Epidemiologist II (Research & Evaluation Office)

OVERVIEW

The Research and Evaluation Office (REO) serves several important roles at the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC). Broadly these include conducting research, public health surveillance, analysis and interpretation of public health data, and program evaluation support that focuses on understanding health equity and the determinants of health. With expertise in analyzing, interpreting, and disseminating Boston resident health-related data, the REO provides core population health functions including evaluation, informatics and epidemiological support to BPHC public health programs and initiatives, policymakers, other city agencies, community organizations and residents.

• Works with the Public Health Surveillance Manager to design and conduct population health surveillance efforts, specifically as related to health equity and the social determinants of health.
• Identifies needs, opportunities and sources of data for further investigation in areas related to population-level health including heath equity, population groups that are typically difficult to assess, small-area estimation, and the role of the social determinants.
• Develops expertise working with various types of surveillance data, including complex survey data, birth and death data, infectious disease data, hospital billing data, and census data.
• Analyzes quantitative and qualitative surveillance data; summarizes results of the analysis and draws insightful interpretations.
• Prepares data briefs, targeted reports, online dashboards, and social media content in partnership with other program staff and community partners.
• Collects and syntheses public health literature, including peer-reviewed journal articles, for analysis of health problems and for development of proposals and reports.
• Produces data visualization content, including tables, charts, maps, infographics, online content and other descriptive formats.
• Works with BPHC programs to identify, analyze and interpret data relevant to program priorities.
• Works with other Research and Evaluation staff on data analysis for reports, presentations and data requests.
• Communicates epidemiologic information through oral presentations to both professional and non-professional audiences.
• Applies principles of informatics towards data collection, processing, and analysis in support of epidemiologic practice.
• Follows ethical guidelines and principles when conducting research and collecting, disseminating and using data.
• Uses leadership and systems thinking in epidemiologic planning and development.
• Submits applications to Institutional Review Board (IRB) for review.
• Designs, manages and regularly reviews surveillance databases.
• Performs epidemiological and statistical analyses and prepares results for review.
• Designs Reports and Disseminates results of investigations, special studies, routine surveillance, and analyses of health outcome data.
• Supports data generation, analysis and epidemiological profiles for grant reports and applications.
• Prepares manuscripts for peer-reviewed publications.
• Attends internal and external meetings as required.
• Conceptualizes and develops research and analysis initiatives that support studies and expands surveillance capacity in those areas.
• Provides direct analytic mentoring to bureau/program staff.
• Reviews surveillance data on an on-going basis to establish baselines and identify trends.
• Performs other duties as required.