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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Infectious Disease Analyst

💰 $65,000 - $95,000

HealthcarePublic HealthData AnalysisEpidemiology

🎯 Role Definition

As an Infectious Disease Analyst, you are the front line of defense in public health. You will serve as a subject matter expert, leveraging your analytical prowess to transform complex epidemiological data into actionable intelligence. Your work will directly influence public health strategy, guide outbreak response efforts, and protect community well-being by identifying, tracking, and predicting infectious disease trends. You will be a critical link between raw data and informed decision-making, working collaboratively with clinicians, policymakers, and public health officials to combat communicable disease threats.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Public Health Intern / Fellow
  • Research Assistant (Epidemiology / Microbiology)
  • Communicable Disease Investigator
  • Clinical Laboratory Scientist

Advancement To:

  • Senior Epidemiologist / Senior Infectious Disease Analyst
  • Epidemiology Program Manager
  • Director of Public Health Surveillance
  • Health Scientist (CDC, NIH)

Lateral Moves:

  • Data Scientist (Health Tech / Pharma)
  • Health Policy Analyst
  • Clinical Research Coordinator
  • Biostatistician

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Design, implement, and manage comprehensive surveillance systems for monitoring a wide range of infectious diseases, including mandatory reportable conditions and emerging pathogens.
  • Conduct advanced statistical and epidemiological analyses on large, complex datasets from various sources (e.g., lab reports, hospital records, case interviews) to detect outbreaks, identify trends, and assess risk factors.
  • Lead or actively participate in outbreak investigations, including hypothesis generation, case-finding, contact tracing, and the implementation of control and prevention measures.
  • Develop and prepare detailed epidemiological reports, scientific summaries, and data visualizations for diverse audiences, including senior leadership, government agencies, healthcare providers, and the general public.
  • Utilize statistical programming languages such as R, SAS, or Python to clean, manage, manipulate, and analyze surveillance and investigation data.
  • Employ Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software like ArcGIS or QGIS to perform spatial analysis, map disease distribution, and identify geographic hotspots or clusters.
  • Author and contribute to scientific manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals and present findings at local, state, and national public health conferences.
  • Provide expert consultation and technical assistance to local health departments, hospitals, and other community partners on matters of disease surveillance and control.
  • Develop and evaluate public health interventions and control measures by analyzing their impact on disease transmission and population health outcomes.
  • Create and maintain comprehensive data dictionaries, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and documentation for surveillance systems and analytical processes to ensure data quality and integrity.
  • Monitor and interpret data from syndromic surveillance systems to provide early warnings of potential public health threats or bioterrorism events.
  • Conduct systematic literature reviews to stay abreast of current epidemiological methods, disease trends, and evidence-based best practices in infectious disease control.
  • Design and administer questionnaires and interview instruments for case investigations and epidemiological studies to collect high-quality, standardized data.
  • Collaborate with laboratory personnel to ensure appropriate specimen collection, timely testing, and the accurate interpretation of laboratory results for surveillance and investigation purposes.
  • Develop and deliver training programs and educational materials for healthcare professionals and public health partners on disease reporting and infection prevention.
  • Respond to inquiries from healthcare providers, the public, and the media regarding infectious diseases, providing accurate and timely information based on current data and public health guidelines.
  • Participate in public health emergency preparedness and response drills, exercises, and real-world events, serving as an epidemiological subject matter expert.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness and completeness of existing surveillance systems and recommend enhancements to improve data quality, timeliness, and utility.
  • Manage and query relational databases (e.g., using SQL) to extract, merge, and prepare datasets for analysis from systems like the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS).
  • Write and manage grant proposals or programmatic reports to secure and maintain funding for specific infectious disease surveillance and research projects.
  • Analyze genomic sequencing data in collaboration with bioinformaticians to track pathogen evolution, identify transmission chains, and understand antimicrobial resistance patterns.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis from internal and external stakeholders.
  • Contribute to the organization's broader public health data strategy and infrastructure roadmap.
  • Collaborate with IT and data engineering teams to translate public health needs into technical requirements for data systems and tools.
  • Participate in sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and other agile ceremonies within the epidemiology and data teams.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Statistical Programming: High proficiency in at least one statistical software package such as SAS, R, or Stata for data management and analysis.
  • Data Manipulation: Expertise in cleaning, merging, and manipulating large, complex datasets.
  • Epidemiological Methods: Strong theoretical and applied knowledge of study design, surveillance principles, bias, confounding, and causal inference.
  • GIS Software: Experience with Geographic Information Systems (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS) for spatial analysis and mapping of health data.
  • Database Management: Proficiency in using SQL to query and manage data from relational databases.
  • Data Visualization: Skill in using tools like Tableau, R (ggplot2), or Power BI to create insightful and clear charts, maps, and dashboards.
  • Surveillance Systems: Familiarity with public health surveillance platforms like the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS).
  • Biostatistics: Solid understanding of biostatistical concepts including regression modeling, survival analysis, and time-series analysis.
  • Outbreak Investigation: Applied knowledge of the steps involved in investigating and controlling infectious disease outbreaks.
  • Scientific Writing: Demonstrated ability to write clear, concise technical reports, summaries, and manuscripts for scientific publication.

Soft Skills

  • Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving: Ability to independently analyze complex situations, identify key issues, and develop logical, evidence-based solutions.
  • Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical information to non-technical audiences.
  • Collaboration & Teamwork: Proven ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams with clinicians, laboratorians, IT professionals, and policymakers.
  • Attention to Detail: Meticulous approach to data quality, analysis, and reporting to ensure accuracy and reliability.
  • Adaptability: Flexibility to respond to urgent public health emergencies and rapidly shifting priorities.
  • Initiative: Proactive and self-motivated with a strong capacity to manage multiple projects and deadlines with minimal supervision.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • A Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Biology, Statistics, or a closely related science field.

Preferred Education:

  • A Master of Public Health (MPH) with a concentration in Epidemiology or a Master of Science (MS) in Epidemiology or Biostatistics.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health
  • Biostatistics
  • Microbiology / Infectious Diseases
  • Environmental Health

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2-5 years of professional experience in applied epidemiology, public health surveillance, or a related data analysis role. Experience in a state or local public health department is highly valued.

Preferred:

  • Experience specifically focused on infectious disease surveillance and outbreak investigation.
  • A record of publications or presentations at scientific conferences.
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