Job Description

　　Massachusetts participated in nationwide financial settlements with several companies as part of the historic legal efforts to demand abatement of the harms caused by the opioid epidemic. These settlements combined will bring over $900 million into Massachusetts for substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support.

　　Massachusetts' is committed to ensuring these resources are dispersed in a transparent and accessible manner and in alignment with the approved Opioid Recovery Remediation Fund (ORRF) Strategic Plan.

　　As a member of the Office of Statistics and Evaluation (OSE) and working closely with the Opioid Abatement Strategy and Implementation team, the Epidemiologist is responsible for overseeing the implementation, monitoring and analysis of all data related to these opioid abatement activities in Massachusetts. The Epidemiologist will work closely with dashboard development team and Office of Statistics and Evaluation to develop new features and incorporate new indicators into the BSAS dashboard and its Community Profile.

　　As a member of the Office of Statistics and Evaluation, the selected candidate, will learn about the Substance Addiction Treatment Datamart and participate in data requests and data quality assurance initiatives. They will also take part in population or level of care-based outcomes analysis and generate meaningful data to help BSAS leadership with program improvement or policy recommendations.

　　Additionally, the incumbent will participate as the OSE representative in intra-departmental initiatives/collaborations and responds to any BSAS data related requests related to these initiatives including data extraction and analysis.

　　Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all-inclusive):

　　Coordinate all aspects of the state's opioid abatement activities related to data monitoring and reporting.Exercise day-to-day responsibility over project development, implementation, evaluation, and communications.Retrieve and utilize multi-source data, develop methodologies and data frameworks to identify high risk populations and communities.Reviews analysis of program-level surveillance to determine existing data gaps and whether further analysis is needed to draw conclusions.Analyze enrollment and other available data to identify trends, monitor key performance indicators, and detect gaps and needs as well as best practices.Dashboard development, data analysis, and report generation related to opioid abatement activities.Prepare metrics, and create reports and materials from findings for local, state and national meetings as requested.Coordinate the dashboard refresh process through timely request of external datasets and completing Data Use Agreements where necessary.Develop relevant infographics and other data visualizations to communicate the extent to which performance outcomes have been achieved and identify areas of improvement.Leverage performance data as a mechanism to support outcome analysis and to advise senior staff on policy planning and program development.Prepare training materials and presentations for BSAS dashboard to be shared with internal and external stakeholders and respond to dashboard related inquires.Assist the Opioid Abatement Strategy and Implementation Director in data related requests. Compile data and assist in the drafting of required reports for this funding.Perform other duties as assigned.

　　Required Qualifications:

　　Understanding of the principles and practices of epidemiology including the methods of statistical and scientific report writing. Knowledge of the research methods and techniques followed in epidemiology. Capacity to use SAS statistical software for data analysis. Ability to utilize computers and applications such as statistical, word processing, and spreadsheet software.Able to understand and apply the laws, rules and regulations governing assigned unit activities.Capability to understand and apply the policies, procedures, specifications, standards, and guidelines governing assigned unit activities.Capable to plan training or instruction.Ability to adjust to changing situations to meet emergency or changing program or production requirements.Able to establish rapport with others.Ability to deal tactfully with others.Knowledge of statistical programming (i.e., SAS, SQL) with an understanding of relational databases.

　　Preferred Qualifications:

　　Strong understanding of SAS statistical software for data analysis.Knowledge of the methods of statistical report writing.Understanding of the principles and practices of epidemiology.Proven program management skills.Capacity to explain the laws, rules, and regulations governing assigned unit activities.

　　About the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services:

　　The Mission of the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) is to foster healthy life choices through culturally responsive services that prevent, treat, and promote recovery from substance-related disorders.

　　Our Guiding Principles include:

　　Addiction is a chronic disease that can be successfully prevented and treated.Eliminating the stigma associated with addiction is essential to our work.Substance use disorders affect individuals, families, and communities across the Commonwealth. No single treatment is appropriate for everyone and medications are an important element of treatment for many individuals. People affected by substance addiction should be treated with dignity and respect.The Bureau of Substance Addiction Services acknowledges the history of structural racism in the United States and its impact on health outcomes. The Bureau is committed to improving the quality of life for all Commonwealth residents, focusing on traditionally underserved and underrepresented populations.

　　About the Department of Public Health:

　　The mission of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is to prevent illness, injury, and premature death, to assure access to high quality public health and health care services, and to promote wellness and health equity for all people in the Commonwealth.

　　We envision a Commonwealth in which all people enjoy optimal health. Massachusetts ranks among the healthiest of states according to comparative analyses, but we face numerous challenges, including chronic and infectious disease, substance abuse, violence, preventable hospitalizations, and health disparities.

　　DPH coordinates programs and policies to address specific diseases and conditions and offer services to address the needs of vulnerable populations. We also develop, implement, promote, and enforce regulations and policies to assure that the conditions under which people live are most conducive to health and enable people to make healthy choices for themselves and their families. We license health professionals, healthcare facilities and a variety of businesses that impact public health. We operate the state laboratory and four public health hospitals. We monitor health status and manage vital records including births, marriages and deaths. We educate people about public health issues and work closely with local boards of health and community partners to identify and solve public health problems.

　　More information can be found at:MA Department of Public Health

　　Pre-Hire Process:

　　A criminal background check will be completed on the recommended candidate as required by the regulations set forth by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services prior to the candidate being hired. For more information, please visit http://www.mass.gov/hhs/cori

　　Education, licensure and certifications will be verified in accordance with the Human Resources Division's Hiring Guidelines.

　　Education and license/certification information provided by the selected candidate(s) is subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law and may be published on the Commonwealth's website.

　　If you require assistance with the application/interview process and would like to request an ADA accommodation, please click on the link and complete the Reasonable Accommodation Online Request Form

　　For questions regarding this requisition, please contact the Executive Office of Health and Human Services Human Resources at 1-800- 510-4122 Ext. #4

　　Qualifications

　　First consideration will be given to those applicants that apply within the first 14 days.

　　Applicants must have at least (A) five (5) years of full-time or equivalent part-time professional or technical experience in epidemiology, biology, biostatistics, toxicology, environmental science, environmental health, ecology, public health, chemistry, virology, immunology, bacteriology, microbiology, or statistics and (B) of which at least two (2) years must have been in a professional capacity or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions listed below.

　　Substitutions:

　　I. A Bachelor's degree with a major in epidemiology, biology, biostatistics, toxicology, environmental science, environmental health, ecology, public health, chemistry, virology, immunology, bacteriology, microbiology, statistics, or other health-related field may be substituted for a maximum of two (2) years of the required (A) experience.

　　II. A Master's degree or higher with a major in epidemiology, biology, biostatistics, toxicology, environmental science, environmental health, ecology, public health, chemistry, virology, immunology, bacteriology, microbiology, statistics, or other health-related field may be substituted for a maximum of three (3) years of the required (A) experience and one (1) year of the required (B) experience.

　　*Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed.

　　NOTE: Educational substitution will only be permitted for a maximum of one (1) year of the (B) experience.

　　Comprehensive Benefits

　　When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.

　　Want the specifics? Explore our Employee Benefits and Rewards!

　　COVID Vaccine: As a condition of employment, depending on job assignment and location, employees may be required to have received COVID-19 vaccination and/or other vaccinations, or to have been approved for a vaccination exemption prior to their start date. Details relating to demonstrating compliance with this requirement will be provided to applicants selected for employment.

　　An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

　　The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.