Epidemiologist I

The Population Health and Research Office (PHAR) sits within the Center for Public Health Science and Innovation (PHSI) serves several important roles at the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC). Broadly these include conducting research, public health surveillance, analysis and interpretation of public health data, and program evaluation support that focuses on understanding health equity and the determinants of health.  With expertise in analyzing, interpreting, and disseminating Boston resident health-related data, PHAR provides core population health functions including evaluation, informatics and epidemiological support to BPHC public health programs and initiatives, policymakers, other city agencies, community organizations and residents.

DUTIES:

• Works to help BPHC advance as an antiracist organization by meeting or exceeding the standards set by the BPHC Anti-Racism Policy.
• Supports the analysis and public health surveillance needs of the BPHC including factors associated with racial justice and health equity.
• Provides surveillance and epidemiological support
• Assesses racial/ethnic health inequities in Boston
• Collects, assesses, analyzes, and disseminates public health surveillance and program data and data obtained from other sources
• Performs epidemiological and statistical analyses, and prepares results for review
• Will develop expertise working with various types of data residential deaths, complex survey data, and hospital utilization data
• Works with BPHC programs to identify, analyze and interpret surveillance data relevant to program priorities
• Works with PHSI  staff across units on program evaluation, data analysis for reports, presentations and data requests as necessary
• Produces statistical and epidemiological reports, including tables, charts, slides, maps and other descriptive formats
• Designs and assesses data collection systems
• Supports database quality processes by producing data quality reports for program or policy development as necessary
• Provides technical assistance to other staff as necessary
• Assures data quality, integrity and confidentiality of information
• Creates data codebooks and relevant documentation for new and existing data sets
• Disseminates results of investigations, special studies, routine surveillance, and analyses of health outcome data
• Assembles databases and other information, such as literature articles, for analysis of health problems
• Produces maps using GIS
• Attends meetings within BPHC as needed and attends meetings with other agencies and community organizations as needed
• Performs other duties as required

• Knowledge of or willingness to learn about the role of public health in addressing racism, the social determinants of health, and inequities in health outcomes as well as strategies to advance racial justice and health equity.
• Commitment to health equity and racial/social justice issues.
• Master's degree in public health or related field or BA/BS with equivalent combination of training and experience required
• Understanding of epidemiological concepts and quantitative methodologies required
• Experience analyzing public health data using SAS, SPSS, Stata and/or Epi Info required
• Experience analyzing BRFSS, YRBS, or other complex survey design data a plus
• Experience managing data using Excel, Access, Epi Info or other database software
• Excellent organizational, oral and writing skills required
• Prior supervisory experience preferred.
• Ability to work as part of a diverse team, to manage competing priorities, and to consistently meet deadlines required
• Bilingual/bicultural preferred
• Experience coding in R or Python preferred
• Experience using GIS (ArcInfo) desirable
• Experience creating effective health data visualizations desirable