The Epidemiology and Information Scientist will support senior epidemiologist colleagues in the provision of a range of activities including contributing to outbreak management and response and epidemiological investigation through designing questionnaires and outbreak databases, contributing to the production of outbreak reports and preparing descriptive epidemiology. Exceedances will also be investigated.
The interface with local, regional and national colleagues, as well as with external stakeholders, will be an important feature of this role.
Job description
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Specific duties of the role may vary depending on the site and teams/functions.
Outbreak support and epidemiological investigation
- Where appropriate, undertake specific steps of an epidemiological study under direction including to design and develop questionnaires e.g. using Select Survey, design and administer outbreak databases, prepare descriptive epidemiology, contribute to the production of outbreak reports, investigate exceedances and interview cases and controls.
- Undertake complex analytical tasks and use common statistical, database and mapping software and tools to support analysis such as producing tables, graphs, maps etc. and developing advanced queries.
Surveillance and data analysis
- Maintain and improve databases for surveillance of infectious diseases, test functionality of new surveillance systems, validate the quality of surveillance data including use of automated routines and through audit and produce and update Standard Operating Procedures
- Have knowledge of, apply and interpret basic statistical tests, conduct statistical analyses of surveillance data, produce reports and outputs using common statistical/database/mapping tools such as Stata, R, ArcGIS, network analysis, SQL, etc, respond to routine and more complex data requests and produce routine surveillance reports, including basic descriptive analysis and interpretation of results
- Contribute to surveillance activities through assuring data quality, undertaking complex data analyses and seeking to improve and enhance databases and systems.
- Produce routine surveillance reports that include basic descriptive analyses and interpretation.
- Undertake more complex analytical tasks using common software packages to support analysis such as advanced querying, data validation and pivot tables.
Research
- Support research through contribution to scientific papers and projects on public health surveillance, outbreaks and infectious disease control as well as through designing study databases and sharing findings at conferences and meetings
- Design a study database, and develop queries to analyse data, create automated reports, import/export data from a variety of sources, participate in the interpretation and analysis of research findings and the application of findings to practice and present internally or to local partners, present work/posters at scientific meetings and conferences
Management and Leadership
- To act as role model adhering to team professional standards, actively engage in meetings, identify potential problems and seek to resolve and undertake a lead role for a specific topic or function area, on behalf of the service as a whole
- Support the development of policies and protocols for use within the team/department.
- Contribute to specified quality improvement and governance initiatives as agreed.
- Support/lead projects and support defined areas of work as agreed with line manager.
- Learn and maintain up-to-date scientific knowledge regarding epidemiology, surveillance and relevant public health interventions and contribute to the supervision and training colleagues and others as requested.
- Contribute to teaching/training programmes and activities (including to the development of teaching material and courses) on surveillance, epidemiology information science, data management, information governance and quality and support ongoing training activities within the team and Service
Quality and governance
- Ensure that data transfer, extraction and storage of data are appropriate and identify data quality issues through audit and ensure analysis and outputs are clearly presented in an appropriate context
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- The post holder will identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with their line manager through appraisal / individual development plan. Attending internal / external training events
- To participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. safeguarding, fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training.
OTHER DUTIES
- The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by the Directorate.
- The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the organisation.
Apply before 11:55 pm on Thursday 28th September 2023
