OPS BIOLOGICAL SCIENTIST III - 64802145

Requisition No: 840451 

Agency: Department of Health

Working Title: OPS BIOLOGICAL SCIENTIST III - 64802145

 Pay Plan: Temp

Position Number: 64802145 

Salary:  $24.00 

Posting Closing Date: 11/29/2024 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH – OPEN COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY

 Division of Disease Control and Health Protection

Bureau of Epidemiology

Job Title: OPS Biological Scientist III

Work Location: Onsite (Not Remote) at the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County. This office is in Hudson, FL. 

Position Number: 64802145

Requisition Number: 840451

Salary: $24.00 hourly

Your Specific Responsibilities:

Position Description: The Florida Epidemic Intelligence Service (FL EIS) is a unique two-year, post-graduate service program and on-the-job training for health professionals interested in epidemiology. Fellows are assigned to a county health department (CHD) for two years and have opportunities to respond to various public health concerns throughout the state. The program aims to provide experience in epidemiology and public health practice during placements with CHDs, assist local health departments in emergency outbreaks and other field epidemiologic investigations, and produce well-trained public health epidemiologists for positions in the Florida Department of Health.

Job Duties:

• The fellow will participate in various activities to develop competency in three main areas: epidemiologic process, communication, and professionalism.
• Learn about infectious diseases and perform case and outbreak investigations for infectious diseases and other conditions of public health concern.
• The fellow will provide professional and technical epidemiologic consultation and assistance to public and private healthcare providers for CHDs in Florida.
• Conduct special projects/epidemiological studies and support administrative and management activities.
• Perform descriptive and analytic epidemiologic investigations, research, and public health surveillance of disease outbreaks and other field epidemiologic investigations of public health importance, such as disasters.
• Assist with developing, implementing, reporting, and publishing special epidemiological studies in peer-reviewed journals, present at statewide or national professional meetings, and disseminate vital public health information to public health partners and the public.

Qualifications: Persons with a master's or doctoral degree in a health-related field (e.g., MPH, Ph.D., DrPH, MD, DVM) having taken at least one course in epidemiology and one course in statistics (biostatistics preferred, but other statistics courses will be considered) during graduate/professional school. The primary selection criteria are strong academic performance and references and demonstrated interest in and the ability to practice epidemiology in Florida public health agencies.

Organization Description: The Florida Department of Health’s mission is to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts. As a public health agency, the Florida Department of Health must monitor the health status of Floridians, assess, and investigate health problems, and mobilize local communities to address health-related issues. These positions report to the epidemiology section of the assigned CHD and the Program Administrator in the Bureau of Epidemiology, Division of Disease Control and Health Protection, Florida Department of Health in Tallahassee, Florida. The Bureau of Epidemiology leads the Florida Department of Health's efforts to prevent infectious diseases through surveillance, case and outbreak investigation, training, and information dissemination.

To apply, you must send the following documents to the program as noted below by the posting closing date in the official State of Florida job application.

How to Apply:

All the items listed below must be submitted to the FL EIS Program and the title of the document or PDF should include the name of the document and the name of the applicant (e.g., FL EIS Personal Statement Karen Elliott). They must be attached to the official State of Florida job application (except for the official transcripts, which should be sent per description below):

1. Complete this Florida Department of Health Job Application.

2. Curriculum Vitae (CV): One copy

3. References: Please provide the name, title, employment agency, email address, and direct phone number of three professional references.

4. Personal Statement: One copy. A narrative, no longer than two pages, which addresses the following questions:

• What are your career plans after graduating from the FL EIS Program?  Why?

• How will the FL EIS Program help you fulfill these plans?

• How will the FL EIS Program complement your previous training and experience?

• Is there any aspect of public health particularly interesting to you?  Why?

• How will you contribute to the goals of the FL EIS Fellowship Program? (Please see the description in the posted job announcement).

5. Transcripts: Submit transcripts from the school from which you received your highest degree and for any school from which you received public health training (e.g., MPH, MSPH, DrPH, PhD). Copies of your official transcripts are acceptable during the application process. A printout from the student system is not acceptable. If chosen for the position, official sealed transcripts must be provided. Official transcripts must be mailed or e-mailed directly to the FL EIS Program at the below address. 

For Foreign Schools:  If transcripts are not issued by a U.S. institution, proof of degree completion must be submitted and accompanied by a credential verification document. This may be accomplished by submitting coursework documents to a private organization specializing in interpreting foreign educational credentials. A list of private organizations prepared by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) is available at http://naces.org

Mail official transcripts to:

Florida Department of Health

Division of Disease Control and Health Protection

Attention: Karen Elliott

4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin A-12

Tallahassee, FL 32399

FL_EISFellowship@flhealth.gov

6. Professional License: If licensed in the U.S., a photocopy of a current license.

Application Deadline:

The application deadline for the FL EIS Program is the posting closing date in the official State of Florida job application. The applicant is responsible for submitting all required items (emailed, postmarked, or attached to the job application) by the deadline.

Your Final Step:

Upload all the required documents (CV, copy of your official transcripts, personal statement, and professional license [if applicable]) to your job application for this position and submit it before the deadline. If you have any problems uploading the documents, you may send all the documents in one email to FL_EISFellowship@flhealth.gov.

U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers are eligible to apply. The FL EIS Program is unable to provide VISA sponsorship.

Applications will be reviewed and ranked to determine eligibility. Only complete applications will be considered. Upon review of applications, competitive applicants will be selected for interviews.

Contact Name: Karen Elliott, FL EIS Program Administrator, Bureau of Epidemiology

Contact email: FL_EISFellowship@flhealth.gov

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:

Onsite (Not Remote) at the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County. This office is in Hudson, FL.

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. As an OPS employee, the benefits below are available:

• State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan (mandatory)
• Participation in state group insurance (upon meeting eligibility requirements. Consult with People First and/or the serving HR office)
• Workers’ Compensation (mandatory, if needed)
• Reemployment Assistance (Unemployment Compensation) (mandatory, if needed)
• Deferred Compensation (voluntary)
• Employee Assistance Program (voluntary)

• And more!

For a more complete list of benefits, including monthly costs, 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. Any misrepresentations or omissions will disqualify you from employment consideration. Note: You will be required to provide your Social Security Number (SSN) in order to conduct this background check Successful completion of a drug test is a condition of employment for safety-sensitive positions.

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.