Surveillance Officer - EXEMPT

Interviews, elicits, and traces contacts exposed to re-portable diseases. 

Provides follow-up instructions to cases and their contacts such as isolation/quarantine guidance, symptom monitoring instructions, and recommendations for assessing medical care and supportive services. 

Privies and handles confidential and highly sensitive information  

Provides assistance with onsite Covid-19 testing operations during surges.  

Communicates with cases and contacts in a professional and empathetic manner. 

Collects and records information from the case interview/contact gathering into the surveillance data system. 

Follows approved scripts and protocols, provides people with approved information about isolation and quarantine procedures, and if appropriate, refers them to testing. 

Conducts in-person investigations at congregate settings and with selected cases and contacts, as needed. 

Maintains daily communication with the Supervising Contact Tracer, as assigned. 

Provides information on where to find other social and health resources using an approved script/resource list. 

Receives telephone consent for potential follow-up calls from USVI Department of Health or other health/social service organizations. 

Protects and maintains individuals’ privacy and confidentiality. 

Provides assistance to swabbers with COVID-19 testing procedures on-site or in the field. (This activity is not a primary responsibility and limited to surges, staffing shortages and home visits). 

Perform other related duties as assigned. 

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, including or supplemented by twelve (12) college credits in health education, or in health, social or biological sciences. 

OR  

High School Diploma or its equivalent and four (4) years of work experience in health education, health promotion or disease intervention/prevention program, medical/biological laboratory, or public health program.  

FACTOR 1- KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED BY THE POSITION 

Knowledge of the basic principles, concepts, and methods of Surveillance methods.  

Knowledge of federal and local laws, regulations, and policies regarding reporting (notifiable disease surveillance) and control of disease.  

Knowledge of cause, transmission, treatment, and prevention of disease and other conditions of public health importance.  

Knowledge of the US Virgin Islands health system, culture, and health priorities.  

Knowledge of data collection, analysis, and reporting.  

Skill in organization.  

Skill in interpersonal communication and interaction professionally with people from diverse cultural, racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic backgrounds during a time of crisis and distress. 

Ability to work on teams with diverse cultural and professional backgrounds.  

Ability to work with patient investigations and outbreak response.  

Ability to demonstrate a professional, positive attitude and work ethic. 

Ability to understand the concepts of institutional and structural racism and bias and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities. 

Ability to be supportive of communities who have experienced systemic oppression and bias (e.g. people of color, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, justice involved persons, etc.) 

Ability to show empathy and be nonjudgmental towards distressed individuals. 

Ability to navigate computer systems and to comply with data integrity and security policies, safeguarding all personal identifiable information. 

Ability to speak, read, and write effectively. 

FACTOR 2- SUPERVISORY CONTROLS 

Supervision is designated by a higher-level officer who gives assignments by defining objectives, priorities, and deadlines, and assists the employee with unusual situations that do not have clear precedents. Under the supervision of the Territorial Epidemiologist or the designee, the employee plans and carries out the successive steps and handles problems and deviations in the work assignment in accordance with instructions, policies, previous training, or accepted practices in the occupation.  

FACTOR 3- GUIDELINES 

Guidelines include public health recommendations, actions and response established by local public health, federal agencies, and partner organizations. The incumbent uses judgment in locating and selecting the most appropriate guidelines, references, and procedures for application and in making minor deviations to adapt the guidelines to specific cases. The incumbent may also determine which of several established alternatives to use. Situations to which the existing guidelines cannot be applied or significant proposed deviations from the guidelines are referred to the supervisor. 

FACTOR 4- COMPLEXITY 

Work involves the full range of surveillance work, from field-based assignments and coordinating surveillance activities, to supervision of staff and development of SOPs. The incumbent must decide the proper course of action to follow from among many alternatives through analysis of the requirements and issues of each assignment. Assignments often involve interrelated conditions that must be identified in resolving problems.  

FACTOR 5- SCOPE AND EFFECT 

The work involves supporting and helping maintain a locally operated epidemiology program, including managing existing surveillance activities. The work affects the operation of epidemiology activities and the adequacy of related public health response efforts. 

FACTOR 6- PERSONAL CONTACTS 

Contacts are professional and technical employees with who may be outside the immediate organization. People contacted are engaged in various functions, missions, and kinds of work, and at various levels within the agency.  

FACTOR 7- PURPOSE OF CONTACTS 

Contacts are made to plan, coordinate, or advise on work efforts or to resolve operating problems. The individuals contacted have cooperative attitudes. 

FACTOR 8- PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

Work is primarily performed in an office setting. Some sitting, standing, stooping, bending, reaching, and lifting may be required. Some fieldwork may be required for special projects.  

FACTOR 9- WORK ENVIRONMENT 

Work is based in a public health office setting but requires travel throughout the territory. This position responds to after-hours calls and may involve nights or weekends as needed for urgent cases or emergencies.