/or complex databases.
Must have intermediate to advanced skills in statistical software such as SAS, SPSS or Stata. SAS and SQL programming experience strongly preferred.
Some experience with GIS software a plus.
Must have intermediate to advanced skills in office automation software including word processing, spreadsheet, database, and publication design (MS Office preferred; experience with Adobe InDesign a plus).
Must demonstrate a willingness and capability to learn new software applications, such as QuickSight, Match*Pro, and other applications.
Experience preparing written reports and documents for public dissemination preferred.
Experience creating and giving oral presentations to a variety of audiences.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Excellent organizational skills and demonstrated ability to carry out responsibilities with minimal day-to-day supervision.
Ability to communicate in a friendly, courteous and professional manner.
Strong and demonstrated record for good attendance.
Demonstrated discretion, tact, knowledge, judgment, and overall ability to work effectively with federal, tribal, and other professionals and facilitate participation and partnerships in program activities.
Sensitivity to cross-cultural differences, and ability to work effectively within their context.

Applicants must agree to serve a minimum six-month probationary period during which time their employment can be terminated at will.

Typical Physical Activity:

Physical Demands:

Frequently involves sedentary work: exerting up to 10 pounds of force and/or a negligible amount of force to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body.

Physical Requirements: Constantly requires the ability to receive detailed information through oral communications, and to make fine discrimination in sound. Constantly requires verbally expressing or exchanging ideas or important instructions accurately, loudly, or quickly. Constantly requires working with fingers rather than the whole hand or arm. Constantly requires repetitive movement of the wrists, hands and/or fingers. Often requires walking or moving about to accomplish tasks. Constantly requires standing and/or sitting for sustained periods of time. Constantly requires use of a computer, keyboard, and mouse. Occasionally requires ascending or descending stairs or ramps using feet and legs and/or hand and arms. Occasionally requires stooping which entails the use of the lower extremities and back muscles. Infrequently requires crouching.

Typical Environmental Conditions: The worker is frequently subject to inside environmental conditions which provide protection from weather conditions, but not necessarily from temperature changes, and is occasionally subject to outside environmental conditions.

Travel Requirements: Travel outside of Portland occasionally required. Overnight travel outside of the area is infrequently required. Depending on organizational, Tribal, local, and state travel rules, travel to and from Tribal sites, conferences, and meetings may become more frequent.

Disclaimer: The individual must perform the essential duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation efficiently and accurately without causing a significant safety threat to self or others. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and or skills required of all personnel so classified.

Except as provided by Title 25, U.S.C. § 450e(b), which allows for Indian preference in hiring, the NPAIHB does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, age, sex, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, politics, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, marital status, citizenship or immigration status, veteran or military status, genetic information, ancestry or any other characteristic protected by law.

Apply online at: https://www.applicantpro.com/openings/npaihb/jobs

 

For more information, or to apply now, you must go to the website below. Please DO NOT email your resume to us as we only accept applications through our website.

https://www.applicantpro.com/j/2852125-755790