Epidemiologist III/Team Lead

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS • Austin, TX

23h • Onsite

About The Position

Under the direction and supervision of the HIV Epidemiology and Surveillance Group manager, performs statistical analyses using advanced statistical software, interprets results, and writes articles and reports related to HIV epidemiology and surveillance. Serves as the senior subject matter expert on HIV/STD laboratory test methodology and testing. Provides technical assistance, training and guidance to HIV Surveillance staff at central office and Regional and Local Health Departments on interpretation of test results and reporting to CDC. Creates annual data analysis files, including leading the team in data quality clean up efforts and ensuring complete reporting. Oversees quality assurance projects for HIV surveillance, including chart abstractions and lab validation processes. Programs in SAS, Access, Tableau and other software applications. Collaborates with other group epidemiologists, including training new staff. Collaborates with epidemiologists in the HIV/STD Section to ensure overall programmatic goals and strategic planning are optimized. Oversees and contributes to epidemiologic and research reports useful to the Section and DSHS staff, the public and the public health and medical communities.

Requirements

• Graduation from a four-year college or university with major course work in social science, computer science, statistical analysis, behavioral science and/or biostatistics.
• Two years of data analysis experience strongly preferred.
• Years of experience in applicable public health programs such as chronic or infectious disease may substitute for education on a year-by-year basis.
• Experience in the development, data extraction, and maintenance of databases.
• Experience with programming in statistical software.
• Experience with survey development, data collection, statistical analyses, and data dissemination processes.
• Experience with writing and reviewing statistical reports and making presentations.
• Experience leading a team or project.

Nice To Haves

• Master level degree in public health, epidemiology, biostatistics, social science, or statistical analysis preferred.
• Experience in public health and infectious disease control preferred.
• Familiarity with SAS preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serves as a lead subject matter expert in HIV laboratory testing technology, methodology and interpretation of medical records. Checks data for accuracy prior to import into eHARS and according to system updates; informs surveillance database product owners of changes in systems updates and ensures continued import functionality; and ensures CDC reporting requirements are met according to established deadlines.
• Serves as a lead subject matter expert in HIV Surveillance and the team lead of the HIV Surveillance Epidemiologists. Collaborates with staff in HIV Surveillance, STD Surveillance and Public Health Follow Up to ensure all data systems in use by central office and local jurisdictions meet the needs of the program for data collection and reporting. Works with software developers to identify any gaps and needs for software systems.
• Creates yearly analysis file; incorporates data from other data sources; ensures data quality by data cleaning and standardization prior to file creation. Utilizes appropriate epidemiologic and statistical methods in data analysis using SAS, eHARS, THISIS, NEDSS and TCT, and various other databases, graphics, mapping, spreadsheet, and word processing applications. Creates de-normalized tables necessary to properly run reports and workflows in THISIS.
• Serves as a lead epidemiologist for the HIV Surveillance Epidemiology Team, including training and mentoring Epidemiologists I and II staff, ensuring adequate training opportunities, communicating needs to the Group Manager, and identifying analysis and publication opportunities.
• Works with other central office and local staff to ensure accurate data management and reporting. Incorporates chart and survey data from other relevant data systems to improve data completeness and quality. Works with staff on data collection issues and provides solutions to enhancing data collection. Provides routine feedback and reports to the local sites on data entry, as needed.
• Assists with other surveillance projects and epidemiologic and statistical analyses as needed; serves as backup of to group epidemiologists as needed; participates and/or serves in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation. Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.

Benefits

• insurance coverage and other benefits available through the State of Texas Group Benefits Plan administered by the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees