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EPIDEMIOLOGIST

Recruitment #17-NH1-01

Definition

THE JOB: Under direction, plans, initiates and conducts epidemiological investigations, field studies and disease surveillance; supervises difficult and complex administrative tasks to control disease outbreaks and prevent avoidable morbidity and mortality; and performs related duties as required. This position will be part of the Whole Person Care Program, providing support to individuals with mental illness, substance use disorders and co-occuring behavioral health and other health conditions. This individual will be collaborating with a multidisciplinary team which includes mental health clinicians, occupational therapists, nursing staff, medical assistants, housing outreach peer staff and case managers. The list established from this recruitment will be used to fill current and future full-time, part-time, substitute and extra-help temporary positions during the life of the eligible list.

Employment Standards

THE REQUIREMENTS: Any combination of training and experience, which would provide the required knowledge and abilities, is qualifying. A typical way to obtain these would be:   

Graduation from an accredited School of Public Health with a Master of Public Health degree and specialization in Epidemiology and two years of experience  in a public health agency with responsibility for communicable disease control efforts.  

Special Requirements: In the event of grant funding, additional specialized requirements may apply.  

Knowledge: Thorough knowledge of medical care program administration; epidemiological trends and disease patterns, their characteristics, and standards to determine origin, spread and control of hazards to the community; statistical theory and techniques of epidemiological, demographic, biostatistical and community health research; research design methods and techniques and review and evaluation of disease outbreak interventions. Working knowledge of community resources and medical services available for medical programs and interviewing techniques. Some knowledge of program management, including funding sources, grant proposal writing, program evaluation and fiscal management and the principles of supervision and training.  

Ability to: Plan, organize, coordinate and direct a public health program; initiate and design complex interventions to collect field data; apply sophisticated mathematical and biostatistical techniques to analyze data to determine origin, spread and risk of morbidity and populations; write, present and consult with health administrators in the preparation of concise narrative and statistical reports; establish and maintain effective working relationships with private and public agencies in the health care delivery system; provide technical expertise to department staff involved in eliciting vital epidemiological information, disseminating findings and advocating for measures meant to reduce the level of disease in the community; apply research methodologies and research findings in the course of disease control or prevention projects; train, supervise and evaluate the work of subordinate staff; prepare and monitor a budget, develop policies and procedures and evaluate program effectiveness; prepare grant applications and contracts; speak effectively before groups and use computer software packages to analyze and present data in diagrammatic formats and support data processing activities.

Benefits

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS:  
ANNUAL LEAVE – 22 days first year, increasing to 37 days after 15 years of service.  Available after six months for vacation and/or sick leave.
HOLIDAYS – 12.5 paid holidays per year.
BEREAVEMENT LEAVE – 3 days paid in California, 5 days paid out-of-state.
MEDICAL PLAN – The County contracts with CalPERS for a variety of medical plans.  For most plans, County contributions pay a majority of the premiums for employees and eligible dependents.
DENTAL PLAN – County pays for employee and eligible dependent coverage.
VISION PLAN – County pays for employee coverage. Employee may purchase eligible dependent coverage.
RETIREMENT  – Pension formula 2% at age 60 or 2% at age 62 as determined based on provisions of the CA Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013(PEPRA). Pension benefit determined by final average compensation of three years.  County pays a portion of retirement contribution and participates in Social Security. 
LIFE INSURANCE – County paid $20,000 term policy.  Employee may purchase additional life insurance.
SDI – Employees in the General Representation Unit participate in the State Disability Insurance (SDI) program. This program is funded 100% by employee payroll deductions.
DEPENDENT-CARE PLAN – Employees who make contributions for child or dependent care may elect to have their contributions made utilizing “pre-tax dollars.”
H-CARE PLAN – Employees who pay a County medical premium share of cost may elect this pre-tax program.
HEALTH CARE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ALLOWANCE (HCFSA) – Employees may elect this pre-tax program to cover qualifying health care expenses.
DEFERRED COMPENSATION – A deferred compensation plan is available to employees.
OTHER – Other pay and benefit items apply to certain positions or assignments, such as Bilingual Pay and Night Shift Differential.

Selection Plan

THE EXAMINATION: Your application will be reviewed to determine if you have met the education, experience, training and/or licensing requirements as stated on the job announcement. If you meet these criteria and are one of the best qualified, you may be required to compete in any combination of written, oral and/or performance examinations or a competitive evaluation of training and experience as described on your application. You must pass all components of the examination to be placed on the eligible list. The examination may be eliminated if there are ten or fewer qualified applicants. If the eligible list is established without the administration of the announced examination, the life of the eligible list will be six months and your overall score will be based upon an evaluation of your application. If during those six months it is necessary to administer another examination for this job class, you will be invited to take the examination to remain on the eligible list.    

HOW TO APPLY: Apply Online Now!  Click on the link below; or print out an application and mail/bring application to: Santa Cruz County Personnel Department, 701 Ocean Street, Room 510, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060.  For information, call (831) 454-2600.  Hearing Impaired TDD/TTY: 711.  Applications will meet the final filing date if received in one of the following ways:  1) in the Personnel Department by 5:00 p.m. on the final filing date, 2) submitted online before midnight of the final filing date.  Following a review for minimum qualifications, applicants who are selected to move forward in the recruitment process will be notified that they must submit a completed conviction history questionnaire in order to continue to the examination phase of the process.

Women, minorities and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.  If you have a disability that requires test accommodation, please call (831) 454-2600.

To comply with the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, Santa Cruz County verifies that all new employees are either U.S. citizens or persons authorized to work in the U.S.  

Some positions may require fingerprinting and/or background investigation.  

NOTE: The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. 

An Equal Opportunity Employer