Epidemiologist

Epidemiologist SALARY: $35.51/hr Hire Rate (2026); $38.51/hr Work Rate after 9 months (2027) TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT: Full Time ISSUE DATE: 08/28/26 THE FINAL DATE TO FILE APPLICATIONS: 09/27/26 DATE THAT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM POSTING: 09/28/26 RESIDENCY WAIVED Tompkins County Whole Health is seeking an Epidemiologist to join the Division of Community Health. This is a full-time position (40 hours per week). The starting salary is $35.51 per hour, with a working rate of $38.51 per hour after nine months of consecutive employment. The position will play a leading role in data collection, analysis, and reporting for the Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan. It will also evaluate public health and mental health programs to better understand their reach, effectiveness, cost implications, and impact on health equity. The Epidemiologist will collaborate across Whole Health and with the New York State Department of Health, healthcare providers, schools, and community organizations. Some on-call coverage may be required to support disease surveillance and outbreak response. The ideal candidate is analytical, curious, and skilled at making complex data understandable and useful. They should be able to identify meaningful patterns, communicate findings to a variety of audiences, manage multiple projects, and work collaboratively with program staff and community partners. This is an opportunity to build core epidemiology and surveillance capacity within an integrated public and mental health department and directly inform initiatives beginning in fall 2026. Please submit a cover letter and resume with your application. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Possession of a Master’s degree from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university in epidemiology, or in public health with a concentration in epidemiology, or a health-related field with a minimum of six (6) credits in epidemiology and six (6) additional credits in epidemiology or biostatistics; OR 2. Possession of a Bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited or New York State-registered college or university and two (2) years’ experience conducting data collection, analysis and reporting in support of surveillance and epidemiologic investigations and successful completion of principles of epidemiology certification for health professionals given by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), U.S. Public Health Service. SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: The applicant must obtain a current valid New York State driver’s license within six months of appointment and must maintain such license for the duration of employment. Tompkins County Government centers diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are committed to the empowerment of employees and residents to dismantle systemic barriers that inhibit inclusive governance and the provision of government services to all. Guided by our values of Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Equity, and Stewardship, we strive to build a workplace and community rooted in trust, belonging, and opportunity for all. Learn more about our Strategic Plan and Institutionalizing Equity Report, which embed equity across our operations. DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: The position of epidemiologist supports Tompkins County Whole Health’s efforts to monitor, investigate, analyze, and respond to communicable diseases, chronic disease trends, and other public health concerns in the community. This is a professional administrative and analytical role which will be responsible for developing, coordinating, and maintaining surveillance, evaluation, reporting, and data analysis methods used to assess community health needs, monitor disease trends, support communicable disease response, and evaluate progress related to the Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan. The incumbent exercises independent professional judgment in the performance of epidemiology, surveillance, analysis, reporting, and public health response duties. Work is performed under the general direction of the Director of Community Health. The incumbent participates in communicable disease on-call rotation and may be required to respond to time-sensitive public health issues outside of routine work priorities. The incumbent may provide project-based direction, training, and review of work performed by clerical staff, interns, temporary staff, or project assistants assigned to epidemiology, surveillance, data collection, or reporting activities. Does related work as required. TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: • Performs ongoing epidemiological research and analysis of the health status of Tompkins County, including community health needs, populations at risk, disease patterns, health indicators, and emerging trends; • Conducts routine surveillance of communicable and non-communicable diseases using public health data systems, communicable disease databases, NYSDOH systems, electronic health record data, survey tools, and other available data sources; • Supports the investigation of disease outbreaks and coordinates response activities with guidance from the state and regional office, in collaboration with Community Health Disease Control Program including participating in on-call on a rotating basis; • Develops policies and procedures for disease prevention and control, as directed by the Director of Community Health, Commissioner of Whole Health, and Deputy Public Health Director; • Works closely with Whole Health leadership, Community Health, communicable disease staff, Environmental Health, the Medical Director, and other internal staff to translate data into actionable public health information; • Coordinates with external public health, medical, school, community, and governmental partners, including NYS Department of Health representatives, healthcare providers, laboratories, hospitals, infection prevention staff, school officials, community organizations, and other agencies involved in public health planning or response; • Oversees, coordinates, and compiles communicable disease and epidemiology reports, including but not limited to County data snapshots, surveillance summaries, Community Health Assessment materials, Community Health Improvement Plan updates, and other required or requested reports; • Directs data collection and analysis for the Community Health Assessment, which may include designing data collection methods, coordinating surveys, convening or supporting focus groups, analyzing findings, and summarizing results for internal and community use; • Supports implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the Community Health Improvement Plan, including tracking interventions, assessing progress, identifying data needs, and preparing updates for leadership and community partners; • Independently identifies data trends, patterns, gaps, or concerns requiring follow-up and prepares evidence-based recommendations that support strategic planning, community health improvement priorities, resource planning, and program decision-making for review by the Director of Community Health, Commissioner/Public Health Director, Deputy Public Health Director, and other department leadership. • Acts as a liaison with internal staff and external partners, including the Medical Director, healthcare providers, hospitals, laboratories, infection prevention staff, NYS Department of Health representatives, schools, community organizations, governmental agencies, and other public health partners, to support communicable disease surveillance and response activities; • May participate in meetings or communications with agency heads, hospital administrators, school leadership, community partners, elected officials, legislators, media representatives, or the public in support of or alongside department leadership, as assigned; • Uses specialized computer applications and data systems, including but not limited to Tableau, Power BI, GIS, Excel, statistical software, survey platforms, NYSDOH reporting systems, electronic health record data, and communicable disease databases; • Represents the Department at meetings, conferences, workgroups, and community or professional forums with local healthcare organizations, NYS Department of Health, other County departments, schools, community organizations, and the general public; KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: • Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices, methods, and techniques of epidemiology, public health surveillance, communicable disease control, and disease prevention; • Thorough knowledge of data collection, data validation, statistical analysis, survey design, program evaluation, and public health reporting methods; • Thorough knowledge of recent developments, guidance, and best practices in communicable disease surveillance, investigation, prevention, and response; • Good knowledge of community health assessment, community health improvement planning, and the use of data to identify, monitor, and address population health needs; • Good knowledge of federal, state, and local public health laws, regulations, reporting requirements, and guidance related to communicable disease control, surveillance, and public health response; • Ability to use specialized statistical, visualization, GIS, surveillance, survey, electronic health record, and public health reporting systems, including but not limited to Tableau, Power BI, GIS, Excel, NYSDOH systems, statistical software, survey platforms, and communicable disease databases; • Ability to collect, clean, validate, analyze, interpret, and present complex public health data accurately and effectively; • Ability to develop dashboards, reports, maps, data visualizations, surveillance summaries, and technical presentations used in communications with the public, legislators, media representatives, outside agencies, healthcare administrators, school leadership, other County departments, and community partners; • Ability to understand, interpret, and apply complex written regulations, technical guidance, public health standards, and reporting requirements; • Ability to interpret, explain, and prepare reports on complex epidemiologic findings to technical and non-technical audiences; • High interpersonal skills needed to teach, advise, influence, and coordinate cooperation among internal divisions, healthcare providers, schools, laboratories, community organizations, state and regional public health agencies, and other partners; • Ability to communicate effectively in sensitive, time-sensitive, or high-concern public health situations, including situations involving communicable disease investigations, outbreak response, public concern, or competing partner priorities; • Ability to advise the Commissioner/Public Health Director, Deputy Public Health Director, Director of Community Health , Medical Director, and other department leadership on epidemiologic findings, public health trends, surveillance results, and recommended response strategies; • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with public health staff, department leadership, and community partners; • Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet time-sensitive reporting or response deadlines, and maintain accuracy under pressure; • Ability to perform detailed visual review of multiple lines of data, spreadsheets, dashboards, maps, reports, and technical materials with accuracy; • Ability to maintain confidentiality and use sound judgment when handling protected health information, sensitive public health data, and confidential records; • Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position Originally Created 6/2026 E81 FURTHER INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS Falsification of any part of the "Application for Employment" will result in disqualification. Accepted candidates will be notified when and where to appear for the examination. If you do not receive your notice to appear at least three days before the date of the written examination, call Tompkins County Department of Human Resources at 274-5526. If an application is disapproved, due notice will be sent. This department does not make formal acknowledgment of the receipt of an application or take responsibility for non-delivery or postal delay. Applicants must answer every question on the application form and make sure that the application is complete in all respects. Incomplete applications will be disapproved. ACTIVE MILITARY PERSONNEL, VETERANS OR DISABLED VETERANS desiring to claim additional credit will request the Veterans Credits application form, at any time between the date of application for examination(s) and the date of the establishment of the resulting eligible list. You must meet the requirements set by NYS for these credits and they may be used only once. YOU MAY NOT CLAIM ADDITIONAL CREDITS AFTER THE ELIGIBLE LIST HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. IT IS THE CANDIDATE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO REQUEST THE VETERANS CREDIT APPLICATION FORMS AND TO SUBMIT THESE FORMS AND ANY SUPPORTING PAPERWORK BEFORE THE ELIGIBLE LIST IS ESTABLISHED. Tompkins County's written examinations are prepared and rated by the New York State Department of Civil Service in accordance with Section 23-2 of Civil Service Law. The provisions of the New York State Civil Service Rules and Regulations, which deal with the rating and review of the examinations apply. The duration of the eligible lists may be fixed for a minimum of one and a maximum of four years and may be extended beyond four years if there has been a restriction against the filling of vacancies in that title. The candidates must complete a separate "Application for Employment" for each open-competitive and/or promotional examination that the candidate is eligible to take. All experience required meeting the acceptable training and experience is full-time experience. (Part-time experience will be credited on a prorated basis). Appointment from an eligible list must be made from the top three candidates willing to accept the appointment. Tompkins County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. As part of its efforts to provide employment opportunities to the physically handicapped, Tompkins County Civil Service has adopted a rule permitting the employment of qualified physically handicapped persons without competitive examination (pursuant to Section 55 of Civil Service Law). If you meet the minimum qualifications for this position and wish to know more about this rule, please contact the Tompkins County Department of Human Resources Office. Unless otherwise notified, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand-held, and solar or battery powered calculators. Devices with Typewriter Keyboards, Spell Checkers, Personal Digital Assistants, Address Books, Language Translators, Dictionaries or any similar devices are prohibited. You may not bring books or other reference materials. CROSS-FILING - APPLYING FOR CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS WHEN EXAMINATIONS ARE SCHEDULED ON THE SAME DATE: When applying for examinations across multiple jurisdictions - all of which are scheduled on the same day - you must submit a Tompkins County Cross-Filing Form. This form must be submitted no later than 4:30 PM on the final filing date of the examination. On this form, list each examination that you are taking and then tell us where you would like to sit. The purpose is to ensure that all of the test materials for the various examinations that you are taking will be available in one location. If you do not provide the cross-filing form to us by the final filing date, we cannot ensure that we can accommodate your desire to cross-file. If any of the examinations are State level examinations, you must sit at the State test center. You will still need to complete the Tompkins County cross-filing form. If sitting at the State site, the State will notify you of when and where to report for your examination(s) and you should bring all admittance letters to the State site. If you are not taking a State examination, bring all admittance letters to your chosen testing site. If you have any question please call Tompkins County Department of Human Resources Department (607) 274-5526. The Cross File form is located at http://www.tompkins-co.org/personnel/CivilSrvForms/index.html FOR RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION AND HANDICAPPED PERSONS: If special arrangements for testing are required, please indicate this on your application. ALL CANDIDATES FOR EMPLOYMENT FOR POSITIONS IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND BOCES GOVERNED BY TOMPKINS COUNTY CIVIL SERVICE MAY HAVE THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL REQUIREMENT. PER CHAPTER 180 OF THE LAWS OF 2000, AND BY REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION, TO BE EMPLOYED IN A POSITION DESIGNATED BY A SCHOOL DISTRICT OR BOCES AS INVOLVING DIRECT CONTACT WITH STUDENTS, A CLEARANCE FOR EMPLOYMENT FROM THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS REQUIRED. In conformance with Section 85-a of the Civil Service Law, children of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duties shall be entitled to receive an additional ten points in a competitive examination for original appointment in the same municipality in which his or her parent has served. If you are qualified to participate in this examination and are a child of firefighter or police officer killed in the line of duties in this municipality, please inform this office of this matter when you submit your application for examination. A candidate claiming such credit has a minimum of two months from the application deadline to provide the necessary documentation to verify additional credit eligibility. However, no credit may be added after the eligible list has been established.⒝ BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: Applicants may be required to undergo a State and national criminal history background investigation, which will include a fingerprint check, to determine suitability for appointment. Failure to meet the standards for the background investigation may result in disqualification. TOMPKINS COUNTY PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT, 125 EAST COURT STREET, ITHACA, NY 14850