The CDC Foundation helps the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) save and improve lives by unleashing the power of collaboration between CDC, philanthropies, corporations, organizations and individuals to protect the health, safety and security of America and the world. The CDC Foundation is the go-to nonprofit authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners and private-sector resources to support CDC’s critical health protection mission. Since 1995, the CDC Foundation has raised over $1.9 billion and launched more than 1,300 programs impacting a variety of health threats from chronic disease conditions including cardiovascular disease and cancer, to infectious diseases like rotavirus and HIV, to emergency responses, including COVID-19 and Ebola. The CDC Foundation managed hundreds of programs in the United States and in more than 90 countries last year. Visit www.cdcfoundation.org for more information.  

Position Title: Data Scientist

Salary: $95,000 plus benefits

Position End Date: 6/30/24

Location: Hybrid

The Data Scientist must use considerable, mature, and professional judgment and insight to solve complex problems that frequently arise. General goals, objectives, and problems affecting agency policy and practices are discussed with superiors, but the incumbent utilizes their own initiative in performing and coordinating epidemiological research efforts of the department. General methodology and handling of procedures are at the discretion of the incumbent. Work is done within state and federal guidelines and budget limitations.

This position will report to the Deputy Center Chief, Data, Epidemiology, and Technology Lead within the Center for COVID-19 Epidemiology and will act in a dynamic role overseeing data quality for the Salesforce COVID-19 Surveillance System and supporting Salesforce Development.

· Master’s degree in public health with a concentration in Epidemiology or a related degree from an accredited university plus three (3) years of full-time experience is strongly desired.

· Thorough knowledge of public health principles and practices, epidemiology, and biostatistics.

· Experience in the use of statistical software for data analysis (R, Python, SAS, etc.)

· Ability to analyze and interpret disease data from a wide variety of data sources.

· Ability to initiate, conduct, and report on disease control and epidemiological studies and research.

· Ability to provide technical assistance to the health care and public health communities.

· Ability to effectively work independently and within a team environment.

· Extensive ability to communicate with health care and public health professionals, policymakers, agency staff, and the public both verbally and in writing.

· Advanced experience in the writing of formal reports and articles.

· Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with national, state, and local partners in various governmental, private, and voluntary agencies.

· Ensure case investigation, contact tracing, QI support, and outbreak data are managed effectively and are accessible to analysts in order to generate actionable insights to inform public health officials.

· Oversee input on information system report processes and act as a subject matter expert for all COVID-19 case investigations, contact tracing, QI support, and outbreak analytics.

· Collaborate with all agencies and external groups providing public health surveillance support and data & analytics support to the COVID-19 response.

· Effectively communicate scientific, technical, and general information regarding COVID-19 data to a variety of audiences including policymakers and public health professionals.

· Design metrics and performance measures related to COVID-19 case investigation, contact tracing, QI support, outbreak response, and other COVID-19 efforts.

· Work as a state point of contact for external partners to ensure appropriate Data is being generated and used to make actionable decisions.

· Perform statistical analysis and basic data management using the SAS, SPSS, or other statistical programming language on COVID-19 data to complete the above reports and data extracts.

This role is involved in a dynamic public health program. As such, roles and responsibilities are subject to change as situations evolve. Roles and responsibilities listed above may be expanded upon or updated to match priorities and needs, once written approval is received by both the CDC Foundation and the Rhode Island Department of Health, in order to best support the Rhode Island Department of Health in their public health programming.