BIOLOGICAL SCIENTIST II - 64084557

State of Florida

6d • $41,000 - $43,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The incumbent is part of a global public health organization and is expected to support the Florida Department of Health in Sumter County in its mission to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts and its vision to be the Healthiest State in the Nation.  Furthermore, the incumbent is expected to incorporate the agency values of Innovation, Collaboration, Accountability, Responsiveness and Excellence in all aspects of their work. Participate in the investigation and follow-up of reportable disease cases in populations to determine and describe means for detection, prevention, intervention and control of health problems within the community. Identifies persons at risk for disease infection or transmission; performs case analyses, and prepares documents relative to the epidemiological or disease control process. Assist with the collection and analysis of data, preparing reports, and presenting findings to the assistant director, director, and other parties as needed. Collaborates with other county health department staff on highly sensitive cases. Serve as the lead for the Epidemiology Program’s surveillance of animal bites and possible rabies exposures. Participate in the investigation and follow-up of animal bites and possible rabies exposures. Identifies persons at risk for disease infection or transmission; provides education relative to the epidemiological or disease control process. Collaborates with the Environmental Health Program and Sumter County Animal Services as necessary.    Conducts surveillance activities around outbreak prevention and response strategies within health department response plan and in collaboration with other public health programs.  Works with Community partners in developing, implementing and evaluating communicable disease surveillance effectiveness and identifies any issues needing resolution. Participates in Epidemiology Program related training aimed at county health department staff. Participates in population health-related epidemiological studies with university partners under the Director’s or Assistant Director’s guidance.   Serve as the lead coordinator for the Epidemiology Program’s surveillance of infectious diseases in daycare facilities. Serve as a consultant and resource person regarding infection prevention issues for daycare facility personnel, collaborates with other healthcare professionals outside of the facility, and implements infection prevention education campaigns as necessary. Serve as the lead for tracking outbreaks and clusters of disease in daycare facilities.   Participate in accreditation activities to ensure department is positioned for continuous quality improvement and maintains accredited posture as an integrated system. Participate in Quality Improvement activities. Assist with the identification of strategic issues, formulates goals and strategies, and develops action plans.   Assist with the implementation and evaluation of the Swim Safe Sumter drowning prevention program.   Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Requirements

• Working knowledge of the use of Electronic Health Records.
• Knowledge of Public Health.
• Ability to conduct and coordinate all aspects of epidemiologic investigations.
• Knowledge of the procedures involved in disease outbreak investigation and control
• Ability to conduct electronic disease reporting.
• Ability to coordinate with local healthcare partners to ensure disease reporting is occurring in a timely manner, in a concordance with State statute and administrative codes.
• Data entry and analysis skills
• Ability to use data analysis software (eg Epi-Info, SASS, SAS...)
• Ability to understand and apply applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to plan, organize and direct program activities.
• Skill in communicating effectively both orally and in writing.
• Uses logic and analysis to identify strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to solving a problem.
• Effectively manages time.
• Ability to talk to others to effectively convey information.
• Ability to listen to what other people are saying and ask questions as appropriate.
• Ability to train other staff on epidemiologic investigation procedures.
• Ability to know how to find information and identify essential information.
• Ability to perform computer skills to enable navigation in an electronic health record,
• Ability to utilize software required for daily position duties such as Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Merlin.
• Ability to prioritize work load.
• Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to work independently and with minimal supervision
• Florida Driver’s License – Must possess a valid Florida Driver’s License.
• Emergency Duty:  Incumbent may be required to work before, during and/or beyond normal work hours or days in the event of an emergency.
• Emergency duty required of the incumbent includes working in special needs or Red Cross shelters, or performing other emergency duties including, but not limited to, responses to or threats involving any disaster or threat of disaster, man-made or natural.
• On-Call Assignment – This position has been approved in accordance with Section 110.209, Florida Statutes, Chapter 60L-32, Florida Administrative Code, and Collective Bargaining Agreements with the Florida Nurses Association (FNA) and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Florida Council 79.  The approved On-Call form has been forwarded to the servicing human resource office.
• Incumbent will have access to records containing social security numbers in the performance of job duties.
• This position is assigned a mobile device as the position requires above average travel, has significant program responsibilities, and access to a blackberry or cell phone while out of the office or not on station is of significant benefit to the organization.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s Degree in Public Health or related Science / OR /
• Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, Natural Science or Public Health related field/ AND / at least one year of relevant experience conducting disease/outbreak investigations in a public health setting.

Responsibilities

• Participate in the investigation and follow-up of reportable disease cases in populations to determine and describe means for detection, prevention, intervention and control of health problems within the community.
• Identifies persons at risk for disease infection or transmission; performs case analyses, and prepares documents relative to the epidemiological or disease control process.
• Assist with the collection and analysis of data, preparing reports, and presenting findings to the assistant director, director, and other parties as needed.
• Collaborates with other county health department staff on highly sensitive cases.
• Serve as the lead for the Epidemiology Program’s surveillance of animal bites and possible rabies exposures.
• Participate in the investigation and follow-up of animal bites and possible rabies exposures.
• Identifies persons at risk for disease infection or transmission; provides education relative to the epidemiological or disease control process.
• Collaborates with the Environmental Health Program and Sumter County Animal Services as necessary.
• Conducts surveillance activities around outbreak prevention and response strategies within health department response plan and in collaboration with other public health programs.
• Works with Community partners in developing, implementing and evaluating communicable disease surveillance effectiveness and identifies any issues needing resolution.
• Participates in Epidemiology Program related training aimed at county health department staff.
• Participates in population health-related epidemiological studies with university partners under the Director’s or Assistant Director’s guidance.
• Serve as the lead coordinator for the Epidemiology Program’s surveillance of infectious diseases in daycare facilities.
• Serve as a consultant and resource person regarding infection prevention issues for daycare facility personnel, collaborates with other healthcare professionals outside of the facility, and implements infection prevention education campaigns as necessary.
• Serve as the lead for tracking outbreaks and clusters of disease in daycare facilities.
• Participate in accreditation activities to ensure department is positioned for continuous quality improvement and maintains accredited posture as an integrated system.
• Participate in Quality Improvement activities.
• Assist with the identification of strategic issues, formulates goals and strategies, and develops action plans.
• Assist with the implementation and evaluation of the Swim Safe Sumter drowning prevention program.
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Benefits

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees