Job Description

Position: Epidemiological Investigator

Definition of Class

• This administrative and technical public health work providing promotional, educational, advisory and supportive services for a countywide epidemiologic process for disease and illness control and eradication.
• An employee in this class assists in the planning, organizing, and directing of an epidemiologic program on a countywide level for the identification, control, and eradication of disease problems. Work involves keeping abreast of the latest techniques in epidemiology and the procedures utilized to attain the program objectives and promoting the organization of illness and disease control programs through public relations work with professional groups, departmental personnel, and the general public. Recommendations for program changes in procedures and practices emanate from this position. Work is performed with considerable independence of action. Completed work is reviewed for program effectiveness by the appropriate supervisor.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Participates in planning, organizing, and directing a countywide public health program to identify, control, and eradicate illness and disease problems.
• Conducts countywide surveillance activities; initiates recommendations and actions to improve the quality and quantity of morbidity reporting as well as the rapidity of reporting.
• Plans, organizes, and directs training programs for department personnel.
• Functions as a member of a countywide acute response team.
• Conducts and directs epidemiological investigations.
• Arranges for the transportation of specimens to the appropriate laboratories.
• Directs case-finding surveys.
• Prepares statistical reports on specific diseases.
• Prepares clear, technically sound, accurate, and informative reports of epidemiological matters.
• Promotes good public relations; makes speeches on the appropriate specialty to professional groups, private and community organizations, and the general public.
• Performs related work as required.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Considerable knowledge of the theory, principles, practices, current developments, and techniques related to epidemiology.
• Considerable knowledge of occupational diseases and illness.
• Considerable knowledge of toxicology.
• Considerable knowledge of the epidemiology of common communicable diseases.
• Considerable knowledge of public health laws and regulations.
• Knowledge of a wide range of disease conditions and illness.
• Knowledge of the functions and resources of federal, state, and local agencies in the field of public health.
• Knowledge of and understanding of modern diagnostic and survey laboratory techniques.
• Ability to develop and execute generalized epidemiological studies, planning, directing and coordinating the work of subordinate and adjunctive personnel.
• Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely, orally and in writing.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with local health officers, professional and lay groups, and the general public.
• Ability to interpret results of studies.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Public Health or a related field.
• Minimum of 1 year of field experience in detecting, controlling, or reporting illness and diseases.

Conditions Of Employment

• The selected candidate will be pre-employment required to obtain, at their own expense, 3 forms of clearance, including PA State Police Criminal History Record Check; PA Child Abuse History; and FBI Criminal History Background Check including finger printing. This pre-employment requirement applies to all County employees exercising their bidding/bumping rights. Possession of a valid automobile operator's license as issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and access to a vehicle on a daily basis are required.