Data and Surveillance Supervisor

Job Description

The Office of Chief Medical Examiner investigates cases of persons who die within New York City from criminal violence, by accident, by suicide, suddenly when in apparent health, when unattended by a physician, in a correctional facility or in any suspicious or unusual manner or where an application is made pursuant to law for a permit to cremate a body of a person.

The core values of CARES guide our work for communities and inform our behavior toward each other and all those we serve.

- Commitment: Dedicated to the mission at all times

- Accountability: Responsible to each other and the community

- Resilience: Adapt in the face of adversity

- Excellence: Achieve and maintain the highest quality

- Service: Innovate to meet evolving needs

The Drug Intelligence and Intervention Group (DIIG) at OCME was created for the joint purposes of:

1. Tracking suspected and confirmed overdose deaths,

2. Providing public sector leaders with timely and actionable information about fatal overdose, and

3. Providing direct support to family and friends of overdose victims in NYC.

DIIG conducts public health surveillance of overdose, collecting and leveraging data before and after OCME has determined cause and manner of death. Towards this end, DIIG is responsible for timely and accurate identification of suspected overdose cases and monitoring and reporting overdose trends. DIIG also plans and facilitates inter-agency collaboration through a citywide initiative called RxStat by planning and hosting monthly interdisciplinary meetings on overdose prevention. These RxStat meetings, including the quarterly OCME-led Overdose Fatality Review meeting, are attended by representatives from over 30 different local, state, and federal agencies.

The Data and Surveillance Supervisor is responsible for overseeing the long-term planning and management of multiple large scale data systems improvement projects for the Drug Intelligence and
Intervention Group. They will work closely with OCME colleagues, research partners, and other city agencies to identify opportunities for greater efficiency, timeliness, and accuracy of data sharing, analysis, and reporting related to overdose and DIIG engagement with overdose bereaved individuals. This position will report to the DIIG Deputy Director and work closely with OCME IT to ensure DIIG data capture and analysis processes are integrated into agency operations appropriately and with sustainability in mind.

The Data and Surveillance Supervisor will:

Lead and supervise a team of epidemiologists, data analysts, and support staff in the collection, management, and analysis of overdose-related data.

Oversee the design, implementation, and maintenance of data systems to improve overdose mortality surveillance and reporting.

Develop strategic vision for enhancing data infrastructure, including implementing new technologies and methodologies for more efficient data capture and analysis.

Champion data quality improvement initiatives, including standardization of protocols, validation procedures, and quality control systems.

Manage relationships with external partners including law enforcement agencies, public health agencies, and academic institutions.

Lead the development of dashboards and visualization tools to communicate mortality data to stakeholders and the public.

Ensure compliance with legal, ethical, and regulatory standards for death investigation data and protected health information.

Spearhead innovative approaches to identifying emerging overdose trends through mortality data analytics.

Translate complex epidemiological findings into actionable recommendations for overdose prevention interventions and public policy.

Serve as a subject matter expert for research partnerships, providing expert consultation on study design, statistical analysis, and data interpretation.

Preferred Skills:
At least four years of full-time experience in public health research, applied epidemiology, and/or biostatistics
Strong interpersonal skills. Ability to lead a diverse team and foster relationships with colleagues and partners
Experience using SAS, Dedoose, Microsoft Excel and/or PowerBI for data analysis
Knowledge of vital statistics, mortality, or other public sector health data sources
Knowledge of overdose prevention and harm reduction best practices
Experience working with large, complex datasets and data systems
Strong written and verbal communication skills and comfort with public speaking
Highly organized, and able to manage multiple simultaneous projects with competing priorities

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

WORK AUTHORIZATION:
Authorization to work in the United States is not required to apply for this position, however authorization is required before employment can begin. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that they meet all qualifying requirements for this position at the time of employment. The City of New York may be able to provide assistance with employment-based visa sponsorship, but OCME cannot guarantee sponsorship for international employees for visa applications, extensions, or status changes, including STEM/OPT visas.

SPECIAL NOTE:
Selected candidates will be required to provide a DNA sample by swabbing.

***Please note that only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted for this position. FINAL APPOINTMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT & BUDGET APPROVAL.**

CITY RESEARCH SCIENTIST - 21744

Qualifications

1. For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.
To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have:
1. A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or
2. A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or
3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in "2" above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in "1" and "2" above.

NOTE:
Probationary Period
Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.