General Epidemiologist

Agency Marketing Statement

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is tasked with the oversight of communities within Illinois to achieve and maintain optimal health and safety.  With an annual budget of over $600 million in state and federal funds, 7 regional offices, 3 laboratories and over 1,100 employees, IDPH is equipped to fulfill its mission of protecting the health and wellness of the people of Illinois through the prevention, health promotion, regulation and control of disease and injury.

Position Overview

Illinois Department of Public Health is seeking a highly motivated individual to serve as Vaccine Preventable Disease Epidemiologist. Coordinates epidemiological investigation and analysis of vaccine preventable disease outbreaks including developing case definitions, developing data collection tools when needed; and organizing and analyzing descriptive data via epidemiologic curves, line lists and maps. Investigates and reviews information regarding vaccine preventable diseases to determine whether clusters of illness may represent a public health problem or outbreaks are occurring.

Job Responsibilities

1.  Coordinates epidemiological investigation and analysis of vaccine preventable disease outbreaks.

• Develops case definitions and data collection tools when needed.
• Organizes and analyzes descriptive data via epidemiologic curves, line lists and maps.

2.  Investigates and reviews information regarding vaccine preventable diseases to determine whether clusters of illness may represent a public health problem or outbreaks occurring.

• Assists all program areas in outbreak response, including outbreak questionnaire development, outbreak data analysis to determine the source, preparation of final outbreak data, and presentation of findings.

3.  Designs and populates the influenza, COVID-19, RSV, pertussis, mumps, measles, influenza and other respiratory disease situational awareness reports for publication on the IDPH website.

• Prepares files to be submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for national respiratory disease surveillance projects.
• Participates in national workgroups, sharing data and findings toward the development of national strategies.

4.  Manages the review and evaluation of vaccine preventable diseases surveillance and outbreak data throughout the year and for year-end close out for data quality and completeness.

• Focuses on improving data collection through providing orientation and training to local health departments.
• Develops web portal pages, and additional surveillance resources.
• Creates or improves tools for collecting and sharing data.
• Suggests changes to the surveillance system and outbreak reporting system as needed.
• Participates in testing and approving implemented system changes.

Job Responsibilities (cont)

5.  Assists in the preparation of federal grant applications and progress reporting of data from respiratory disease surveillance.

• Monitors and evaluates grant metrics, ensuring progress and adjusts grant deliverables as needed based on these data.

6.  Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires possession of a Bachelor’s degree in epidemiology, demography, bio-statistics, or related social science research field from an accredited university.
• Requires four years of professional experience in communicable disease or infectious disease surveillance and/or control programs at the local, state, or federal level.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Master’s degree or Ph.D. in public health, biostatistics, or epidemiology.
2. One year experience with Epi Info computer applications.
3. One year experience with Microsoft Access.
4. One year experience with Tableau computer application.
5. One year experience with SAS and R computer applications.
6. One year experience with Microsoft Excel and other similar types of software.