Public Health Officer

Public Health - Seattle & King County is seeking a dedicated and visionary Public Health Officer (PHO) to champion high standards of scientific excellence and community trust. This role offers the opportunity to serve as a chief advisor to the Public Health Director, providing clear, objective factual advice on critical medical and public health issues. This executive-level position requires a licensed physician with significant scientific and epidemiological experience, preferably in the focus areas of communicable disease investigation and control. This new PHO will not only be a trusted voice in the community but also successfully navigate the complex landscape of public health policy and administration. The Public Health Officer will be a capable, knowledgeable, committed, and collaborative executive leader. The ideal candidate is progressive, innovative, inclusive, and enthusiastic about creating change in the community by improving quality of life. Serving the Seattle metropolitan area and beyond, they will play a crucial role in addressing public health issues through research, policy development, and community engagement. Protect and improve the health and well-being of King County residents – apply today!

Reasonable and necessary moving expenses up to a maximum of $15,000 may be available if the successful candidate is relocation from outside of Washington

COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.

 The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.

 We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.

 To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx

THE POSITION and THE IDEAL CANDIDATE The Public Health Officer will partner closely with the Director and Deputy Director to continue King County's reputation as a leader in health innovation and equity. They will be involved in every significant conversation, providing expert advice, driving policy discussions, and ensuring that the county continues to set the nation’s standard for public health excellence. The next Public Health Officer is an equity-focused, strategic, capable, and organized advisor. They will have the ability to navigate the complex landscape of public health policy and administration with creativity and innovative thinking with a skill in navigating bureaucracies with tact and diplomacy.

The ideal candidate is a licensed physician with significant scientific and epidemiological experience, with extensive knowledge of communicable disease and prior service as a full-time health officer at the state or local level. In addition to managing daily outbreak control, this PHO will be an enthusiastic visionary leader with an extensive background addressing emergent issues such as climate change, racial inequity, gun violence, homelessness, and access to care, all of which impact the health and well-being of the community. They will oversee major programs and outreach efforts to support, educate, and empower the public. This position involves considerable public speaking and community engagement, with regular presentations to City leadership, media, elected officials, and the public. The PHO will be a calm and confident leader able to communicate effectively in times of crisis. They will also be passionate about serving others and making an impact through scientific research, policy development, and community engagement. 

• EDUCATION: Master’s degree or Doctorate in Public Health or a closely related field.
• EXPERIENCE: Five (5) years of increasingly responsible senior management level experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the job. One (1) year of experience with direct supervision. Demonstrable experience in leading disease outbreak investigations. Minimum three years of experience as a full-time health officer or deputy health officer at the city, county, region or state level or a like equivalency that demonstrates the ability to successfully perform the role.
• COLLABORATION: Demonstrable experience promoting and leading a collaborative, communicative work and community environment that is considerate and respectful of all people.
• POLITICAL SAVVY: Ability to understand diverse human and organizational environments and sensitivities, collaborating effectively and collegiately with decision-makers. 
• DEVELOPMENT: Commitment to continuing education and development, including a well-developed Self-Reflective Awareness practice.
• LICENSURE: A valid unrestricted MD or DO license to practice medicine in Washington State (or ability to obtain before hire). 
• AUTHORSHIP: Demonstrable experience in scientific writing and publications in peer-reviewed journals.

HIGHLY DESIRED

• TRAINING: Completion of Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) training and / or CDC Public Health Fellowship.

LICENSURE RECIPROCITY

The State of Washington has reciprocity with 28 states. The Washington Medical Commission (WMC) provides priority review and processing for qualifying applicants. For more information, please go to: https://wmc.wa.gov/licensing 

SALARY AND BENEFITS

Annual salary of $315,892.10 - $400,411.86 DOE/DOQ, PLUS a generous benefits package. For more benefits information, visit: 

https://kingcounty.gov/en/legacy/audience/employees/benefits 

HOW TO APPLY

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply by clicking the “Apply Now” button, completing the online application and attaching an updated CV, or by e-mailing your cover letter and CV to Debbie Baker at debbaker@kingcounty.gov. 

SAVE THE DATES

Highly qualified and competitive candidates will be invited to participate in a series of interviews and employee town halls on the following dates:

• The week of February 17, 2025 (in-person)
• The week of February 24, 2025 (virtual/in-person)

Travel for out-of-state candidates may be arranged under the selection process. Interested candidates should save these dates in anticipation of interviews.

QUESTIONS?

Please contact Debbie Baker with any questions:

• debbaker@kingcounty.gov
• 206-263-4053

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Benefits

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what’s best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12 paid holidays each year plus two personal holidays, with FLSA-exempt positions qualifying for up to 80 hours of executive leave each year for use during the year awarded
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental, family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving Program
• Employee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page.

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.