Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Epidemiology Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

Are you ready to be at the center of public health intelligence? This role requires a highly analytical and driven Epidemiology Specialist to join our team. In this pivotal role, you will be the expert investigator, using data to uncover the story behind disease patterns, outbreaks, and health trends. You will design, manage, and analyze health studies, transforming complex data into actionable insights that inform policy, guide interventions, and safeguard community well-being. This position is perfect for a proactive problem-solver who thrives on collaboration and is dedicated to using science to address critical health challenges.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Public Health Analyst / Health Data Analyst
Research Assistant / Associate (in a public health or clinical setting)
Infection Control Practitioner
Public Health Intern / Fellow

Advancement To:

Senior or Lead Epidemiologist
Director of Epidemiology / Chief Epidemiologist
Public Health Program Manager / Director
Principal Investigator / Research Scientist

Lateral Moves:

Biostatistician
Health Data Scientist
Clinical Research Manager
Health Informatics Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Design, implement, and manage comprehensive epidemiological studies, including cohort, case-control, cross-sectional, and longitudinal research, to investigate determinants of health and disease.
Conduct ongoing, systematic surveillance of communicable and non-communicable diseases by collecting, analyzing, and interpreting health data from diverse sources like electronic health records, registries, and surveys.
Lead and participate in rapid-response outbreak investigations to identify sources of infection, determine modes of transmission, and recommend immediate public health control measures.
Perform advanced statistical analysis on large, complex datasets using statistical software such as SAS, R, Stata, or SPSS to identify trends, risk factors, and disparities in health outcomes.
Develop and validate data collection instruments, including questionnaires and surveys, ensuring the collection of high-quality, reliable, and relevant public health data.
Author and prepare detailed technical reports, summaries, and scientific manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication, effectively communicating research findings to the scientific community.
Translate complex epidemiological findings into clear, concise, and accessible presentations and briefings for a variety of audiences, including policymakers, healthcare providers, and the general public.
Provide expert consultation and technical assistance to internal teams, external partners, and government agencies on epidemiological methods, study design, and data interpretation.
Conduct systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses to synthesize existing evidence on public health topics, identify research gaps, and inform evidence-based practices.
Develop, monitor, and evaluate the effectiveness of public health programs and interventions, using epidemiological principles to measure impact and guide program improvement.
Manage and maintain large epidemiological databases, ensuring data quality, integrity, accuracy, and confidentiality through rigorous data cleaning and management protocols.
Utilize Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software, such as ArcGIS, to perform spatial analysis of health data, mapping disease distribution and identifying geographic clusters or hotspots.
Collaborate closely with interdisciplinary teams, including clinicians, biostatisticians, laboratory personnel, and health educators, to execute integrated public health initiatives.
Contribute to the development of grant proposals and funding applications by providing epidemiological expertise, writing research methodology sections, and conducting preliminary data analysis.
Develop and implement protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for surveillance, research, and data analysis activities to ensure consistency and quality.
Respond to data requests from internal and external stakeholders, providing timely and accurate information while adhering to data privacy and security regulations.
Stay abreast of the latest scientific literature, advancements in epidemiological methods, and emerging public health threats to ensure all work is current and innovative.
Apply principles of health equity and social determinants of health in all research and surveillance activities to identify and address health disparities among vulnerable populations.
Train, mentor, and supervise junior staff, interns, or students in epidemiological methods, data analysis, and public health principles.
Represent the organization at professional meetings, conferences, and working groups, presenting findings and fostering collaborative relationships.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Statistical Programming: High proficiency in at least one major statistical software package (e.g., R, SAS, Stata, SPSS).
Epidemiological Methods: Deep understanding of study design (e.g., cohort, case-control), bias, confounding, and causal inference.
Database Management: Experience querying and managing data using SQL.
Data Visualization: Competency with tools like Tableau, Power BI, R Shiny, or GIS software (ArcGIS, QGIS) to create insightful maps and dashboards.
Public Health Surveillance: Knowledge of national and local surveillance systems (e.g., NEDSS, syndromic surveillance).
Quantitative Analysis: Advanced skills in biostatistics, including multivariable regression modeling (linear, logistic), survival analysis, and time-series analysis.
Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis: Proven ability to conduct comprehensive literature searches and synthesize evidence systematically.
Scientific Writing: Demonstrated skill in preparing clear, concise, and impactful reports, manuscripts, and grant proposals.
Survey Design: Experience with survey development platforms (e.g., REDCap, Qualtrics) and questionnaire validation.
Qualitative Data Analysis: Familiarity with methods for analyzing qualitative data from interviews or focus groups is a plus.

Soft Skills

Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving: Ability to analyze complex situations, identify key issues, and develop logical, evidence-based solutions.
Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey technical information to non-technical audiences.
Collaboration & Teamwork: A proven track record of working effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
Attention to Detail: Meticulous approach to data analysis, interpretation, and reporting.
Project Management: Strong organizational skills to manage multiple projects, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines.
Adaptability: Flexibility to respond to urgent public health events and shifting priorities.
Ethical Judgment: Strong understanding of and commitment to research ethics, data privacy, and confidentiality (e.g., HIPAA, IRB).
Presentation Skills: Confidence and clarity in presenting data and findings to diverse groups.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Master’s degree (MPH, MSc) in a relevant field.

Preferred Education:

Doctoral degree (PhD, DrPH) in Epidemiology or a closely related discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Epidemiology
Public Health
Biostatistics
Health Services Research

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2-5+ years of post-graduate experience in an applied public health or research setting.

Preferred:

Experience working within a state, local, or federal public health agency (e.g., CDC, state/county health department).
A track record of peer-reviewed publications.
Experience in infectious disease epidemiology and outbreak investigation.