BIOLOGICAL SCIENTIST IV - 64067053

State of Florida

1d

About The Position

Thank you for your interest in career opportunities with the Florida Department of Health – Manatee. If you are looking to establish a successful career in Public Health, you have come to the right place. Many of our innovative and successful health programs are recognized throughout Florida. We hope you decide to join our team! Applicants will be contacted directly if selected for an interview.
As a Biological Scientist IV, the Epidemiology program is responsible for surveillance and disease control activities of reportable diseases/conditions in Manatee County. The incumbent serves as the lead of the epidemiology team and serves as the subject matter expert in all communicable disease areas. The incumbent maintains client confidentiality in a manner consistent with DOH policies, protocols and procedures, Florida Statues and DOH-Manatee policy. The person in this position is supervised by the Disease Control Director.
EPIDEMIOLOGY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Duties and responsibilities will include:

Performing descriptive and analytic epidemiologic investigations involving cases, clusters and outbreaks of communicable diseases. Conducting case investigations and interviews, contact tracing, prompt implementation of appropriate control measures, coordinating shipment of laboratory specimens to BPHL, case documentation and timely reporting, research and public health surveillance, and field epidemiological investigations of disease clusters, outbreaks, and individual cases of communicable diseases. Conducting continuous public health surveillance including monitoring of Merlin task lists, disease reports, and other mechanisms for monitoring incidence of reportable diseases. Prepares technical reports, summaries of investigations, scientific papers and performs related work as required. Provides support and direction to the Department of Health in Manatee County, local clinics, hospital infection control staff, private physicians, laboratories, nursing homes, community partners, and other facilities concerning early detection and appropriate prevention and control measures of communicable diseases.
Consult with the State Health Office and/or Regional Epidemiologists/Lab Liaisons as appropriate. Notifies supervisor and leadership immediately upon identification of suspected outbreaks, disease clusters, and/or individual cases of public health significance.
Functions as liaison to infection control staff of local hospitals, local health care facilities, and partner agencies. Maintains accurate records and provides timely reporting into the Merlin disease reporting system.　
Assists in planning and, preparing education materials for staff, medical personnel and community at large on issues related to the communicable diseases prevention, management and reporting. Conducts training and/or presentations as assigned.
Conducts investigations of assigned cases of reportable diseases/conditions according to the applicable case handling guidelines of the Epidemiology Department. Investigates to determine the source of infection and prevent the spread of illness. Provides disease information to the client on the condition being investigated and gives information to the client on prevention measures necessary. Contacts appropriate daycare, school, food service or health care agency to determine if other cases of the illness exist in that setting and to provide education to those agencies.
Interviews patients by telephone, or when necessary, conducts field visits for interviews. Contacts physician offices, labs, hospitals and clients in gathering information to complete a case report. Provides basic information on reporting to physician office or clinics when appropriate. Collects specimens in the field when necessary.
Informs department supervisors of all outbreak situations. Coordinates with nursing supervisors to plan, implement, and conduct mass immunization clinics during vaccine preventable disease outbreaks.
Supports the Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Coordinator. Works with hospitals and pediatricians to monitor the care of Community health needs positive for Hepatitis B. When Prevention Coordinator is unavailable, covers any associated duties.
Provides information and educates providers and the general public about diseases, disease control, and prevention measures. Information and education may be provided over the phone or through community presentations.
Monitors ESSENCE to detect any disease or syndrome clusters and to identify additional or unreported cases of notifiable diseases through syndromic surveillance.
Assists in the production and distribution of the Daily Epi Snapshot. May assist with writing the content of a semi-regular epidemiology newsletter written for local medical professionals.

Attends meetings, seminars, workshops and training as required. Performs related duties as required.

EPI MENTORSHIP: The incumbent will mentor Epi staff through various aspects:

Provide consultation for epidemiology health activities; provides consultation and assists in the coordination of activities with other organizational entities within the department and the community,
Coordinates the collection of data and compilation of reports.
Maintains current knowledge of changes in the laws and regulations that govern program activities; keeps staff and others apprised.
Assist with epidemiological investigations, surveillance and contact follow-up.
Provide technical assistance via Clinical Services to support Epidemiology activities.
To participate in general policy formulation regarding epidemiology areas as a consultant.

ADMNINSTRATIVE/DOCUMENTATION/TRAINING DUTIES:

EARs/DARs will be completed within 1 days of the service provision, >95% of the time.
Must maintain quality of services delivered in all tasks associated with position.
All information held in health records is confidential with access governed by state and federal laws. Confidential information includes the client's name, address, medical, social and financial data and services received. Sexually transmitted disease should afford client’s privacy, confidentiality and dignity.
Attends and participates in staff meetings, in-service training, and other professional and staff development activities.
Independently and professionally addresses and resolves all customer service issues and takes appropriate actions.

ADDITIONAL JOB-RELATED REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:

Incident Management Teams (IMT): During emergency activation, the incumbent of this position will participate in the ICS structure, as the subject matter expert in the Operation Section for Epidemiology Unit.
Emergency Duty - Incumbent may be required to work during or beyond normal work hours or days in the event of an emergency. Emergency duty required for the incumbent includes working in special needs or Red Cross Shelters, or to perform other emergency duties including, but not limited to responses to or threats involving any disaster, or threat of disaster, man-made or natural.

Have staff and inventory ready for the next Special Needs Shelter and ESF-8 activation.
Enhance capabilities and increase capacities to mount a medical countermeasures response.
Identify specific safety & health hazards that public health staff may encounter during disaster or emergent event responses and define the processes used to manage the risks.

Trainings/Meetings- Attend all mandatory meeting/trainings as assigned by the position.
Confidentiality- Ensure all information held in the health records is confidential with access governed by state and federal laws during projects assigned. Will keep confidential information including the client's name, address, medical, social, and financial data and services rendered.
Weekend coverage: When assigned, may provide Epi coverage on weekends to any Epi investigations in progress. Findings will be reported to Epidemiology team.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• In-depth knowledge of epidemiology principles
• Knowledge of medical terminology
• Advanced Microsoft word skills
• Ability to learn and utilize simple to complex computer program
• Demonstrated ability to organize time and projects to meet all deadlines
• Flexibility
• Ability to explain communicable diseases, principles of exposure, infection, infectious period, high-risk interactions, symptoms of the disease, and prevention and control interventions
• Tactful interpersonal and interviewing skills
• Ability to create detailed documentation
• One year of experience working in public health and/or epidemiology
• Experience conducting surveillance activities.
• Must be willing to work before, after, and beyond normal working hours including weekends and holidays, for surveillance duties, field investigations, and/or outbreak responses.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree or higher with a focus in public health or epidemiology and at least one year of full-time work experience in epidemiology, public health, and/or analysis and assessment; or
• Professional degree or professional licensure (e.g., RN, MD/DO, DD/DMD, DVM, PhD) with at least two years of full-time work experience in epidemiology, public health, and/or analysis and assessment; or Bachelor’s degree with a focus in science, public health, or epidemiology with at least three years of full-time work experience in epidemiology, public health, and/or analysis and assessment.

Responsibilities

• Performing descriptive and analytic epidemiologic investigations involving cases, clusters and outbreaks of communicable diseases.
• Conducting case investigations and interviews, contact tracing, prompt implementation of appropriate control measures, coordinating shipment of laboratory specimens to BPHL, case documentation and timely reporting, research and public health surveillance, and field epidemiological investigations of disease clusters, outbreaks, and individual cases of communicable diseases.
• Conducting continuous public health surveillance including monitoring of Merlin task lists, disease reports, and other mechanisms for monitoring incidence of reportable diseases.
• Prepares technical reports, summaries of investigations, scientific papers and performs related work as required.
• Provides support and direction to the Department of Health in Manatee County, local clinics, hospital infection control staff, private physicians, laboratories, nursing homes, community partners, and other facilities concerning early detection and appropriate prevention and control measures of communicable diseases.
• Consult with the State Health Office and/or Regional Epidemiologists/Lab Liaisons as appropriate.
• Notifies supervisor and leadership immediately upon identification of suspected outbreaks, disease clusters, and/or individual cases of public health significance.
• Functions as liaison to infection control staff of local hospitals, local health care facilities, and partner agencies.
• Maintains accurate records and provides timely reporting into the Merlin disease reporting system.
• Assists in planning and, preparing education materials for staff, medical personnel and community at large on issues related to the communicable diseases prevention, management and reporting.
• Conducts training and/or presentations as assigned.
• Conducts investigations of assigned cases of reportable diseases/conditions according to the applicable case handling guidelines of the Epidemiology Department.
• Investigates to determine the source of infection and prevent the spread of illness.
• Provides disease information to the client on the condition being investigated and gives information to the client on prevention measures necessary.
• Contacts appropriate daycare, school, food service or health care agency to determine if other cases of the illness exist in that setting and to provide education to those agencies.
• Interviews patients by telephone, or when necessary, conducts field visits for interviews.
• Contacts physician offices, labs, hospitals and clients in gathering information to complete a case report.
• Provides basic information on reporting to physician office or clinics when appropriate.
• Collects specimens in the field when necessary.
• Informs department supervisors of all outbreak situations.
• Coordinates with nursing supervisors to plan, implement, and conduct mass immunization clinics during vaccine preventable disease outbreaks.
• Supports the Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Coordinator.
• Works with hospitals and pediatricians to monitor the care of Community health needs positive for Hepatitis B.
• When Prevention Coordinator is unavailable, covers any associated duties.
• Provides information and educates providers and the general public about diseases, disease control, and prevention measures.
• Information and education may be provided over the phone or through community presentations.
• Monitors ESSENCE to detect any disease or syndrome clusters and to identify additional or unreported cases of notifiable diseases through syndromic surveillance.
• Assists in the production and distribution of the Daily Epi Snapshot.
• May assist with writing the content of a semi-regular epidemiology newsletter written for local medical professionals.
• Attends meetings, seminars, workshops and training as required.
• Performs related duties as assigned.
• Provide consultation for epidemiology health activities; provides consultation and assists in the coordination of activities with other organizational entities within the department and the community
• Coordinates the collection of data and compilation of reports.
• Maintains current knowledge of changes in the laws and regulations that govern program activities; keeps staff and others apprised.
• Assist with epidemiological investigations, surveillance and contact follow-up.
• Provide technical assistance via Clinical Services to support Epidemiology activities.
• To participate in general policy formulation regarding epidemiology areas as a consultant.
• EARs/DARs will be completed within 1 days of the service provision, >95% of the time.
• Must maintain quality of services delivered in all tasks associated with position.
• All information held in health records is confidential with access governed by state and federal laws.
• Confidential information includes the client's name, address, medical, social and financial data and services received.
• Sexually transmitted disease should afford client’s privacy, confidentiality and dignity.
• Attends and participates in staff meetings, in-service training, and other professional and staff development activities.
• Independently and professionally addresses and resolves all customer service issues and takes appropriate actions.
• During emergency activation, the incumbent of this position will participate in the ICS structure, as the subject matter expert in the Operation Section for Epidemiology Unit.
• Emergency Duty - Incumbent may be required to work during or beyond normal work hours or days in the event of an emergency.
• Emergency duty required for the incumbent includes working in special needs or Red Cross Shelters, or to perform other emergency duties including, but not limited to responses to or threats involving any disaster, or threat of disaster, man-made or natural.
• Have staff and inventory ready for the next Special Needs Shelter and ESF-8 activation.
• Enhance capabilities and increase capacities to mount a medical countermeasures response.
• Identify specific safety & health hazards that public health staff may encounter during disaster or emergent event responses and define the processes used to manage the risks.
• Trainings/Meetings- Attend all mandatory meeting/trainings as assigned by the position.
• Confidentiality- Ensure all information held in the health records is confidential with access governed by state and federal laws during projects assigned.
• Will keep confidential information including the client's name, address, medical, social, and financial data and services rendered.
• Weekend coverage: When assigned, may provide Epi coverage on weekends to any Epi investigations in progress.
• Findings will be reported to Epidemiology team.

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