Epidemiologist

CDC Foundation•Phoenix, AZ

15h•$0 - $65,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The CDC Foundation is working with the CDC and state and local authorities to provide surge staff for surveillance, prevention, and response activities through the Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) Capacity Building Initiative. The Epidemiologist will be placed with the Arizona Department of Health Services in Phoenix to support OD2A objectives. The role involves assisting partners with collecting and sharing drug overdose data; analyzing fatal and nonfatal overdose data to identify patterns and causes; implementing innovative surveillance projects; and communicating findings to support local prevention and response efforts. The position is hybrid and ends September 29, 2027. This role supports surveillance and epidemiologic work involving systems such as SUDORS, death certificates, DOSE, MEDSIS, and the Hospital Discharge Database. Responsibilities may change as program priorities evolve, subject to written approval by the CDC Foundation and Arizona Department of Health Services. The role may also participate in a drug-related public health emergency if one arises.

Requirements

Master’s degree required, preferably in public health or a health-related field.
At least two years of experience leading analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.
Demonstrated ability to publish in peer-reviewed journals and present findings at conferences.
Proficiency in at least one statistical analysis software program; SAS is preferred, and familiarity with SQL is required.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities.
Strong written and oral communication skills.
Experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders and engaging in strategic partnerships; strong interpersonal skills for teamwork and interaction with CDC and external partners.
Strong understanding of the design and implementation of research and epidemiologic studies.
Ability to work independently and within teams.
Experience working in a virtual environment with remote partners and teams.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint; Google Suite; Power BI; and Zoom.

Nice To Haves

A degree in public health or a health-related field.
Experience with SAS.

Responsibilities

Work with drug overdose surveillance teams at OD2A-funded health departments to refine epidemiologic surveillance data processing and evaluate overdose data sources for gaps, with particular focus on stimulants and emerging drugs or adulterants.
Support implementation of innovative surveillance activities, including automated population-spike detection algorithms using syndromic surveillance data to issue rapid alerts to healthcare facilities and public partners.
Maintain and refine public-facing dashboards and fulfill internal and external overdose data requests.
Assist with optimizing reporting compliance and improving data completeness in MEDSIS, including validating nonfatal opioid overdose data quality.
Develop summary and state-specific fact sheets, surveillance reports, and data visualizations based on nonfatal and fatal overdose data, including stimulant trends.
Conduct literature reviews on drug overdose-related topics.
Present surveillance findings, data trends, and visualizations to internal and external partners to inform local prevention and response efforts.
Participate in discussions about how best to use OD2A data for action.
Serve as a point of contact for personnel on moderately complex epidemiologic issues, as assigned by the supervisor.
Support development of policies and procedures for new and existing disease control programs.
Support risk communication by translating complex overdose surveillance data into clear, accurate, and actionable messages for public health partners.
Collaborate with internal and external partners to strengthen overdose surveillance strategies, identify data gaps, and translate findings into actionable prevention and response efforts.
Participate in a drug-related public health emergency should one arise.