GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS CONSULTANT II - 64086329

Requisition No: 839805 

Agency: Department of Health

Working Title: GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS CONSULTANT II - 64086329

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 64086329 

Salary:  $44,060 - $53,352 

Posting Closing Date: 11/30/2024 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

Thank you for your interest in career opportunities with the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.  If you are looking to establish a successful career in Public Health, you have come to the right place.  Many of our innovative and successful health programs are recognized throughout Florida.  We hope you decide to join our team!  Applicants will be contacted directly if selected for an interview.

The incumbent is part of a global public health organization and is expected to support the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County in its mission to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts and its efforts and its vision to be the Healthiest State in the Nation. Furthermore, the incumbent is expected to incorporate the agency values of Innovation, Collaboration, Accountability, Responsiveness and Excellence in all aspects of their work.

Your Specific Responsibilities:

This is an independent and complex administrative and consultative position, which will interact with private sector medical facilities, health care providers, and other agencies/organizations in matters relating to epidemiology and also terrorism surveillance.  The incumbent will provide direct coordination and support to the Epidemiology department at the Florida Department of Health – Pasco (DOH – Pasco), and indirect support to the Florida Department of Health – Bureau of Epidemiology at the state level.  The incumbent will assure timely and accurate investigation and follow-up of reportable communicable diseases and conditions received under the Florida Department of Health. The incumbent may also be involved in collaborative activities related to terrorism preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts.  The incumbent serves as a member of the Epidemiology Strike Team. This position may require travel throughout the county.

The incumbent will be an integral component of DOH – Pasco’s team effort to detect and investigate naturally occurring, and intentional outbreaks of infection and disease.  Encourage reporting from community health care providers of epidemiologically significant conditions.  Maintains appropriate confidentiality.  Identifies communicable disease cases or outbreaks in Pasco County through phone calls, interviews and physician/residential home visits.  Contacts physicians, medical facility infection control nurses and/or departments to obtain laboratory slips and/or confirmed diagnosis.  Interviews patients for communicable disease history and gives information as requested from Communicable Disease In Man or Redbook.  Negotiates follow up from hospitals, medical facilities, physicians, school reports and interviews patients and contacts.  Upon request, advises physician and other members of the medical community on disease control procedures/guidelines.  Consults with private physicians to ensure that contacts of communicable disease receive appropriate prophylaxis.  Refers clients to county social services for assistance of those who are income eligible that are in need of medical assistance.  Assists in reporting any vaccine preventable disease to Epidemiology and Immunization Program Offices.  Provides health information to patients, household contacts and sends out literature upon request.  Refers reports of communicable disease to appropriate counties and state health departments (via state program office).  Enters reportable diseases in Merlin.  Assists Epidemiology department in meeting the Core Epidemiology measures listed in the annual County Health Department Performance Snapshot. Utilize LexisNexis to search for case information on clients for epidemiological investigations and serve as a resource for other FDOH-Pasco Epidemiology or pandemic response team members. Serve as a Response Team Lead to increase FDOH Pasco's ability to respond to active outbreaks and pandemics. Assume responsibilities include but not limited to overseeing all activities of mini response teams, coordinating schedules of team members, and tracking input and output of each team member. Serve as subject matter experts on Long-Term Care Facility investigations regarding outbreaks and pandemics. Carry DOH approved mobile phone to expand investigative capabilities while in the office or in the field.

Assist in coordinating and developing planning efforts, and response methodologies for the county in matters dealing with the earliest possible detection and response to incidents (naturally occurring events such as infectious diseases), threats and/or attacks involving terrorism agents that have the potential for multiple casualties and other public health emergencies.  Notifies and consults with Environmental Health, school nurse or other appropriate personnel when a communicable disease or outbreak has been identified or suspected in a sensitive area, i.e., day care, restaurant, school, head start program, long term care facility or other medical facility.  Keeps supervisor informed of case progress and presents the reports for review and closeout.  Makes communicable disease home visits to complete investigations when necessary.  Makes physician office visits as needed to obtain unreported cases of communicable disease.  Visits institutions to provide communicable disease information and literature.  Institutes and maintains good public relations with the community contacts and members of the medical community.

Serves as an active member of the Epidemiology Strike Team.  Responds to biological events within an incident command structure under an emergency support function and in state and local law enforcement/emergency services events.  Coordinates activities with regional and local agencies in biological training and events.  Serves as a member on Statewide Workgroups/Committees or Collaborative that have an epidemiology component. Identifies shortfalls and gaps in equipment, personnel, and response capabilities.  Assist in the coordination and submission of grants or proposals to meet identified shortfalls. Serves as lead epidemiologist in manager’s absence. Mentors temporary staff and oversees work products. Collaborates with Preparedness Planner on preparedness and response work products, training events and exercises.

Reviews and responds to electronic surveillance system data (ESSENCE) from local hospital emergency departments daily.

Monitors state and local influenza activity solicits weekly influenza data from hospitals and reports influenza activity in Epi Gateway weekly.

Serves as local influenza coordinator/point of contact to state office and laboratories.

Assist in maintaining the communicable disease, viral and rabies log.  Gathers and organizes disease reporting data for the monthly communicable disease report to the DOH – P, Epidemiology Manager and the Epidemiology Program Office in Tallahassee.  Assists in providing in-services for the medical community and private sector.  Attends workshops, in-services and staff meetings.  Reviews articles and memoranda. Assist in the implementation of a statewide system of notification and alerts regarding biological events.  Assist in the provision of Emergency Support Function 8: Health and Medical response activities according to the county Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.

Additionally, the incumbent will perform the following:

• Active member of Quality Improvement Council workgroup.
• Serves as Everbridge Health Alert Network external partner point of contact.
• Updates the Epidemiology Outbreak Plan annex annually.
• Creates On-Call schedule assignments quarterly and updates answering service website with On Call schedule.
• Assists with grant proposal planning, project development and execution of deliverables.
• Serves as Planning Section Chief back-up as needed.

Perform other duties as required.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of basic epidemiological principles and practices, skill to conduct investigative case follow up, ability to communicate effectively with clients, staff and the community, ability to prepare and deliver presentations to staff and the community, ability to utilize problem-solving techniques, ability to work independently, ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others, ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments, ability to document work products.
• Knowledge of basic computer skills, office equipment and epidemiology programs, including Windows, Outlook, Publisher, MS Word, Excel, Power Point, People First, HMS, EARS, Merlin, Epi6 and Epi 2000, Florida Shots, IE, ArcView 9.2 GIS mapping, syndromic surveillance systems (ESSENCE, etc). 
• Ability to complete reports. 

Qualifications:

Minimum - Bachelor's Depree

Preferred - Master's Degree in Public Health

Florida Department of Health Mission, Vision, and Values:

Mission:

To protect, promote & improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county & community efforts.

Vision:

To be the Healthiest State in the Nation.

Values:

I nnovation: We search for creative solutions and manage resources wisely.

C ollaboration: We use teamwork to achieve common goals & solve problems.

A ccountability: We perform with integrity & respect.

R esponsiveness: We achieve our mission by serving our customers & engaging our partners.

E xcellence: We promote quality outcomes through learning & continuous performance improvement.

Where You Will Work:

13941 15th Street, Dade City, FL 33525

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year;
• Paid Parental Leave;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental,vision, and other supplemental insurance options;

Your take home pay can be significantly influenced by your insurance premiums.  Compare your current premium with the State of Florida employee premiums!

• Monthly employee premium for the standard PPO/HMO:
• Single coverage is $50
• Family coverage is $180
• Monthly employee premium for the High Deductible Health Plan PPO/HMO:
• Single coverage is $15
• Family coverage is $64.30

• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions

(For more information, please click www.myfrs.com);

• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

Please be advised:

Your responses to qualifying questions for this position must be verifiable by documentation provided through the electronic application process.  

This position requires a security background check and/or drug screening and participation in direct deposit. Note: You will be required to provide your Social Security Number (SSN) in order to conduct this background check. 

Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion unless they are registered with the Selective Services System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS. For more information, please visit the SSS website: http://www.sss.gov 

If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida.  Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement. 

The successful candidate will be required to complete the Form I-9 and that information will be verified using the E-Verify system.  E-Verify is operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration to verify employment eligibility.   

Incumbents may be required to perform emergency duty before, during, and/or beyond normal work hours or days.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace. 

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-877-562-7287). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation. 

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act. 

Florida has the third largest population of veterans in the nation with more than 1.5 million service men and women.  The Florida Department of Health (department) is committed to serving members of the United States Armed Forces, veterans and their families by encouraging them to apply for vacancies that fit their area of knowledge and/or expertise.  Through the Department's VALOR program, which expedites licensing for military veterans, the Department also waives initial licensing and application fees for military veterans who apply for a health care professional license within 60 months of an honorable discharge. These initiatives help ensure that the transition from military service into the workforce is as smooth as possible and reflects our appreciation for the dedication devoted to protecting our country.    

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.