Oral Health Epidemiologist

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS • Austin, TX

1d • $5,099 - $6,702 • Onsite

About The Position

The Epidemiologist III performs advanced (senior-level) research and epidemiological work in the Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology (MCHE) Unit within the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Section within the Community Health Improvement Division. Reports to the Epidemiology Branch Director under minimal supervision and considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgement. Serves as a lead investigator for MCH surveillance and analytics to inform Title V MCH Block Grant programs with a primary focus on the Oral Health Improvement Program. Proposes, designs, and conducts complex epidemiologic studies with large data sets, small data sets, and complex sample survey data to monitor the oral health of children, adolescents, pregnant women, and other populations. Uses specialized software, such as SAS, Python, SQL, Tableau, and ArcGIS, to analyze and display data for presentations, reports, publications, and other products. Utilizes advanced statistical software and techniques to automate and simplify routine data tasks. Develops and maintains complex, detailed scientific protocols and operational manuals on all projects. Identifies opportunities for the use and distribution of program data to internal and external stakeholders.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited college or university and graduate education resulting in the receipt of a Master’s degree in epidemiology, public health, human development, social science, or related field. Experience and education may be substituted for one another on a year-to-year basis.
• Experience in primary data collection.
• Experience in survey data analysis.
• Experience in SAS programming language.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with complex sample survey data collection preferred.
• Experience analyzing complex sample survey data preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serves as a lead investigator for MCH surveillance and analytics to inform Title V MCH Block Grant programs with a primary focus on the Oral Health Improvement Program. Designs, develops, and implements advanced epidemiologic investigations following new or standardized scientific polices/protocols, coordinating studies, collecting, analyzing and evaluating data, and communicating results. This includes developing surveys, needs assessments, and interview guides, and collecting data with those newly developed tools. Identifies opportunities to integrate the use of regional and local information into program data collection and analysis.
• Proposes, designs, and conducts complex epidemiologic studies with large data sets (e.g., birth and death records), small data sets (e.g., Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System), and complex sample survey data (e.g., Texas School Physical Activity and Nutrition Study) to monitor the oral health of children, adolescents, pregnant women, and other populations. Uses specialized software, such as SAS, Python, SQL, Tableau, and ArcGIS, to analyze and display data for presentations, reports, publications, and other products. Utilizes advanced statistical software and techniques to automate and simplify routine data tasks.
• Consults with health professionals, researchers, and other epidemiologists within DSHS to define and solve specific problems and assure quality control across methods, procedures, and statistical analyses. Develops and maintains complex, detailed scientific protocols and operational manuals on all projects.
• Develops and directs grant-funded projects, generates scientific publications, public health reports, and presentations of completed work to agency/program management and/or scientific conferences. Supports data quality and improvement efforts throughout the MCH Section. Identifies opportunities for the use and distribution of program data to internal and external stakeholders.
• Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery, Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation, and/or serving on the State Medical Operations Center (SMOC) team. 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: Senior