Public Health Investigator

"Follow Your Calling, Find Your Career"
Pay Range: $52,132 to $ 68,423.25/year

This is an exempt (salaried) position. Pay rates are based on education, skill, experience level and internal equity. Internal equity considerations include an assessment of the applicant's salary history and qualifications in comparison to the market rate and requirements for the job.

This role is on-site 5 days a week

About Us
At Mecklenburg County, you'll have the chance to build a career as unique as you are with support, inclusive culture and technology to become the best version of you. We're counting on YOUR unique voice and perspective to help Mecklenburg County Public Health become even better, too. Join us and build an exceptional experience for yourself, and a healthier world for all.

As a member of the Mecklenburg County Public Health team, you will become a subject matter expert in the public health field. The CDC foundation explains that "Public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities. This work is achieved by promoting health lifestyles, researching disease and injury prevention, detecting, preventing, and responding to infectious disease".

Come be a part of Mecklenburg County's Public Health department's vision to "assure the health and safety of our diverse and changing community today and for future generations."

Position Summary
Perform duties related to control the spread of public health risks within Mecklenburg County. This position, as the subject matter expert, is responsible for conducting personal interviews to obtain case-related information; educating clients, community members, and partners regarding disease process, treatment, prevention and legal requirements; and analyzing epidemiological information to determine the need and priority for follow-up activities.

Essential Functions
Provide education and counseling surrounding communicable disease control and prevention to callers and in group settings

Monitor and investigate occurrences of rabies and other zoonotic diseases in Mecklenburg County and the surrounding areas

Receive reports and referrals from Charlotte Police Department Animal Care and Control, local animal control agencies, area physicians, and veterinarians to conduct bite assessments

Monitor and evaluate mandated animal quarantine occurrences for compliance and symptoms

Provide expertise as it pertains to zoonotic investigations

Relays current information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, State and Federal agencies on zoonotic diseases

Evaluate reports and assessments to determine exposure risks

Determine appropriateness of specimens to be submitted to the State Laboratory of Public Health

Provide consultation to physicians and ER staff on rabies reporting and assessment

Planning and implementation of rabies vaccine clinics in collaboration with animal control agency

Community engagement and outreach

Minimum Qualifications Experience
Minimum of two years of related public health experience.

Education
Bachelor's degree in Public Health or related field.

Combination of relevant education and relevant experience accepted?: Yes

Licenses and Certifications

• Requires a valid North Carolina or South Carolina Driver's License
• Requires County Driving Privileges Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities
Knowledge of

• Principles and practices of public health
• Local resources and services
• Communicable disease concepts
• Person-centered planning skills
• Client interviewing, disease management, and client centered counseling
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Basic computer programs, word processing, and data entry, and job specific software
• Establish rapport and effective communication successfully among culturally diverse populations

Abilities

• Applied Learning: Assimilating and applying new job-related information in a timely manner
• Collaboration: Working effectively and cooperatively with others; establishing and maintaining good working relationships
• Communication: Clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the information provided
• Leveraging Diversity: Working effectively with individuals of diverse cultures, interpersonal styles, abilities, motivations, or backgrounds; making the most effective use of the capabilities, insights and ideas of all individuals
• Patient Education/Health Promotion: Supporting, explaining, and instructing patient and patient's family in understanding the clinical procedures used to facilitate optimum health status
• Patient Relations: Meeting patient and patient family needs; taking responsibility for a patient's safety, satisfaction, and clinical outcomes; using appropriate interpersonal techniques to resolve difficult patient situations and regain patient confidence
• Safety Intervention: Having knowledge of conditions that affect patient, self, and/or employee safety under normal conditions and conditions that occur in crisis situations; skilled in identifying conditions that might cause health or safety hazards and takes action to remove such hazards; understands all aspects of providing a safe environment for patient, self, and/or others in crisis

Computer Skills

• Proficient in various computer applications including Microsoft Office Suite

Reasonable Accommodations Statement
To accomplish this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Disclaimer Statement
This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of job-related responsibilities, duties, skills, requirements or working conditions. Other duties may be assigned based on business need and the supervisor's request. Mecklenburg County reserves the right to revise the job description at any time. Designated positions may be required to assist in emergency and/or disaster situations.