Environmental Epidemiologist

About the position You will serve as an environmental epidemiologist focusing on exposure to chemical contaminants and environmental conditions such as extreme heat and cold. You will join a team of doctoral and master’s level toxicologists and epidemiologists in the Environmental Health Program at the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, on a team that has become a national leader in responding to the emerging contamination of drinking water, soil, and biota from a class of contaminants called per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS). You will be responsible for conducting public health surveillance of individuals with elevated exposure to PFAS, as well as exposure to carbon monoxide. You will additionally perform public health surveillance of health conditions related to ambient environmental conditions, such as heat- and cold-related illnesses during extreme weather events and respiratory complaints during wildfire smoke events. You will develop, manage, and evaluate statewide environmental health surveillance systems; conduct public health investigations; perform case investigations; and provide consultation on reportable environmental illnesses and conditions to protect the health of Maine citizens and visitors.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of surveillance data to stakeholders.
• Investigate cases of elevated PFAS blood serum levels and elevated carboxyhemoglobin levels to identify sources of exposure.
• Provide professional consultations to program toxicologists, epidemiologists, healthcare partners, and the public.
• Monitor national biomonitoring trends and emerging threats.
• Collaborate with program epidemiologists and toxicologists to improve program operations.
• Communicate epidemiological surveillance information effectively and accurately.
• Serve as Epidemiologist-On-Call and After-Hours On Call during extreme weather events on a rotating basis.
• Participate in weekly staff meetings of the Environmental Toxicology Unit.

Requirements

• A Masters Degree in Epidemiology or closely related field or a Bachelors Degree in Epidemiology or closely related field and two (2) years professional experience in epidemiology.
• Equivalent related experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.

Nice-to-haves

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to gather, synthesize, and summarize a variety of information
• Strong knowledge of epidemiological practices and statistical methods used to analyze epidemiological data
• Strong ability to analyze epidemiological data using statistical software
• Familiarity with the epidemiological literature for PFAS
• Experience with public health surveillance practice and case management and/or case investigation practices
• Knowledge of methods of biomonitoring to measure exposure to environmental contaminants
• Strong computer skills, including use of spreadsheets and statistical software packages such as R or SAS

Benefits

• Work-Life Fit – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
• Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($12,845.82 - $15,112.76 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.
• Health Insurance Premium Credit – Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%. Visit the Office of Employee Health and Wellness for more information about program requirements.
• Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($395.72 annual value).
• Retirement Plan – The State contributes the equivalent of 14.11% of the employee's pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS).
• Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including non-birthing and adoptive parents—receive six weeks of fully paid parental leave.
• Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
• State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package, covering many aspects of wellness. Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.

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