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Epidemiology Research Associate

Epidemiology Research Associate-March 2024

Pennsylvania

Mar 28, 2026

About Epidemiology Research Associate

　　Epidemiology Research Associate

　　Print (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/pabureau/jobs/newprint/4351788)

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　　Epidemiology Research Associate

　　Salary

　　$70,651.00 - $107,306.00 Annually

　　Location

　　Dauphin County, PA

　　Job Type

　　Civil Service Permanent Full-Time

　　Job Number

　　CS-2024-74438-34480

　　Department

　　Department of Health

　　Division

　　HL Div Hlth Cre Assd Infctn Pr

　　Opening Date

　　01/22/2024

　　Closing Date

　　2/20/2024 11:59 PM Eastern

　　Job Code

　　34480

　　Position Number

　　50667416

　　Union

　　SEIU, HCPA

　　Bargaining Unit

　　Pay Group

　　ST09

　　Bureau / Division Code

　　00077540

　　Bureau / Division

　　Bureau of Epidemiology / Division of Healthcare Associated Infection Prevention

　　Worksite Address

　　Street address is dependent on the city of the office location selected.

　　City

　　Greensburg, Harrisburg, or Reading, Pennsylvania

　　Zip Code

　　17120

　　Contact Name

　　Connie Hocker

　　Contact Phone

　　717.787.3350

　　Contact Email

　　[email protected]

　　Description

　　Benefits

　　Questions

　　THE POSITION

　　This position allows you the option of reporting to our office in Harrisburg, Reading or Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

　　Are you searching for a challenging and rewarding career serving community health? The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH), Bureau of Epidemiology, is actively recruiting for the position of Epidemiology Research Associate. The ideal candidate supports the Healthcare Associated Infection Prevention and Antimicrobial Stewardship Section (HAIP/AS) mission of protecting the public’s health through its responsibility by validating healthcare associated infection data reported to national and state databases, identifying common reporting mistakes, and training healthcare facility staff to improve the accuracy of reported healthcare associated infection data. If you are interested making a difference in public health while earning a great salary and benefits, apply today and check out everything that a position with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania can offer you!

　　DESCRIPTION OF WORK

　　As an Epidemiology Research Associate, you use the external validation toolkit from the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) to develop a workplan to validate healthcare associated infection events reported to the NHSN and Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System (PSRS). You define and track performance measures to monitor progression of the project through each step in the workplan.

　　You work with colleagues to identify and contact facilities that have incomplete, missing, untimely, or inaccurate data in the NHSN, PSRS or other database that HAIP/AS section uses. You also work with colleagues to develop, implement, and evaluate training sessions for healthcare staff to enhance their ability to submit complete, accurate, timely, and consistent data to the NHSN and PSRS.

　　In addition, you develop and disseminate correspondence with healthcare facilities to describe the validation project to potential facilities, to announce the selection of the facilities into the project, to instruct the facilities to transfer medical records to the department, and to share the conclusions of the project. You also develop and maintain expertise as it relates to healthcare associated infection events reported to NHSN and PSRS. This includes the application of event definitions to medical records, methods to determine how patient days, admissions, and encounters are calculated, how facilities should perform surveillance for healthcare associated infections, and which facilities are required to report events to NHSN and PSRS.

　　Additional details regarding the duties of this position may be found in the position description (https://careers.employment.pa.gov/pd/PD_NEOGOV.asp?p=50667416) .

　　Work Schedule and Additional Information:

　　Full-time employment, 37.5-hour work week

　　Work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday to Friday, with 60-minute lunch.

　　Telework: Under the current Administration, this position may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection. If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to the headquarters office.

　　Salary: In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.

　　You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Please check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

　　REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITY

　　QUALIFICATIONS

　　Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

　　One year of professional experience performing public health or environmental health epidemiological investigations or studies, or designing and managing a disease surveillance system; and a master's degree that includes or is supplemented by six credits in epidemiology, environmental health, statistics, or research . Other Requirements:

　　PA residency requirement (https://www.employment.pa.gov/Additional%20Info/Pages/default.aspx) is currentlywaived for this title.

　　You must be able to perform essential job functions.

　　How to Apply:

　　Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents willnot be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).

　　This posting requires submission of a copy of your college transcript(s). Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. You may upload your document as an attachment during the application process. You must still complete the application and answer the supplemental questions. All documents MUST be uploaded prior to the submission of your application.

　　Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.

　　Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.

　　Veterans:

　　Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.employment.pa.gov/Additional%20Info/Pages/default.aspx and click the Veterans’ Preference tab or contact us at r ([email protected]) [email protected] .

　　Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS):

　　711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

　　If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

　　The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

　　EXAMINATION INFORMATION

　　Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).

　　Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.

　　Your score is valid for this specific posting only.

　　You must provide complete and accurate information or:

　　your score may be lower than deserved.

　　you may be disqualified.

　　You may only apply/testoncefor this posting.

　　Your results will be provided via email.

　　Learn more about our Total Rewards by watching this shortvideo (https://www.youtube.com/embed/HtcSRnndflc?rel=0) !

　　Health & Wellness

　　We offer multiple health plans so our employees can choose what works best for themselves and their families. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health coverage, vision, dental, and wellness programs.*

　　Compensation & Financial Planning

　　We invest in our employees by providing competitive wages and encouraging financial wellness by offering multiple ways to save money and ensure peace of mind including multiple retirement and investment plan options.

　　Work/Life Balance

　　We know there’s more to life than just work! Our generous paid leave benefits include paid vacation, paid sick leave, six weeks of paid parental leave, military leave, and paid time off for most major U.S. holidays, as well as flexible work schedules and work-from-home opportunities.*

　　Values and Culture

　　We believe in the work we do and provide continual opportunities for our employees to grow and contribute to the greater good. As one of the largest employers in the state, we provide opportunities for internal mobility, professional development, and the opportunity to give back by participating in workplace charitable giving.

　　Employee Perks

　　Sometimes, it is the little “extras” that make a big difference. Our employees receive special employee-only discounts and rates on a variety of services and memberships.

　　For more information on all of these Total Rewards benefits, please visitwww.employment.pa.gov and click on the benefits box.

　　*Eligibility rules apply.

　　Do you possess a conferred master's degree or higher level degree? If you are claiming credits/degree, you must upload a copy of your college transcript(s) for this education to be considered in the eligibility decision. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. You must attach your transcript(s) prior to the submission of your application by using the "Attachments" tab on the left. You will not be able to add a transcript(s) to the application after it has been submitted. If you answer "yes" to this question based on education acquired outside of the United States, you must also upload a copy of your foreign credential evaluation. For more information on foreign education credentials, please visithttps://www.employment.pa.gov/Additional%20Info/Pages/default.aspx#q3and click on Other Information.

　　Yes

　　Have you completed six credits in epidemiology, environmental health, statistics, or research? If you are claiming credits/degree, you must upload a copy of your college transcript(s) for this education to be considered in the eligibility decision. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. You must attach your transcript(s) prior to the submission of your application by using the "Attachments" tab on the left. You will not be able to add a transcript(s) to the application after it has been submitted. If you answer "yes" to this question based on education acquired outside of the United States, you must also upload a copy of your foreign credential evaluation. For more information on foreign education credentials, please visithttps://www.employment.pa.gov/Additional%20Info/Pages/default.aspx#q3and click on Other Information.

　　Yes

　　If you answered "yes" to the above question, please list your qualifying coursework in the box below. If you answered "no", please type N/A in the box below.

　　Do you possess one or more years of full-time professional experience performing public health or environmental health epidemiological investigations or studies, or designing and managing a disease surveillance system?

　　Yes

　　If you are claiming experience in the above question, please list the employer(s) where you gained this experience in the text box below. The employer(s) and a description of the experience must also be included in the appropriate sections of your application if you would like the experience to be considered in the eligibility decision. If you claimed you do not have experience, type N/A in the text box below.

　　You must complete the supplemental questions below. These supplemental questions are the exam and will be scored. They are designed to give you the opportunity to relate your experience and training background to the major activities (Work Behaviors) performed in this position. Failure to provide complete and accurate information may delay the processing of your application, or result in a lower-than-deserved score or disqualification. Youmustcomplete the applicationandanswer the supplemental questions. Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position or to determine your score.

　　All information you provide on your application and supplemental questions is subject to verification. Any misrepresentation, falsification or omission of material facts is subject to penalty. If requested, you must provide documentation, including names, addresses, and telephone numbers of individuals who can verify the validity of the information you provide in the application and supplemental questions.

　　Read each work behavior carefully. Determine and select which "Level of Performance" most closely represents your highest level of experience/training. List the employer(s)/training source(s) from your Work or Education sections of the application where you gained this experience/training.The "Level of Performance" you choose for each work behavior must be clearly supported within the description of the experience and training information entered in your application or your score may be lowered.In order to receive credit for experience, you must have worked in a job for at least six months in which the experience claimed was a major function.

　　If you have read and understand these instructions, please click on the "Yes" button and proceed to the exam questions.

　　If you have general questions regarding the application and hiring process, please refer to ourFAQ page (https://www.employment.pa.gov/Additional%20Info/Pages/default.aspx) .

　　Yes

　　WORK BEHAVIOR 1 - CONDUCTS EPIDEMIOLOGIC INVESTIGATIONS, RESEARCH STUDIES AND PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENTSConducts epidemiologic investigations, research studies and public health assessments by collecting, reviewing and analyzing data, including case reports, results of laboratory tests, interview findings or other sources of data.Levels of PerformanceSelect the "Level of Performance" which best describes your claim.

　　A. I have professional experience leading epidemiologic investigations, research studies and public health assessments by collecting, reviewing and analyzing data, including case reports, results of laboratory tests, interview findings or other sources of data.

　　B. I have experience assisting others in conducting epidemiologic investigations, research studies and public health assessments by collecting, reviewing and analyzing data, including case reports, results of laboratory tests, interview findings, or other sources of data.

　　C. I have experience collecting epidemiologic data, including case reports, results of laboratory tests, interview findings or other sources of data, but I have not participated in reviewing or analyzing data.

　　D. I have successfully completed graduate level courses related to research methods, qualitative analysis, or researching/writing a thesis, but have had little opportunity to perform professional level work of this type outside the academic environment.

　　E. I have no experience or coursework related to this work behavior.

　　In the text box below, please describe your experience as it relates to the level of performance you claimed in this work behavior. Please be sure your response addresses the items listed below which relate to your claim. If you indicated you have no work experience related to this work behavior, type N/A in the box below.

　　The name(s) of the employer(s) where you gained this experience

　　The type(s) of investigations, research studies or public health assessments you conducted

　　The type(s) of data you collected or analyzed

　　The actual duties you performed in conducting these investigations, research studies or public health assessments

　　Your level of responsibility

　　If you have selected the level of performance pertaining to college coursework, please provide your responses to the items listed below. If you indicated you have no education/training related to this work behavior, type N/A in the text box below.

　　College/University

　　Course Title

　　Credits/Clock Hours

　　WORK BEHAVIOR 2 - PREPARES EPIDEMIOLOGIC RESEARCH AND INVESTIGATION REPORTSPrepares technical reports, scientific papers, and epidemiological research and investigation reports that include background, methods, results, discussion, limitations and recommendations; prepares manuals on various laboratory procedures and practices; and develops presentations on disease outbreaks or public health hazards.Levels of PerformanceSelect the "Level of Performance" which best describes your claim.

　　A. I have professional experience as the primary author of the following technical written material: epidemiological research and investigation reports that included conclusions and recommendations; scientific papers for publication in professional journals; or manuals on various laboratory procedures and practices. I was accountable for the underlying concepts and technical accuracy of the final product.

　　B. I have professional experience assisting the primary author with documenting epidemiologic information for inclusion in epidemiological research and investigation reports or scientific papers; OR I was responsible for writing and preparing a segment of an epidemiological research and investigation report, scientific paper, or laboratory manual.

　　C. I was responsible for authoring technical reports on any subject matter.

　　D. I have successfully completed graduate level courses related to preparing technical written material such as English composition, effective writing, or statistical analysis, but have had little opportunity to perform professional level work of this type outside of the academic environment.

　　E. I have no experience or coursework related to this work behavior.

　　The name(s) of the employer(s) where you gained this experience

　　The type(s) of reports you prepared

　　The actual duties you performed in preparing these reports

　　Your level of responsiblity

　　College/University

　　Course Title

　　Credits/Clock Hours

　　WORK BEHAVIOR 3 - MANAGES EPIDEMIOLOGIC SURVEILLANCE AND REPORTING SYSTEMSUses, evaluates, and revises epidemiologic reporting and surveillance systems, such as those used for infectious disease, environmental hazards, and chronic disease.Levels of PerformanceSelect the "Level of Performance" which best describes your claim.

　　A. I have professional experience using, evaluating, and revising epidemiologic reporting and surveillance systems, such as for infectious disease, environmental hazards, and chronic diseases.

　　B. I have professional experience using but not evaluating or revising epidemiologic reporting and surveillance systems, such as for infectious disease, environmental hazards, and chronic diseases.

　　C. I have successfully completed graduate coursework related to understanding and using epidemiologic reporting and surveillance systems, including topics related to types of surveillance systems, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, generalizability, or timeliness.

　　D. I have no experience or coursework related to this work behavior.

　　The name(s) of the employer(s) where you gained this experience

　　The type(s) of systems you have used or evaluated

　　The actual duties you performed

　　Your level of responsibility

　　College/University

　　Course Title

　　Credits/Clock Hours

　　Required Question

　　Agency

　　Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

　　Address

　　613 North Street

　　Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 17120

　　Website

　　http://www.employment.pa.gov

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