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Job Description

Division/Program Summary Description: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Division of Mental Hygiene seeks one (1) full-time Director of the Epidemiology Unit for the Bureau of Health Promotion for Justice-Impacted Populations.

BUREAU DESCRIPTION: The Bureau of Health Promotion for Justice-Impacted Populations (HPJIP) aims to reduce the negative social and health consequences of justice system involvement through innovative policy and practice change. By centering community, addressing racial inequities, honoring lived experience, and elevating trauma-and-resilience-informed-approaches, we promote evidence-based best practices to address the needs of those disproportionately impacted by the criminal legal system.

UNIT DESCRIPTION: The Epidemiology Unit is responsible for providing support to HPJIP programmatic initiatives, conducting public health surveillance, and generating new knowledge about the health of justice-impacted New Yorkers by publishing relevant data and research and ensuring the Bureau’s work is rooted in scientific evidence.

Position Summary: The Director of the Epidemiology Unit, reporting to the Assistant Commissioner of HPJIP and leading a team dedicated to promoting the health of justice-impacted populations, will be responsible for:

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Director of the Epidemiology Unit, reporting to the Assistant Commissioner of HPJIP and leading a team dedicated to promoting the health of justice-impacted populations, will be responsible for:

Leading research and evaluation activities:

Directing and overseeing all HPJIP public health surveillance, program monitoring, evaluation and research activities.

Leading a team of eight research and evaluation staff members in the Epidemiology Unit.

Providing expert input on research questions, analytical guidance, research instruments, and publications; this includes supporting staff in the development and dissemination of internal and external publications, including agency data briefs, reports, and peer-reviewed publications.

Collaborating with internal and external partners to identify, integrate, and analyze available health data to incorporate into public health surveillance, program monitoring, and evaluation activities.

Leading the incorporation of criminal legal system measures on DOHMH surveys and subsequent analyses, as well as advocating for and guiding opportunities to expand the research and evaluation activities of the Epidemiology Unit.

Preparing written documents, including grant proposals, study protocols and IRB applications, manuscripts, memos, reports, and presentations.

Participating in special studies and activities as assigned and other duties as deemed necessary by the Assistant Commissioner of HPJIP, or their designee.

Other duties or tasks may be assigned on an as-needed basis.

Centering equity and lived experience:

Demonstrating an unwavering commitment to health equity and dedication to addressing both historical and contemporary injustices across social positions and social identities, with a specific focus and understanding of how the criminal legal system cuts across these factors.

Centering lived experience to reduce the scope and negative impact of the criminal legal system in New York City.

Overseeing the characterization of the behavioral and physical health of individuals and communities who have interacted with and are impacted by the criminal legal system.

Contributing to bureau leadership

Communicating and liaising regularly with the Assistant Commissioner and bureau leadership and representing the Epidemiology Unit/HPJIP at Division- and Agency-wide meetings. This includes participating in ongoing discussions across bureaus and divisions to share insight and ideas on content related to the behavioral and physical health of individuals and communities impacted by the criminal legal system and relevant methodologic approaches.

Fostering collaborations across HPJIP units, including but not limited to the Policy Unit to ensure that data activities are driven by actionable and relevant policy factors, and that policy recommendations are rooted in evidence.

Preferred Skills:

- Minimum two years of strong senior-level team supervisory experience, such as leading and advising multiple staff involved in various projects.

- Demonstrated expertise in epidemiological data analysis and health services research, as well as quantitative and qualitative research design and program evaluation methodologies, especially as applied to the areas of behavioral health.

- Experience using a racial equity lens to develop research plans and ideas as well as to manage and conceptualize data.

- Experience developing strategic working documents, such as research agendas and analytic plans, grant funding and IRB applications and managing submission procedures.

- Experience with scientific writing as demonstrated through a strong track record of publishing in peer-reviewed journals.

- Strong analytic and statistical skills, with experience manipulating and analyzing data using statistical software (such as SAS, Stata, SPSS, R) and geographical information software and mapping tools (such as ArcGIS), and the ability to oversee and guide analysts performing this work.

- Familiarity with the experiences and needs of people impacted by the criminal legal system and an understanding of the criminal legal system in New York City.

- Experience with behavioral and physical health data sources such as DOHMH’s Community Health or HOP Surveys, Youth Risk Behavior Survey, SPARCS, Salient or other Medicaid claims databases, MEPS, BRFSS.

- Ability to quickly familiarize oneself with priority public health and health policy topics without prior experience.

Why you should work for us:

- Loan Forgiveness: As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal/state loan forgiveness and repayment assistance programs that lessen your payments or even fully forgive your full balance. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website (https://studentaid.gov/pslf/)

- Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as:

o a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment.

o additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position’s associated union/benefit fund.

o a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement.

o a tax-deferred savings program and

o a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.

- Work From Home Policy: Depending on your position, you may be able to work up to two days during the week from home.

- Job Security - you could enjoy more job security compared to private sector employment and be able to contribute to making NYC a healthy place to live and work.

Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the U.S., dedicated to protecting and improving the health of NYC. Our mission is to safeguard the health of every resident and cultivate a city where everyone, regardless of age, background, or location, can achieve their optimal health. We provide a wide array of programs and services focused on food and nutrition, anti-tobacco support, chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment, family and child health, environmental health, mental health, and social justice initiatives. As the primary population health strategist and policy authority for NYC, with a rich history of public health initiatives and scientific advancements, from addressing the 1822 yellow fever outbreak to the COVID-19 pandemic, we serve as a global leader in public health innovation and expertise.

Come join us and help to continue our efforts in making a difference in the lives of all New Yorkers!

The NYC Health Department is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation to all individuals. To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, contact Sye-Eun Ahn, Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, at [email protected] or 347-396-6549.

CITY RESEARCH SCIENTIST - 21744

Qualifications

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.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

Salary Min: $106,117.00

Salary Max: $133,192.00