OPS Biological Scientist III - 64802142

Florida Epidemic Intelligence Service Fellow

The Florida Department of Health Division of Disease Control and Health Protection Bureau of Epidemiology is seeking a Florida Epidemic Intelligence Service (FL EIS) Fellow. This is an open competitive opportunity for a unique two-year, post-graduate program of service and on-the-job training for health professionals interested in the field of epidemiology. Fellows will be assigned to a county health department (CHD) for two years and have opportunities to respond to various public health concerns throughout the state.

Your specific responsibilities will include participating in a variety of activities designed to develop competency in three main areas: epidemiologic process, communication, and professionalism. You will learn about infectious diseases and perform case and outbreak investigations for infectious diseases and other conditions of public health concern. You will provide professional and technical epidemiologic consultation and assistance to public and private health care providers for CHD in Florida. You will conduct special projects/epidemiological studies and support administrative and management activities. You will perform descriptive and analytic epidemiologic investigations, research, and public health surveillance of disease outbreaks and other field epidemiologic investigations of public health importance, such as disasters. You will assist with the development, implementation, reporting, and publication of special epidemiological studies in peer-reviewed journals, present at statewide or national professional meetings, and disseminate vital public health information to public health partners and the public.

To apply, you must send the following documents to the program as noted below by the posting closing date in the official State of Florida job application:

How to Apply:

All the items listed below must be submitted to the FL EIS Program and the title of the document or PDF should include the name of the document and the name of the applicant (e.g., FL EIS Personal Statement Karen Elliott). They must be attached to the official State of Florida job application (except for the official transcripts, which should be sent per description below):

• Complete this Florida Department of Health Job Application.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV): One copy (Please note this is more than just a standard resume and should include additional details such as research, publications, professional presentations, awards, and other relevant academic history along with the standard resume sections.)
• References: Please provide the name, title, agency of employment, email address, and direct phone number of three professional references.
• Transcripts: Submit transcripts from the school from which you received your highest degree and for any school from which you received public health training (e.g., MPH, MSPH, DrPH, PhD). Copies of your official transcripts are acceptable during the application process. An unofficial printout from the student system is not acceptable. If chosen for the position, official sealed transcripts must be provided.
• Personal Statement: One copy. A narrative, no longer than two pages, which addresses the following questions:
• What are your career plans after graduating from the FL EIS Program? Why?
• How will the FL EIS Program help you fulfill these plans?
• How will the FL EIS Program complement your previous training and experience?
• Is there any aspect of public health that is particularly interesting to you? Why?
• How will you contribute to the goals of the FL EIS Fellowship Program? (Please see the description in the posted job announcement).

Mail/ e-mail official transcripts to:

Florida Department of Health Division of Disease Control and Health Protection Attention: Karen Elliott 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin A-12 Tallahassee, FL 32399 FL_EISFellowship@flhealth.gov

Application Deadline: The application deadline for the FL EIS Program is the posting closing date in the official State of Florida job application. The applicant is responsible for ensuring that all required items are submitted (emailed, postmarked, attached to job application) by the deadline.

Your Final Step: Upload all of the required documents (CV, copy of your official transcripts, personal statement, and reference list) to your job application for this position and submit it prior to the deadline. If you have any problems with uploading the documents to the application, you may send all of the documents in one email to: FL_EISFellowship@flhealth.gov. You must submit the official State of Florida job application to be considered for the position. U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers are eligible to apply. The FL EIS Program is unable to provide VISA sponsorship. Applications will be reviewed and ranked to determine eligibility. Only complete applications will be considered. Upon review of applications, competitive applicants will be selected for interviews.

Contact Name: Karen Elliott, FL EIS Program Administrator, Bureau of Epidemiology Contact email: FL_EISFellowship@flhealth.gov

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of epidemiologic principles and public health including understanding of disease transmission, outbreak investigation, surveillance systems, and population health.
• Knowledge of infectious disease processes including familiarity with common pathogens, modes of transmission, and basic control measures.
• Foundational knowledge of data collection and analysis. This should include awareness of descriptive and analytic epidemiology (rates, ratios, trends).
• Skills in basic data analysis including being competent using Microsoft Excel and introductory-level statistical tools (e.g., SPSS, R, or SAS) to summarize data.
• Skills to clearly and effectively communicate findings in written reports, tables, and presentations.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone with internal and external customers.
• Ability to work with multidisciplinary teams (e.g., lab staff, clinicians, public health officials).
• Ability to travel, conduct interviews, perform site visits, and work irregular hours during outbreaks.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications: Persons with a master's or doctoral degree in a health-related field (e.g., MPH, PhD, DrPH) having taken at least one course in epidemiology and one course in statistics (biostatistics preferred, but other statistics courses will be considered) during graduate/professional school. The primary selection criteria are strong academic performance and references, demonstrated experience with data analysis, and demonstrated interest in and the ability to practice epidemiology in Florida public health agencies. The qualifying degree for this application period must be completed no later than August 31, 2025. Preference will be given for candidates with a qualifying degree and required coursework that was completed within the last five years.

Location Placement: Onsite (Not Remote) at the County Health Department. The potential host site locations are St. Petersburg in Pinellas County, Sanford in Seminole County, Port St. Lucie in St. Lucie County, and Daytona Beach in Volusia County.

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

• State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan (mandatory)
• Participation in state group insurance (upon meeting eligibility requirements. Consult with People First and/or the serving HR office)
• Workers' Compensation (mandatory, if needed)
• Reemployment Assistance (Unemployment Compensation) (mandatory, if needed)
• Deferred Compensation (voluntary)
• Employee Assistance Program (voluntary)
• And more! For a more complete list of benefits, including monthly costs, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

Please be advised: Your responses to qualifying questions for this position must be verifiable by documentation provided through the electronic application process. This position requires a security background check and/or drug screening and participation in direct deposit. Any misrepresentations or omissions will disqualify you from employment consideration.