MPHI is a Michigan-based and nationally engaged, non-profit public health institute. We are a team of teams, process and content experts, dedicated to building A world where tomorrow is healthier than today!

Title: Drug User Health Epidemiologist

$61,089 - $86,424 / Posted Thru: 05-16-24

Location: Remote/Virtual - Must Live and Work in Michigan

PURPOSE: The individual in this position is responsible to complete professional, epidemiological, and investigative work by assisting in the design, analysis, and execution of epidemiological investigations for communicable disease surveillance or special studies. The Drug User Health Epidemiologist will use data from multiple programs and sources, including the Michigan Disease Surveillance System (MDSS), Michigan Medicaid data warehouse and the Michigan Inpatient Database (MIDB) to identify trends to address co-occurring conditions and infections (e.g., hepatitis C, HIV, COVID-19) among people who use substances. This position will collaborate across areas in infectious diseases, harm reduction, and the opioid space to translate these insights into actionable data-driven strategies to reduce the morbidity and mortality related to medical complications of substance use.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Use a variety of data sets to monitor and analyze medical complications impacting people who use drugs.
• Evaluate morbidity and mortality associated with complications of substance use.
• Evaluate relationship between substance use disorder and communicable diseases such as hepatitis C, HIV and COVID-19 using surveillance data.
• Collaborate with other MDHHS epidemiologists on projects and studies as part of MDHHS opioid epidemic response.
• Evaluate key performance metrics and indicators to assess state opioid response efforts.
• Disseminate results of investigations, special studies, routine surveillance, and analyses of harm reduction data.
• Provide technical assistance to MDHHS, local health departments and syringe services program staff to facilitate understanding and use of data to drive public health action.
• Perform epidemiological and statistical analyses on data and prepares results for review.
• Collect disease or condition surveillance information and analyzes surveillance data.
• Develop statistical summary reports, data dashboards and other data visualizations.
• Responsible for managing and matching large datasets.
• Conduct quality control and data cleaning on surveillance data.
• Assist MDHHS in responding to public health emergencies.
• Maintain proficiency with Section, CDC and HIPAA confidentiality and security guidelines.
• Maintains a positive, strong, credible, professional, and interpersonal relationship with all parties relevant to MPHI/MDHHS projects and represents the best interest of MPHI/MDHHS at all times.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

Education: Possession of a master's degree with a major in epidemiology or public health with a minimum of 8 semester (12 term) graduate-level hours in epidemiology and biostatistics courses.

Experience: Two years of professional experience carrying out a variety of surveys, investigations, tests, and analyses of human disease and health conditions. The candidate should have strong computer processing (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint) and statistical methodology and software skills (e.g. SAS, R). Previous experience matching large data sets or working with Medicaid or communicable disease surveillance data preferred.

Important Skills and Characteristics:

• Considerable knowledge of the basic principles and methods of epidemiology, the methods used to conduct epidemiological investigations, methods used to organize and analyze large sets of health data.
• Demonstrate the ability to prepare technical reports, records, and papers related to the work.
• Ability to communicate effectively with others.
• Ability to analyze surveillance data and other information for the purposes of determining the need for epidemiological investigations.
• Ability to organize results of studies into written form for publication, presentation, or dissemination.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements: Job may require moderate physical effort including lifting materials and equipment of <25# and involves viewing a CRT or VDT screen 50% to 75% of the time. Standard office environment. Requires valid vehicle operator's license where needed to perform duties of the position. Frequent deadlines. In-state and out-of-state travel for related meetings.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WORK OF OTHERS: No assigned responsibility.

IMPACT ON PROJECTS, SERVICES AND OPERATIONS: As part of a team, will help ensure data quality and assist stakeholders with technical assistance. This position will also support data requests, data matching, special projects, and annual reports for other conditions of public health interest.

REQUIRED COMMUNICATION

Contact Person/Group Frequency Purpose

Viral Hepatitis Unit Manager Daily General Supervision

Harm Reduction Unit Manager Weekly Program Coordination

Harm Reduction Analysts Weekly Program Coordination

Section Manager Weekly Program Coordination

Viral Hepatitis Epidemiologists Weekly Data Coordination

Opioid and Emerging Drugs Unit Weekly Data Coordination

Syringe Services Programs As needed Technical Assistance

Local Health Departments As needed Technical Assistance

"For purposes of employment standards, this classification is "Exempt" from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act."

MPHI works with you to promote health for everyone. Together, we will build a world where tomorrow is healthier than today!

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