COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ

DEFINITION

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 class is responsible for sophisticated surveillance, identification and complex control measures of communicable and reportable disease hazards and environmental disease hazards. The incumbent applies advanced technical epidemiological models to determine patterns of disease in the community and designs research projects to assess levels of community morbidity or apply successful interventions to local projects. This class is distinguished from Public Health Nurse classes which provide clinical, educational and counseling activities directly to clients relating to disease control. This position provides consultation and supervision for Public Health Nurses who are assigned to communicable disease control activities.

Initiates and plans epidemiological assignments, and reviews the regular and special work of assigned staff; trains, instructs and evaluates staff as necessary; develops and implements methodology and systems to be used, and initiates policy and plans overall operations; prepares grants and special reports in support of communicable disease control activities; assesses and determines program goals and priorities; maintains liaison with business, labor and industrial organizations, and public, private and community organizations and agencies, to render advice on program policies, seek improvement in facilities and activities, and perform other important liaison functions; may manage a specialized service of the facility; responsible for the planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling the particular service; may conduct programs to train on techniques related to the various phases of community health activities; plans course of study, and implements and evaluates its effectiveness; may represent the Health Officer at meetings, conferences, and seminars; makes recommendations to administrators regarding allocation of resources and program design based upon epidemiological evidence; collects and analyzes data applying advanced biostatistical methodologies to calculate risk of disease and appropriateness of intervention; performs lead role in technical and informational presentations to the professional medical community; develops various health services and programs, and plans, executes and evaluates the work of the facilities, agencies or community groups with which they work.

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

• 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.
• Use computer software packages to analyze and present data in diagrammatic formats and support data processing activities.

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.

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

Bargaining Unit: General Rep

EEOC Job Category: 02

Occupational Grouping: 48

Worker's Comp Code: 0290