Summer 2026 Incident Management & Capacity Building Internship
About The Position
Summer 2026 presents a significant public health challenge for the City of Boston due to a large influx of international visitors, numerous daily mass gatherings, sustained pressure on healthcare systems, and an increased risk of infectious disease transmission. The Boston Public Health Commission’s (BPHC) Infectious Disease Bureau (IDB) is crucial in preparing for, monitoring, and responding to infectious disease threats during this approximately 60-day period. To manage the added responsibilities of the FIFA World Cup alongside existing events like Pride, Sail Boston, and July 4th Celebrations, IDB is implementing a comprehensive Summer 2026 Operations Plan. This plan focuses on enhanced disease surveillance, health education, healthcare system coordination, and response readiness, with overall response functions led by experienced personnel.
Requirements
- Knowledge of or willingness to learn about the role of public health in addressing racism, the social determinants of health, and inequities in health outcomes as well as strategies to advance racial justice and health equity.
- Commitment to health equity and racial/social justice issues.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Basic understanding of public health principles and practices.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (e.g, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in diverse teams.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Interest in health equity, community engagement, and/or disease prevention.
- Commitment to professional ethics and maintaining confidentiality of sensitive information.
- Available to commit to a set schedule (20 hours per week) and a hybrid in-person/telework format.
Responsibilities
- Assist with refining planning materials related to Summer 2026 preparedness, including FIFA World Cup, Pride, disease screenings, etc.
- Assist with the logistical, operational, and organizational planning necessary to develop effective internal and external collaboration around Summer 2026 events.
- Support the development, refinement, and maintenance of planning tools such as task trackers, timelines, and reference documents.
- Assist in research into, and summarization of, high-impact infectious disease scenarios and response initiatives for internal use.
- Assist with drafting, reviewing, and organizing health education materials related to infectious disease prevention (e.g., vaccination, respiratory illnesses, gastrointestinal illnesses, STIs/Sexual Health).
- Assist with development of educational materials specific to potential outbreak scenarios and post-summer response (STIs, mpox, ongoing care, etc.).
- Support adaptation of materials for a variety of audiences, including City of Boston residents, domestic and international visitors, community partners, bar/restaurant management, etc.
- Assist with reviewing previous outreach strategies around respiratory illness, vaccination, novel and emerging diseases, etc. and developing strategic planning for future campaigns.
- Attend outreach events to speak to residents about infectious disease topics and Summer 2026 preparations and considerations.
- Assist with development of trainings and presentations for community engagement that reflect the cultural and linguistic competency of related audiences.
- Coordinate with community partners to establish new, and maintain existing, relationships to support the ongoing prevention and response for seasonal and emerging diseases.
- Assist in organizing and maintaining healthcare system preparedness information (e.g., hospital emergency manager contacts, isolation capacity data, negative pressure rooms).
- Support communication with hospitals, healthcare providers, community health centers, and pharmacies around outbreak identification, infection control, disease prevention, vaccination recommendations, etc.
- Help document coordination workflows between IDB, hospitals, and emergency preparedness partners.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Intern
Education Level
No Education Listed
