EPIDEMIOLOGIST

The salary for this position is: $6,257 - $8,322 monthly.

Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) is recruiting for an Assessment and Evaluation Epidemiologist for our Disease, Control and Prevention (DCP) Division.

As the Assessment and Evaluation Epidemiologist, you will work under the supervision of a Senior Epidemiologist to support the design, implementation, and evaluation of public health programs and assessments. This position involves collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to inform public health decisions that promote community well-being. You will work closely with public health staff, community partners, and other stakeholders to ensure accurate and actionable data-driven decision-making.

Essential functions may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Compile, maintain, analyze, and interpret quantitative and qualitative public health data
• Conduct descriptive and inferential statistical analyses to identify trends, disparities, and risk factors in community health outcomes
• Respond to requests for data from department staff, the public, community groups, local hospitals, and other agencies, and assist them in interpreting and using the data for program planning and development of health policy
• Develop and contribute to reports, briefs, presentations, and data visualizations to communicate findings to public health leadership, community partners, and the public
• Create and maintain databases and/or data collection tools/methods
• Perform data cleaning techniques on large data sets
• Support program staff in using data for decision-making, quality improvement, and grant reporting
• Assist in planning and conducting community health assessments and public health program evaluations
• Work collaboratively with internal teams and external partners, including community organizations, and other government agencies to support data-driven decision-making
• Train staff in project-specific tasks as necessary
• Participate in the design and management of surveillance systems for diseases of public health importance, including continuous, ongoing surveillance, as well as specialized short-term surveillance
• Perform other work as required or assigned, including, but not limited to, a 24/7 response during public health emergency situations and disease outbreak investigations

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Environment: Quiet office setting in Olympia, Washington
• Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm, with the option of remote working 2-3 days a week depending on project needs, and potential options of alternative or compressed schedules
• Travel Requirements: Occasional travel may be required to attend meetings or trainings
Customer Interactions: Daily interactions with Thurston County staff and the public

WHO WE ARE:

Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) is Thurston County’s local health jurisdiction and human services department and is responsible for protecting the health and promoting the well-being of all people who live, work, and play in Thurston County. We value diversity and strive to foster a sense of belonging, honoring the unique experiences, cultures, skills, backgrounds, identities, and perspectives of our employees and community. As an agency actively working to address health equity, we aspire for everyone to have the opportunity to attain their highest level of health, regardless of their individual circumstances.

Thurston County values the diversity of the people it hires and serves. Inclusion to us means fostering a workplace in which individual differences are recognized, appreciated, and responded to in ways that fully develop and utilize each person’s talents and strengths. We are dedicated to recruiting and developing a talented workforce from various cultures, lifestyles, backgrounds, and perspectives who are committed to our vision and core values.

HAT WE OFFER OUR EMPLOYEES:

• Work-Life Balance: We are committed to ensure that our staff experience the reward of public service, while also sustaining a routine that suits each individuals’ lifestyle.
• Plan For Your Future: As a member of our team, you will enjoy great employee benefits, including a retirement plan, pre-tax savings accounts, as well as comprehensive health care and dental/vision care for you and your family.
• Paid Leave: Full-time regular employees earn paid vacation in addition to paid holidays .
• Robust Training Program: Employees are encouraged to attend County paid training to help them further their career, learn new skill sets, and stay on top of emerging trends in our industry. We also encourage our staff to participate in professional organizations and attend conferences.
• Flexible Work Schedules: Some of the options that employees may take advantage of include alternative or compressed schedules and/or remote working.
• Deferred Compensation: The County offers 3 voluntary deferred compensation plans for employees who would like to set aside additional deferred tax dollars into a retirement savings plan.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA ) : Employees can take advantage of Section 125 flexible spending accounts for out-of-pocket health care and daycare expenses with pre-tax dollars.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness: This is a federal program which allows full-time public service employees who have made qualifying payments for certain loans, to get their student loans repaid. Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
  

Why you’ll love it here: Thurston County is located between Seattle and Portland in Western Washington’s South Puget Sound Region. Perched between the mountains and the ocean, the area boasts the perfect blend of year-round outdoor activities including boating, hiking, skiing, and more. The region is also home to the state capital city of Olympia, known for its many restaurants, microbreweries, coffee shops, farmers markets, kids’ activities, history, and art events. Discover more about life in Thurston County at Experienceolympia.com .

Message to potential applicants: We understand that some potential applicants are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the functions or skills listed in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and we understand that may be someone who will learn some of these skills on the job. If you are interested in this position, and meet the minimum qualifications, we encourage you to go ahead and apply! Feel free to think about how you will bring your own set of skills to the role and tell us about the potential that you hold.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor of Science in Public Health, statistics, or closely related field.
• Three years professional-level experience in a health or medical environment, specifically in applying epidemiological principles and practices including the symptoms, causes, means of transmission and methods of control of communicable and chronic diseases.
• Ability to use computer database management and statistical software.
Valid Washington State Driver's License.

DESIRED SKILLS:

The ideal candidate has the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Knowledge of epidemiological methods and public health principles
• Experience with statistical software (e.g. R, SAS, STATA) and data visualization tools (e.g. Tableau, Power BI, or Excel)
• Familiarity with public health data sources such as the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), Young Adult Health Survey (HYS), and administrative data including birth, death, and hospitalization records
• Understanding of health equity principles and social determinants of health
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with governmental, voluntary, and private organizations and groups concerned with public health services
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely orally and in writing on both technical and non-technical levels
• Ability to perform literature reviews and research data sources
• Experience collecting, manipulating, and analyzing data
• Ability to work closely with other epidemiologists in developing and improving processes and procedures
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines

Respect and Organizational Culture

• Create an environment where employees and partners can safely express needs or concerns and where employees can make and correct mistakes
• Effectively interact with sensitivity while working with persons from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, ethnic, and professional backgrounds, and persons of all ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, and lifestyles
• Thrive in a fast-paced, robust organization maintaining a positive work environment

Communication

• Serve the public in a timely, complete, accurate, and professional manner while ensuring that written and verbal communication is clearly understood by others
• Maintain cultural competency to support diverse perspectives in developing, implementing, and evaluating policies, programs, and services that affect the health of the community
• Strong oral communication for networking and interpersonal relationships
• Excellent written communication including the ability to craft correspondence, reports, and articles or web postings with minimal grammatical and syntax errors

Goal Setting and Accomplishment

• Use strategic thinking and planning for goal setting and evaluation
• Effectively plan, organize, and manage competing priorities and challenges under pressure
• Create a sense of mission by articulating and modeling confidentiality, professional values, and ethics with honesty and integrity
• Operate with a high degree of flexibility, initiative, attention to detail, and commitment
Delegate and use persuasion and negotiating skills for shared responsibility and acceptance of change

OTHER RELATED RECRUITMENT INFORMATION:

Questions about this recruitment? Please contact: PHSS_Hiring@co.thurston.wa.us or (360) 867-2569

This position is:

• Represented by a union
• Eligible for benefits
• Eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

Items required for consideration:

• Application
• Resume
• Letter of interest
• Pass a criminal background check
• Applicant Disclosure Form (Pursuant to RCW Section 43.43.830) (Supplemental Questions 1-6)
• Please Note: The candidate selected for this position is required to show proof of the following immunizations by their agreed upon start date:
  • Measles/mumps/rubella (MMR)
  • Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap/TD)
  Baseline tuberculosis screening (required of all new employees who are healthcare personnel, work in healthcare areas or who have contact with patients/clients as part of their normal duties; must be completed no earlier than three months prior to starting work)
  

Please note: Information in this announcement is subject to change without notice at any time during the length of the job advertisement.

THURSTON COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Thurston County is committed to provide equal opportunity to all persons seeking or having access to its employment, services and activities, which is free from restriction based on race, sex, marital status, color, creed or religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity, pregnancy, status as an honorably discharged veteran or military status, genetic information, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, unless based upon bona fide occupational qualifications. Applicants with disabilities who need accommodation with the application or selection process should contact Thurston County’s Human Resources, at (360) 786-5498. Those who are deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing or speech impaired may use the statewide relay system to reach Thurston County offices and departments to conduct their business telephonically. Relay users can simply dial 7-1-1 (or 1-800-833-6388) to connect with Washington Relay.