Epidemiologist 1 - Olympia, United States - State of Washington

Description

This announcement is for a full-time, permanent Epidemiologist 1 position.

Make a Difference in Public Health

Join the Office of Nutrition Services (ONS) within the Division of Prevention and Community Health at the Department of Health.

ONS enhances public health by providing essential nutritional services to over 300,000 statewide participants through programs including WIC, WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling, WIC Farmer's Market Nutrition Program, and SNAP-Ed.

This Epidemiologist position offers the opportunity to significantly impact community health outcomes through detailed research, data analysis, and program evaluation.

Position Overview:

The Data Analyst (Epi-1) is a crucial member of the Research, Analysis, and Evaluation (RAE) section, working closely under the supervision of the WIC Epidemiologist 3.

The role primarily involves using sophisticated statistical methods to analyze demographic, health behavior, and health outcomes data to evaluate maternal and child health populations and risk factors.

Additionally, the position entails developing, maintaining, and validating the WIC database.


Key Responsibilities:

• Perform in-depth statistical analysis to evaluate the morbidity and mortality risks of maternal and child health populations, employing methods such as correlation, regression, and survival analysis.
• Conduct literature reviews to inform study designs, data analysis, and interpretation of results.
• Develop visual representations of hypothesized causes of increased maternal and infant morbidity and mortality rates to identify preventative actions.
• Develop and maintain databases that combine former client management system (CIMS), WIC Client Information Management System (Cascades), and WIC Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system data.
• Design and create reports for the WIC Client Information Management System (Cascades) and the WIC Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system.
• Validate and modify up to 300 canned reports in Cascades using SQL.
• Use Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, and/or SQLite to access data from the Cascades SQL server database.
• Use SAS and R to retrieve, manipulate, and analyze data to produce statistics and graphics.
• Prepare and communicate report summaries and visual data presentations, ensuring understanding for diverse audiences including internal staff, local health jurisdictions, and state agencies.
• Provide technical knowledge and assistance services to facilitate understanding of data and statistical reports.

Work Location:

This position is based in Tumwater, WA, and offers a flexible/hybrid work arrangement with the option to tele-work or utilize our modern drop-in workstations, while enjoying the occasional in-person collaboration opportunities.

About the DOH:

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) fights to defend the public's health from threats in a rapidly evolving world.

DOH's programs and services, implemented in collaboration with local health departments and state, federal and private partners, touch the lives of all Washingtonians and visitors to the state 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

DOH will continue to evolve and transform public health activities, taking it to the next level through our cornerstone values of Equity, Innovation, and Engagement.

Learn more about the DOH and our Transformational Plan shaping the future of healthcare in Washington.


Why DOH:

We are dedicated to your work-life harmony and offer one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation, designed to support your lifestyle.

To learn more about "Why DOH", visit .

Our Ideal Candidate

Demonstrates strong analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as technical and professional competence, to independently compile and analyze health data.

This role requires mathematical reasoning, robust research capabilities, and advanced computer skills. The ideal candidate possesses exceptional communication skills, capable of preparing clear and informative reports and presentations. They effectively interact with diverse partners, demonstrating cultural, ethnic, and gender sensitivity and competence. Additionally, they are accountable and achievement-oriented, committed to producing high-quality work while respecting and maintaining confidentiality.


Required Qualifications:
The experience described below could have been gained concurrently and acquired through paid or unpaid activities. Please make sure to highlight your relevant experience in your cover letter, resume, and/or applicant profile.

• Option 1: Bachelor's degree in public health or related field AND three (3) years of experience in epidemiology research and analysis.

OR

• Option 2: Master's degree in epidemiology or public health which includes 12 quarter hours in epidemiology and 12 graduate hours in biostatistics, AND one (1) year of experience in epidemiology research and analysis.

AND (also required)

• One (1) or more years of experience using the following:
• Statistical software applications for handling large datasets, such as SAS or R.
• Microsoft Word or similar software to create, format, and edit documents. This may include working with tables, columns, charts, importing and sorting data, as well as inserting and formatting sections, headers, and footers.
• Microsoft Excel to develop advanced spreadsheets, which may include macros, complex functions, external data links, custom charts, and pivot tables.
• Microsoft Outlook for email communication and schedule coordination.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience working with WIC and/or SNAP-Ed data.
• Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in the manipulation and statistical analysis of multiple public health datasets for evaluation of health care outcomes and health system performance.

Application Process:
Click "Apply" to submit your detailed application profile along with the following:

• A cover letter (without personal pictures) describing how you meet the qualifications and why you are interested in this position.
• A current resume (without personal pictures).
• Three (3) or more professional references, to be listed in your profile under the references section, which includes at least one supervisor, peer, and (if you have supervised staff) someone you have supervised or led.
• Attachments: Do not attach any documents that include photos, letters of recommendation, or private information (transcripts, social security number, year of birth, etc.).

Veterans:

Applicants wishing to claim Veterans Preference must attach a copy of their DD-214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22, or signed verification of service letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to their application.

Please remove or cover any personally identifiable data such as social security numbers and birth year.


Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion:

We regard diversity as the foundation of our strength, recognizing that differing insights and abilities enable us to reflect the unique needs of the communities we serve.

DOH is an equal-opportunity employer.

We prohibit discrimination based on race/ethnicity/color, creed, sex, pregnancy, age, religion, national origin, marital status, the presence or perception of a disability, veteran's status, military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender expression, or gender identity.

Questions and Accommodations:
For questions regarding this recruitment, accommodations, or alternative formats, contact April Gilreath at For general DOH recruitment questions, email the Talent Acquisition Team at Deaf or hard of hearing contact Washington Relay Service at 7-1-1; individuals outside of Washington State contact Washington Relay Service at

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Conditions of Employment/Working Conditions:
With or without accommodation, I am willing and able to:

• Work a full-time 40-hour work week Schedule (Note: Flexible work schedule requests will be considered pending supervisor approval.)
• Occasionally adjust work schedule to meet business needs, which may include evenings and weekends.
• Perform my work remotely at home or in-person at the DOH site location designated for this position.
• Travel occasionally, either alone or with another person, overnight, for several days and/or out of state.
• Legally operate a state or privately-owned vehicle OR provide alternative transportation while on state business.
• Occasionally move objects and materials as much as 25 pounds.
• Participate in emergency response exercises and emergency events/high-priority assignments as assigned.

SUBSCRIBE to DOH Job Alerts

This recruitment may be used to fill positions of the same job classification across the agency.

Once all the position(s) from the recruitment are filled, the candidate pool may be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days.

Only applicants who follow the directions and complete the Application Process in full will have their responses reviewed for consideration.

Experience and education selected, listed, or detailed in the Supplemental Questions must be verifiable on the submitted applicant profile.