Epidemiologist, Injury Prevention

Job Title: Epidemiologist, Injury Prevention

Contract: 5 Months

Pay Rate: Depends upon Experience

Location:2 N Meridian St.\Indianapolis, IN 46204

Interview Type: Phone and in-person

Description:

The injury prevention epidemiologist supports the efforts of the Division of Trauma and Injury Prevention through data collection, reporting, evaluation, and dissemination for the injury program priorities in Indiana.

Purpose of Position/Summary:

The Division of Trauma and Injury Prevention focuses on data collection, surveillance, and the promotion of evidence-based prevention strategies and promising practices; coalition building and offering technical assistance to community members working on injury prevention education and policy; and collaboration with other state agencies to reduce intentional and unintentional injuries and violence. The injury prevention epidemiologist supports the efforts of the Division of Trauma and Injury Prevention through data collection, reporting, evaluation, and dissemination for the injury program priorities in Indiana. The incumbent is responsible for monitoring a wide spectrum of unintentional and intentional injury-related data, identifying gaps, submitting data and reports to the CDC, writing state injury reports and data briefs, and preparing legislatively required and other requested data and information reports in support of injury prevention focus areas. Also responsible for working with injury prevention coalitions and assisting with developing and disseminating best practices to share with stakeholders.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Identifies unintentional and intentional injury-related data and surveillance needs.
• Develops and implements injury data and surveillance plan and identifies gaps.
• Collects, manages, and analyzes injury-related data from various sources.
• Summarizes and disseminates data analysis results related to injury across the life span, including writing reports, oral presentations and manuscripts on key findings, disseminating data effectively to a variety of audiences, and offering policy recommendations for trauma and injury prevention.
• Creates and updates burden reports, fact sheets, and social media messaging for the IDOH Trauma and Injury Prevention Division.
• Provides assistance with funding opportunity and grant proposal preparation and grants management, particularly as related to data, reporting, and evaluation for injury incidence and prevention.
• Updates and creates new content for the Preventing Injuries in Indiana: A Resource Guide with appropriate data analysis findings and best practices.
• Collaborates with members of the Trauma and Injury Prevention Division and responds to epidemiologic needs of the Trauma and Injury Prevention Division, including internal and external data requests.
• Provides epidemiologic expertise and technical assistance to internal and external partners, including state agencies and coalitions.
• Assists staff and state health officials in preparing reports and communications on epidemiology of injury, such as the CDC State Injury Indicators and special emphasis reports.
• Actively participates in ongoing intra- and inter-agency collaborations and initiatives related to injury.
• Oversees the Injury Prevention Advisory Council (IPAC) including bi-monthly meetings, bi-weekly newsletters, social media content related to injury prevention.

Job Requirements:

• Masters of Public Health degree with specialization in epidemiology preferred.
• Previous injury prevention epidemiology experience preferred.
• Ability to multitask and manage overlapping deadlines
• Thorough knowledge of public health principles and practices, epidemiology, study design, data analysis, and an understanding of the use of health data in making program and policy decisions.
• Extensive experience in the use of statistical software for data analysis, including working knowledge of SAS.
• Considerable knowledge of computers and competent in using software applications including: Microsoft Word, Access, and Excel.
• Considerable knowledge of available injury-related databases, qualitative and quantitative data collection methods and their limitations.
• Advanced ability to develop assessment protocols.
• Extensive ability to effectively communicate with health care and public health professionals, policy makers, agency staff, and the general public, both verbally and in writing. Advanced experience in the writing of formal reports and articles and oral presentations.
• Advanced ability to work cooperatively with staff and representatives of State, Local, Federal and private partner agencies and to coordinate efforts of administrative and professional personnel.
• Extensive ability to prepare data analysis documents and reports.
• Extensive ability to interpret information related to epidemiologic and assessment studies.
• Working knowledge of organizational structure, administrative process, and quality improvement.
• Considerable skill in coordinating complex work tasks.
• Experience in using Tableau is preferred.

Supervisory Responsibilities/Direct Reports:

No direct supervision

Difficulty of Work:

Use of extensive knowledge of epidemiology, statistics, and assessment procedures to design and coordinate special epidemiologic research projects and health assessment surveys related to injury and injury prevention; performs duties within the policies of the department and requirements established by Federal and State agencies, which includes those mandated by the Indiana General Assembly.

Work is broad in scope with many facets and variables which must be interpreted as to their significance in developing, coordinating, and analyzing injury prevention data, reports, and recommendations. Considerable judgment is needed in the performance of duties within the guidelines of the Trauma and Injury Prevention Division and CDC requirements.

Responsibility:

General guidance concerning program goals and objectives. Utilizes own initiative in performing and coordinating assessment efforts of the department while providing discussions with supervisor and Director of the Trauma and Injury Prevention division. General methodology and handling of procedures are developed, and documented by the incumbent. Work is done within state and federal guidelines and budget limitations. Work is reviewed by various program staff for compliance with policy and agency program goals.

Personal Work Relationships:

Contacts include field representatives, program director, medical director, and other program staff. All contacts are for the purpose of coordinating, preparing, and implementing injury assessment and analysis activities.

Physical Effort:

Sedentary desk work with the possibility of light lifting up to 10 pounds.

Working Conditions:

Work is performed in a standard office environment with state travel required on a periodic basis (approximately 10%) by car, and out-of-state travel required on occasion by airplane.