Job title: CSTE Senior Public Health Data Strategy Fellowship 

Position type: Fellowship, full-time 

Position Highlights 

Location: Multiple locations including remote (see below for a list of available fellowship placements)

Compensation: 95,000 plus benefits   

Position Type: Full time, limited-term opportunity 

Position End Date: June 14, 2025. Funding may be approved for up to 12 additional months beyond the stated project end date of June 14, 2025. 

Application deadline: Applications will remain open until funded positions are filled.

To apply for this fellowship, view and complete the online application at https://webportalapp.com/sp/sphdsf_candidate_application 

Overview:  

The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) is currently accepting applications for the Senior Public Health Data Strategy (SPHDS) Fellowship. Fellowship positions will begin on a rolling basis as they are filled beginning in September 2024. 

The goal of the Senior Data Strategy fellowship is to place professionals with demonstrated skills in data science, informatics, and/or IT in state, local, tribal, or territorial health departments for a time-limited appointment. This appointment is for a full-time position; fellows may not be enrolled in a degree-seeking program or hold employment that would interfere with the full-time work hours of the host site. The Data Strategy fellows will play a critical role in advancing the goals of the CDC Public Health Data Strategy.  

CSTE will review all completed fellow applications and conduct virtual interviews of fellow candidates. Accepted candidates will be matched to a State, Territorial, Local, or Tribal (STLT) health department host site, based on a mutual ranking process. Host site placements are limited to the approved host sites. Health departments interested in hosting a fellow will apply to CSTE through a separate application process. Remote, hybrid, and in-person placements may be available. As host sites are accepted, CSTE will make their position descriptions available to applicants.   

CSTE is the sponsoring organization for this fellowship program, which is funded by the *CDC Foundation*. All host sites will be STLT health departments.  

This fellowship was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number NU60OE000104, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the Association of Public Health Laboratories. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the Association 

Compensation:  

• $95,000 annual rate plus benefits 

• Relocation assistance available 

• Professional development and travel funds to attend conferences/ trainings  

Work Location: Multiple locations through the US 

Fellowship placements are determined by the public health agencies which apply to host a fellow. Each year, CSTE has a different set of host sites in a variety of geographic locations across the US and territories. Relocation may be required for some host sites. Remote placements may be available. 

See below for a list of available fellowship placement sites (Agency, Division; City, State; Expected work environment). Additional sites may be added as host site applications are reviewed and approved.  

• Alabama Department of Public Health, Office of Informatics & Data Analytics (OIDA); Montgomery, Alabama; Hybrid
• Arizona Department of Health Services, DPO/Informatics; Phoenix, Arizona; Hybrid
• County of Marin, Health and Human Services/Public Health Division (Epidemiology Program); San Rafael, California; Hybrid
• Fairfax County Health Department, Division of Epidemiology and Population Health; Fairfax, Virginia; Hybrid
• Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Bureau of Disease Control, Disease Control Informatics Branch; Los Angeles, California; Hybrid
• Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Administration/Strategic Integration Administration; Lansing, Michigan; Hybrid
• New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health Services, Bureau of Infectious Disease Control; Concord, New Hampshire; Hybrid
• New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), Center for Population Health Data Science; Queens, New York; Hybrid
• New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), Center for Population Health Data Science; Queens, New York; Hybrid
• North Carolina Central Cancer Registry, NC DHHS/Division of Public Health; Raleigh, North Carolina; Hybrid
• North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Communicable Disease Branch; Raleigh, North Carolina; Hybrid
• Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Health Commissioner's Office; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 100% Virtual
• Public Health - Seattle & King County, Health Sciences; Seattle, Washington; Hybrid
• Public Health Madison & Dane County, Community Health; Madison, Wisconsin; 100% Virtual
• Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment, Community Engagement, Prevention, & Response; Community Health Services; Environmental Health; WIC; PH Lab; Pueblo, Colorado; 100% In-person
• Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Informatics and Analytics & Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness Division; Nashville, Tennessee; Hybrid
• Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Data, Systems, and Evaluation; Salt Lake City, Utah; 100% Virtual
• Virgin Islands Department of Health, Epidemiology; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; Hybrid

Qualifications:  

• Professional experience: Candidates should have at least 5 years of professional experience. Experience may be in any of the following: Biostatistics, Public Health Informatics, Informatics, Data Science, Statistics, Epidemiology, Computer Science, Information Sciences, Public Health, Information Technology, Medicine, or another related field 

How to Apply 

Complete an online application. CSTE will review all completed applications submitted through our online application system.  

Application deadline: Applications will be accepted until funded positions are filled.

To apply for this fellowship, view and complete the online application at https://webportalapp.com/sp/sphdsf_candidate_application 

 
If you have questions about the fellowship or application, please contact CSTE via email at informaticstraining@cste.org.

Is this the right role for me? 

As a CSTE Senior Public Health Data Strategy fellow, you will work in a dynamic public health department. You’ll have the opportunity to advance vital work with public health data to create the conditions where all people can reach the highest standard of health. During this fellowship, your skill will enable your host site to make priority information system improvements. You will fill key technical roles at health departments. Health departments will have a variety of projects where a fellow’s talents will make a meaningful contribution. For example, moving data entry from paper to an electronic database or automating data exchange with other organizations. The work you do will improve the ability of public health to act on data in a timely manner to improve the health of all people. 

Based on their specific skills, knowledge, and interests, successful fellow candidates are carefully matched to a state or local health agency through a mutual selection process. The exact responsibilities and desired skills for any fellow will vary depending on the specific state or local health agency. Health departments complete their own application to be included as a placement site in this fellowship program.  

Interested candidates should use the free-text fields, work experience, and personal statement components of the online application to describe both (1) the skills and knowledge they possess that make them a strong candidate and (2) the reasons they are interested in this opportunity.  

Skills & Attributes of ideal applicants: 

The following is a list of some of the in-demand skills. This list is not exhaustive, nor would it be expected that any applicant would possess all these attributes. 

• Proficiency in programming languages such as R, Python, PHP, SAS, SQL, C, C++, JAVA, JavaScript, etc. 

• Proficiency using tools such as Power BI, Tableau, REDcap, cloud computing solutions, Rhapsody, ArcGIS 

• Advanced-level proficiency in ‘Big Data’ data analytics solutions 

• Demonstrated experience with AI and Machine Learning 

• Experience deploying and automating data pipelines 

• Knowledge of AWS Data Lake scripting, programming, machine learning and AI web services 

• Experience with data manipulation and analysis tools (e.g., SQL, Pandas, NumPy) 

• Knowledge of machine learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, Scikit-learn) 

• Familiarity with electronic data/health information technology standards such as HL7, SNOMED, or LOINC 

• Experience with data visualization tools 

• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities 

• Ability to interpret complex datasets and derive meaningful insights 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 

• Ability to convey technical concepts to non-technical partners effectively 

• Flexibility to adapt to evolving project requirements and priorities 

• Professional certifications in data science, machine learning, or public health analytics preferred 

• Outstanding interpersonal and teamwork skills 

• Able to develop productive working relationships with colleagues and partners 

• Demonstrated ability to work well independently and within teams 

• Experience working in a virtual environment with remote partners and teams, if placement is remote 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 

• Familiarity or experience with public health data preferred 

What kind of projects will I work on?  

• Fellow projects will advance the goals of the Public Health Data Strategy. Examples of possible projects are listed below. 

• Enhance, upgrade, or replace a system 

• Example: Develop requirements for replacing a case investigation system 

• Move data entry from paper to directly into an electronic database 

• Increase access to analysis results through dashboard or ‘open data’ tools 

• Example: Creating an interactive data dashboard to communicate cancer surveillance data from hospitals, medical facilities, and other data sources.   

• Assess and improve data quality, harmonize data fields across databases 

• Example: add geocoding fields to core databases 

• Automate data exchange with other organizations 

• Example: Automating data flows between multiple data sources including vital statistics and registry data and an environmental health data dashboard   

Special Note 

Fellows will work in a dynamic public health program. As such, roles, projects, and responsibilities are subject to change as situations evolve. The projects listed above are only examples of potential fellow work assignments and may be updated or expanded. 

Professional experience: Candidates should have at least 5 years of professional experience. Experience may be in any of the following: Biostatistics, Public Health Informatics, Informatics, Data Science, Statistics, Epidemiology, Computer Science, Information Sciences, Public Health, Information Technology, Medicine, or another related field 

About CSTE

CSTE works to advance public health policy and epidemiologic capacity. We also provide information, education, and developmental support of practicing epidemiologists in a wide range of areas as well as expertise for program and surveillance efforts. CSTE is an organization of member states and territories representing public health epidemiologists. CSTE works to establish more effective relationships among state and other health agencies. It also provides technical advice and assistance to partner organizations and to federal public health agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CSTE members have surveillance and epidemiology expertise in a broad range of areas including occupational health, infectious diseases, environmental health, chronic diseases, injury, maternal and child health, and more. CSTE supports effective public health surveillance and sound epidemiologic practice through training, capacity development, and peer consultation. CSTE acts as the professional home for applied epidemiologists representing multiple levels of public health practice. Active members are engaged in the practice of epidemiology for a governmental public he...alth authority at the state, local, tribal, or territorial level. Associate members are former active member or those practicing epidemiology in federal, military, or international settings, as well as at academic institutions or corporate settings. Student members are currently enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or graduate program pursuing a degree in public health or a related field. Find out more at CSTE.org!

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