Epidemiologist Supervisor

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department•Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, WA

13h•Onsite

About The Position

The Epidemiologist Supervisor is a professional supervisory role in the Assessment, Evaluation, & Epidemiology (AEE) program. Under the direction of the AEE Director, the position supervises Epidemiologists and Interns, managing performance, workload, and professional growth while aligning work with Department priorities. The supervisor also provides epidemiological support, assessment, evaluation, and data analysis for the Department, producing actionable insights that inform policy, program development, and resource allocation. The position works independently with minimal supervision and consults the AEE Director and Human Resources on complex or sensitive personnel and safety matters. The role collects, manages, and analyzes complex public health data; evaluates data quality and surveillance systems; and applies advanced statistical methods to identify patterns, trends, and emerging issues. It leads data collection tools, surveillance systems, investigations, and complex projects with multiple partners, and communicates findings to diverse audiences through reports, dashboards, presentations, and other formats. The position also supervises and develops staff, coordinates investigations, supports public health interventions, and contributes to program planning and resource allocation. This is a regular, full-time (1.0 FTE) position open to current department employees only. Work is performed almost exclusively indoors in an office environment, with limited exposure to hazards commonly found in offices. Some travel, typically local or regional, may be required. Work may extend beyond the normally scheduled workweek or require schedule adjustments to meet with clients and community-based organizations. During public health emergencies, the employee may be assigned duties outside the regular job description, potentially at other locations and under different working conditions and physical requirements.

Requirements

Master's degree in public health, epidemiology, or biostatistics.
Graduate-level coursework in intermediate to advanced epidemiologic methods, inferential statistics, and study design methods.
Four years of progressively responsible epidemiologic data analysis, biostatistics, clinical or health services research, or economic research experience in public health, community-based health, and/or healthcare settings.
Four years of data analysis experience in a team-based or applied research setting, or disease surveillance experience.
Two years of experience as a supervisor or lead.
Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered if they provide the necessary qualifications.
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office programs; SAS, R, or Stata for manipulating and analyzing complex datasets; and health and social service databases.
Advanced knowledge of epidemiologic principles, practices, and techniques; quantitative research; and epidemiologic methods.
Knowledge of common public health data sources, including those managed by the Department of Health, and social and medical services data.
Advanced mathematics skills relevant to the work.
Project management skills and the ability to adapt epidemiologic design and measurement principles to practice-based public health issues.
Working knowledge of applicable local, state, and federal laws, including wage and hour law; Department policies and procedures; and collective bargaining agreements.
Ability to build effective, cohesive teams and plan, organize, and lead work to meet goals and objectives.
Ability to engage efficiently with a variety of partners and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Knowledge of management and leadership principles and budget management.
Ability to protect sensitive and confidential data and use discretion when sharing information.
Effective listening, verbal, and written communication skills, including the ability to tailor information to the audience and communicate clearly, concisely, and in an organized manner.
Self-reflection, personal accountability, resilience, flexibility, and adaptability; willingness to learn, apply, and model agency values and ethical standards.
Commitment to restorative practices, conflict resolution, dignity, respect, equity, trauma-informed practice, and effective collaboration with historically underrepresented or underserved populations.
Ability to collaborate with Department partners, community partners, and the public; obtain and consider diverse perspectives; and work toward shared solutions.
Ability to apply evidence-informed practices, incorporate social determinants of health, integrate research into decisions, identify and address inequities, and support continuous assessment and improvement.
Cultural humility, curiosity, open-mindedness, and adaptability in intercultural communication and engagement.
Ability to sit or stand continuously, communicate in person, by phone, and in writing, read physical and electronic documents, and work for prolonged periods at a computer monitor.
Fine motor skills sufficient to operate a telephone, computer mouse, and keyboard.
Ability to lift, carry, pull, or move objects up to 10 pounds consistently, 20 pounds frequently, and exert up to 30 pounds of force occasionally.
Ability to walk or traverse up to one-quarter mile at community events.
Ability to maintain concentration for extended periods, learn and apply specialized information, manage frequent task-swapping and interruptions, and work effectively around workplace stressors, including emotional or confrontational individuals.
Ability to work beyond the normally scheduled workweek, modify or flex hours, and respond to emergency assignments when required.
Ability to travel locally or regionally when required.

Nice To Haves

PhD in epidemiology, statistics, public health, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Supervise staff performance and work outcomes, ensuring applicable human resources policies and procedures are followed.
Coach and mentor direct reports; coordinate assignments, conduct performance evaluations, provide professional development, and address disciplinary matters in partnership with Human Resources.
Approve timecards and leave requests, act as a hiring authority, and ensure staff comply with Department policies and legal requirements.
Forecast staffing needs and advise the AEE Director on staffing and program resource allocation.
Collect, manage, interpret, and analyze program and population-based county data for disease surveillance, detection, and prevention.
Apply advanced statistical methods to identify patterns, trends, and emerging issues, and evaluate the quality of data and data sources.
Evaluate data collection and surveillance systems and recommend maintenance and improvements.
Design and develop investigation protocols for public health problems.
Coordinate local, state, and federal investigations of communicable disease outbreaks in Pierce County populations.
Work with governmental agencies to investigate chronic, emerging, or worsening population health issues and develop plans to address them.
Lead the design, implementation, and management of data collection tools, surveillance systems, and complex projects involving multiple partners.
Prepare and present surveillance, investigation, and study methods and findings to community groups, professional forums, internal staff, and peer-reviewed journals.
Provide data to Department teams, leadership, the Board of Health, and community partners to guide public health interventions and disease control and prevention measures.
Collaborate across the Department to ensure valid and consistent data analysis and reporting.
Train staff to improve data collection, management, and analysis skills.
Participate in seeking and writing grant applications for the program and Department.
Adapt to changing protocols and standards in epidemiology, informatics, biostatistics, and related areas of expertise.
Improve team productivity through workflow optimization and effective use of technology and Department resources; lead employee engagement and satisfaction efforts.
Facilitate a cohesive team and manage staff with varied needs and personalities effectively.
Use health department, social service, and medical data to identify connections between physical and behavioral health outcomes and generate descriptive and analytic data for public health approaches.
Develop and conduct evaluations, including study methods, data collection and analysis, and recommendations.
Participate in the Title XIX Medicaid Claiming Program if required by assigned work.
Adhere to workplace and trade safety requirements, follow emergency procedures, identify and report unsafe conditions, and safely operate equipment, tools, machinery, and vehicles.
Participate in emergency preparedness activities, including the WA SECURES emergency notification system, drills, and real-world emergency responses; accept emergency assignments that may occur at any time and at locations other than the Department.
Perform other duties as assigned.