Epidemiologist - Competition #2025-09

Key Areas of Responsibility:

Reporting to the Manager, Foundational Standards the Epidemiologist will provide expertise in the areas of population health assessment, surveillance and reporting, to facilitate evidence-informed practice. effective public health practice, and organizational planning and decision-making.

The Epidemiologist will:

• Ensure adherence and compliance to the Ontario Public Health Standards by conducting health assessments; collecting, analyzing, monitoring, interpreting, reporting and disseminating demographic and population health status data to support public health assessment, planning and decision-making.
• Track current data and trends related to morbidity, mortality, health outcomes, demography, social determinants of health, and disease risk factors for residents of Grey Bruce.
• Provide epidemiological, methodological, statistical and analytic data and their interpretation and implications for public health practice.
• Provide oversight to Health Data Analyst, and guide health unit program staff, managers, senior managers, and external partners about using population health assessment to make decisions.
• Prepare and disseminate regular health status reports on populations at risk, community and school health, environmental health; and ad-hoc reports for infectious disease outbreaks, opioid toxicities, vaccine-preventable diseases, or as required. 
• Participate in research projects that the health unit engages in or with; and participate in health unit service planning initiatives, e.g. annual service plans.
• Plan and organize methods for obtaining additional health data for improving the reliability and validity of health data already being collected by the health unit 
• Provide education to health unit staff and leaders in the community on research design, data collection and analysis, and questionnaire design. 
• Respond to data requests internally and externally.
• Respond to urgent and emerging requests for population health data and assessment, as required.
• Provide epidemiological expertise for investigations of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
• Consult with the Medical Officer of Health on issues of population health, health promotion, health protection, and epidemiology. 
• Write health status reports for dissemination to public health staff, community and professional groups, and the general public. 
• Organize and facilitate reporting requirements to the Ministry of Health, regarding required indicators and narratives, across all OPHS Foundational Standards and Program Standards (in accordance with legislative standards). 
• Take ownership of, and update, the health status page on the health unit’s public website.
• Maintain databases of available health status information.
• Supports the continuous quality improvement of health unit programs and services.

Specific Knowledge, Skills & Abilties:

• Robust understanding of Ontario Public Health Standards, Population Health Assessment, as a foundational standard; social determinants of health and health equity; Ontario privacy legislation. 
• Demonstrated knowledge and use of:
• Statistical analysis software packages, e.g. Stata, NVivo, SPSS
• Key public health data sources, e.g. BORN, CCHS, IPHIS, Census, ISCIS, etc.
• Data analysis and visualization tools, e.g. Power BI,. ArcGIS, Canva.
• Microsoft Office applications, e.g. Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams, etc.
• Advanced written communication skills including the ability to develop technical reports and presentations involving complex concepts or information, research proposals and/or epidemiologic findings to professional audiences, policymakers and general public.
• Advanced skills in developing research questions, conducting literature searches, critical assessment of the literature and synthesis of the literature
• Knowledge of current public health issues.
• Project management skills.
• Attention to detail, and ability to complete tasks with a high degree of complexity with accuracy and reliability.
• Ability to work autonomously as required and within the scope of the role, providing recommendations and evidence to teams, managers and senior managers to support operational, strategic and organizational performance monitoring.
• Maintain collaborative professional relationship and membership with a best-practice knowledge-sharing network, e.g. APHEO. 
  

Employment Requirements:

• Demonstrates commitment to, and functions in a way that is consistent with, the health unit’s mission, vision, values and strategic directions.
• Respects and ensures confidentiality in all work performed on behalf of the health unit.
• Demonstrates a strong customer service focus in dealing both internally and externally. 
• Participates on health unit-related committees as assigned. 
• Understands the need to become redeployed and/or reassigned as part of the public health response to an emergency or natural disaster. 

Education & Experience

• Minimum requirement of a master's degree in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Public Health (with a focus on Epidemiology), or related field.
• At least three years' experience applying epidemiological concepts and practices in a public health environment; specializing in data analysis, health risk analysis, forecasting, and reporting.
• Advanced knowledge and demonstrated skills in the principles and practices of health surveillance and epidemiology applicable to public health.
• Worked in an interdisciplinary team to plan and deliver services to individuals and groups, particularly in the health field.
• Experience making presentations to individuals and groups.
• Valid Ontario driver’s license and reliable transportation.
  

Working Conditions:

• Working hours may vary within a 35-hour paid work week; evening and weekend work may be required.
• An office-based position which may require business travel within and outside of the Grey Bruce region. 

Responsibility for Funds & Budgets:

• Responsible for yearly Population Health Assessment budgeting.