Epidemiologist

We are seeking an analytically skilled Epidemiologist to join the Office of Informatics & Analytics (OIA) at the Tennessee Department of Health. In this role, you will lead data evaluations and statistical modeling to measure the impact of statewide overdose prevention programs, analyzing data from the Controlled Substance Monitoring Database (CSMD/PDMP), Hospital Discharge Data System (HDDS), and Vital Statistics death records.

• Client: Tennessee Department of Health (TN DOH - Office of Informatics & Analytics)
• Location: Nashville, TN 37243 (Andrew Johnson Tower, 7th Floor, 710 James Robertson Pkwy)
• Work Arrangement: Hybrid (Onsite required 1 day per week; TN residency required prior to start date)
• Role Type: Contract (10/01/2026 – 06/30/2027, extension possible)
• Interview Process: Webcam or In-Person Interview

Key Responsibilities

• Program Evaluation & Modeling: Conduct epidemiologic study designs and statistical modeling to evaluate statewide overdose prevention initiatives, prescribing limits, and naloxone distribution programs.
• Substance Surveillance Analytics: Analyze trends, hotspots, and risk factors associated with buprenorphine, stimulants, opioids, and polydrug usage across linked public health datasets.
• Data Visualization & Reporting: Build interactive dashboards, reports, and visualization products to communicate complex public health findings to technical, executive, and non-technical stakeholders.
• Data Linkage & Governance: Perform SQL database queries and statistical analyses while maintaining strict HIPAA compliance, data quality, security, and governance standards.
• Grant & Research Support: Contribute to public health grant applications, peer-reviewed scientific studies, and statewide conference presentations.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Education: Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH), Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Data Science, or a closely related field.
• Public Health Analytics: 2+ years of experience in public health analytics and epidemiologic study design.
• Statistical Tools: Advanced proficiency in statistical software languages (e.g., R, SAS, or Stata).
• Database & SQL: Strong SQL skills with experience querying relational databases and handling large healthcare datasets.
• Public Health Surveillance: Knowledge of overdose surveillance systems and public health data sources.
• Residency Constraint: Candidates must be current Tennessee residents or have relocated and established TN residency prior to day one.

Preferred Qualifications

• Dataset Linkage: Demonstrated experience linking multi-source health datasets (e.g., PDMP, hospital discharge, death certificates).
• Scientific Communication: Experience presenting complex epidemiologic insights and authoring public health research reports or grants.