Epidemiologist

**Job Description**:
**POSITION PURPOSE**

Reporting to the Manager, Health Protection, is responsible for carrying out a broad and complex range of investigative epidemiologic activities related to the surveillance, detection, and prevention of diseases; contributing to applied public health research; conducting statistical analyses to identify trends or outbreaks of diseases and their risk factors used in the planning of health programs for the prevention and control of communicable diseases; and providing epidemiology consulting services to assigned program areas in the Public Health Branch.

**MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES**
- Coordinates and carries out activities to meet the Foundational and Program Standards and the Accountability Agreement, as required by the Ontario Public Health Standards and related protocols and regulations, enacted under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
- Participates in the design, management, and use of surveillance systems for diseases of public health importance. Identifies program surveillance data needs, develops indicators, designs instruments for the collection of surveillance information and data, and implements new or revises existing surveillance systems.
- Analyzes and interprets data to assess current health status, changes in local population health, health behaviours, preventive health practices and health care utilization relevant to public health and demographic indicators.
- Reports and disseminates population health assessment and surveillance information to inform public health program planning, service delivery and evaluation.
- Identifies and evaluates a wide range of health conditions within the assigned program area to recognize public health problems pertinent to the population and to determine feasibility and approach to epidemiologic investigations as appropriate to the program area and as assigned.
- Develops survey tools for epidemiologic investigations, plans sampling frame and method, calculates required sample size; adapts or combines a variety of existing statistical methods to fulfil specific project needs.
- Conducts searches or reviews existing literature and data in a scientific area, determining methodological techniques and processes, and designing questionnaires and other data-collection instruments.
- Provides consultation services to Branch management and staff regarding the epidemiological aspects of needs assessment, survey construction, and the collection, analysis, interpretation and principles of reporting data.
- Recommends and assists Branch management and staff in planning and evaluating new and existing public health programs.
- Accesses, collects and manages data for population health assessment and surveillance.
- Designs, manipulates, and utilizes databases for analysis of health problems.
- Responds to inquiries and resolves concerns from health care providers, community partners, the media and/or the general public, as required.
- Collaborates with community researchers, academic partners and other appropriate organizations to support public health research and knowledge exchange.
- Performs other duties as assigned, in accordance with Branch and Department objectives.

**QUALIFICATIONS**
- Successful completion of a Masters Degree in Epidemiology (e.g. MHSc, MSc or MPH).
- Minimum two (2) years experience as an Epidemiologist or equivalent experience in a related Public Health setting.
- Demonstrated experience with the use of public heath indicators.
- Working knowledge of iPHIS, Cognos ReportNet, Panorama, Census, intelliHEALTH ONTARIO and historical information systems such as IRIS and RDIS.
- In-depth knowledge of current issues and practices related to infectious disease epidemiology, public health and health determinants and outcomes.
- Understanding of the principles of infectious disease case investigations, outbreak management and immunization.
- Demonstrated ability to independently plan and conduct an analysis of a large dataset
- Good judgement and ability to make sound epidemiological decisions
- Accuracy and attention to detail
- Knowledge of and demonstrated ability in corporate core competencies including customer service, communication, team work, initiative/self management, accountability, flexibility and adaptability.
- Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills and well-developed presentation skills.