Oral Health Epidemiologist (AUSTIN, TX)

Essential Job Functions (EJFs):

Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency leave policy and performs other duties as assigned.   

30% Serves as a lead investigator for MCH surveillance and analytics to inform Title V MCH Block Grant programs with a primary focus on the Oral Health Improvement Program. Designs, develops, and implements advanced epidemiologic investigations following new or standardized scientific polices/protocols, coordinating studies, collecting, analyzing and evaluating data, and communicating results. This includes developing surveys, needs assessments, and interview guides, and collecting data with those newly developed tools. Identifies opportunities to integrate the use of regional and local information into program data collection and analysis.  

25% Proposes, designs, and conducts complex epidemiologic studies with large data sets (e.g., birth and death records), small data sets (e.g., Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System), and complex sample survey data (e.g., Texas School Physical Activity and Nutrition Study) to monitor the oral health of children, adolescents, pregnant women, and other populations. Uses specialized software, such as SAS, Python, SQL, Tableau, and ArcGIS, to analyze and display data for presentations, reports, publications, and other products. Utilizes advanced statistical software and techniques to automate and simplify routine data tasks.  

20% Consults with health professionals, researchers, and other epidemiologists within DSHS to define and solve specific problems and assure quality control across methods, procedures, and statistical analyses. Develops and maintains complex, detailed scientific protocols and operational manuals on all projects.   

20% Develops and directs grant-funded projects, generates scientific publications, public health reports, and presentations of completed work to agency/program management and/or scientific conferences. Supports data quality and improvement efforts throughout the MCH Section. Identifies opportunities for the use and distribution of program data to internal and external stakeholders.  

5% Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery, Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation, and/or serving on the State Medical Operations Center (SMOC) team.  Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):

Knowledge of epidemiology and related biostatistics principles and methods. 

Knowledge of statistical concepts, research methods and planning, and their applications to public health surveillance, epidemiology, and research. 

Knowledge of oral health and MCH epidemiology. 

Knowledge of laws and rules applicable to confidentiality and the management of protected health information.    

Knowledge of computer software package applications, including statistical packages and programs (such as SAS, SAS Macros, Python, SAS Viya, and SQL), Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access), and Tableau.  

Skills in good coordination, communication, and writing.   

Skills in developing technical standard operating procedures and data management plans.  

Strong project management skills to organize major project activities into a logical sequence with a reasonable and achievable set of deadlines.   

Skills in advanced SAS programming logic and scripting for statistical analysis of large data sets (100,000 records or more). 

Skills in using statistical measurement techniques, research design and implementation, and problem-solving methods and techniques.  

Skill in identifying problems, evaluating alternatives, and negotiating and implementing solutions to data and research problems.    

Strong technical writing skills to communicate projects and research clearly and succinctly to a variety of audiences.  

Ability to work independently and show initiative.  

Ability to gather information from a variety of sources and synthesize and translate detailed information into simpler terms.  

Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely orally and in writing.  

Ability to assess the reliability, validity, and appropriateness of proposed data collection methods and epidemiologic designs. 

Ability to plan, organize, and conduct assigned phases of complex research projects.  

Ability to conduct advanced statistical analyses with SAS. 

Ability to analyze larger data sets and complex sample survey data.  

Ability to interpret complex statistical analysis, charts, and tables. 

Ability to formulate reasonable hypothesis and structure research designs to account for variables.  

Ability to develop and effectively deliver training and technical assistance about research and data methods, procedures or DSHS policies.  

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and work with others as part of a team. 

Registrations, Licensure Requirements or Certifications: 

N/A 

Initial Screening Criteria: 

Graduation from an accredited college or university and graduate education resulting in the receipt of a Master’s degree in epidemiology, public health, human development, social science, or related field. Experience and education may be substituted for one another on a year-to-year basis.   

Experience in primary data collection. Experience with complex sample survey data collection preferred. 

Experience in survey data analysis. Experience analyzing complex sample survey data preferred.  

Experience in SAS programming language. 

Additional Information:  

Applicants selected for an interview will be required to provide two samples:  

1) A writing sample as first author; and  

2) A SAS statistical program sample (in PDF, Word, or similar file format) with examples of coding, data cleaning, data manipulation, and data analysis.