Job | Director of Viral Hepatitis Surveillance @ NYC Health Department

City Research Scientist IV-A / Director of Surveillance, Bureau of Hepatitis, HIV, and STI

Civil Service Title: City Research Scientist

Career Level: Experienced (non-manager)

Work Location: 42-09 28th Street, Long Island City, NY, 11101

Proposed Salary Range: $96,772.00 – $111,288.00 (Annual)

Job Description

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH)’s Bureau of Hepatitis, HIV, and Sexually Transmitted Infections (BHHS) oversees the City’s response to viral hepatitis, HIV, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Its mission is to improve the lives of New Yorkers by ending transmission, illness, stigma, and inequities related to viral hepatitis, HIV and sexually transmitted infections. BHHS does this through testing initiatives; prevention, care, and treatment programming; epidemiology and surveillance; training and technical assistance; community engagement; social marketing; policy advocacy; and racial equity and social justice initiatives. The Viral Hepatitis Program conducts surveillance, and develops and implements programs and projects to prevent, manage and treat Hep B and C in New York City. The Director of Surveillance will oversee staff surveillance and case investigations, and public health data analyses; support the New York City Viral Hepatitis Elimination plan; and provide strategic leadership to the Viral Hepatitis program.  

Duties will include but not be limited to:

• Oversee and analyze surveillance for Hep B and C in NYC through the development of analysis plans and supervision of analysts to provide data and information to assist the Viral Hepatitis Program to develop relevant interventions.
• Create, oversee or update survey protocols and questionnaires.
• Oversee the development of the surveillance components of the viral hepatitis annual report and develop interim progress reports on surveillance data throughout the year.
• Respond to data requests from media, policy makers, and scientists on Hep B and C surveillance.
• Conduct and oversee specific research and epidemiologic analyses including: surveillance based prevalence estimates, analysis of facility and neighborhood-based RNA confirmation rates, analysis of surveillance-based algorithm to estimate linkage to care and treatment with equity-centered goals.
• Oversee case investigations and enhanced surveillance, ensuring case classification and reporting to federal and state partners is correct and timely.
• Support and participate in linkage to care and program evaluation projects, by supervising analysis plans for linkage to care outreach activities that use surveillance data and ensuring that surveillance data and patients lists are provided as per protocol and as needed.
• Supervise staff responsible for Hep B and C case investigations, tele-navigation services, Hep B and C data processing, management and quality, and research and epidemiology projects.
  Under the supervision of a medical epidemiologist, conduct or oversee investigations of suspected healthcare-associated transmission of Hep B and C.
• Serve as liaison to other Departmental Offices and state and federal agencies regarding Hep B and C surveillance including the New York State Hep C Elimination Task Force. Complete other tasks as assigned.

Minimum Qual Requirements:

1. For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master’s degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.

To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have:

1. A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or 
2. A master’s degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or

3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to “1” or “2” above. However, all candidates must have at least a master’s degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in “2” above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in “1” and “2” above.

NOTE: Probationary Period. Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.

Preferred Skills

• Master’s degree in public health or a related field.
• Experience supervising surveillance and outbreak response activities and staff.
• Deep understanding of surveillance systems, including developing new surveillance systems and evaluating surveillance systems and changes in disease reporting.
• Experience meeting and reporting on grant deliverables and publishing peer-reviewed manuscripts and overseeing and developing manuscripts for supervises Strong SAS and analytic skills.
• In depth experience working in a local or state Public Health agency.
• Exceptional candidates will have experience working with hepatitis and complex laboratory surveillance.

Additional Information

**Important Notes To All Candidates:

Please note: If you are called for an interview you will be required to bring to your interview copies of original documentation, such as:

• A document that establishes identity for employment eligibility, such as: A Valid U.S. Passport, Permanent Resident Card/Green Card, or Driver’s license.
• Proof of Education according to the education requirements of the civil service title.
• Current Resume
• Proof of Address/NYC Residency dated within the last 60 days, such as: Recent Utility Bill (i.e. Telephone, Cable, Mobile Phone)

Additional documentation may be required to evaluate your qualification as outlined in this posting’s “Minimum Qualification Requirements” section. Examples of additional documentation may be, but not limited to: college transcript, experience verification or professional trade licenses.

If after your interview you are the selected candidate you will be contacted to schedule an on-boarding appointment. By the time of this appointment you will be asked to produce the originals of the above documents along with your original Social Security card.

**Loan Forgiveness

As a current or prospective employee of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information on Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program, Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program and Federal Perkins Loan Cancellation and Discharge, please visit: .

Visit here for information on the New York State Student Loan Repayment Assistance Programs.

“FINAL APPOINTMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT & BUDGET APPROVAL”

To Apply

Apply here with a cover letter. 

In the Job ID search bar, enter: job ID number #559311.

• The NYC Health Department is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and culturally responsive workforce. We strongly encourage people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender and gender non-conforming persons to apply.
• All applicants will be considered without regard to actual or perceived race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, age, prior record of arrest; or any other basis prohibited by law.

NOTE: This position is open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate in your resume that you would like to be considered for the position under the 55-a Program.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is required within 90 days of appointment. However, city employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Last Updated on July 24, 2023 by HepFree NYC