Research Scientist for Disaster Epidemiology, World Trade Center Health Registry

About the role

The World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR) was established in 2002 to monitor and evaluate the physical and mental health impacts on over 71,000 individuals exposed to the September 11, 2001 disaster. Located within the Center for Population Health Data Science, WTCHR research influences national policies regarding healthcare for those affected by the attacks and contributes to the post-disaster public health literature.

Responsibilities

• Serve as lead epidemiologist for COVID-19-related research and co-investigator for cross-bureau special projects related to COVID-19.
• Propose scientific studies in areas of the long-term mental and physical health effects associated with multiple disaster exposure.
• Serve as lead author and co-author on manuscript teams that incorporate mentoring junior scientists.
• Oversee day-to-day administrative tasks associated with manuscript development and nested study implementation, including cross unit and bureau coordination, developing timelines, staff allocation, budgeting, vendor contracts and negotiation, and IRB.
• Oversee external research partnerships/collaborations during the conduct of assigned projects.
• Conduct independent analyses of WTCHR data, including employing methods designed to handle longitudinal or hierarchical data and data obtained through administrative linkages, time to event data, and methods common in epidemiology for addressing limitations of longitudinal cohort studies (e.g., missing data, attrition).
• Supervise directly or indirectly CRS I, CRS II, and interns, as requested.

PREFERRED SKILLS

• PhD or Master’s degree in epidemiology or related field preferred
• Expertise in COVID-19 and/or disaster health
• History of publishing manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Strong competency in statistics, SAS programming, STATA or R and data manipulation technologies
• Experience in longitudinal study design and analysis
• Experience in applying mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) approaches to conducting disaster related studies
• Experience in mentoring and guiding less experienced analysts and scientists in data analysis and manuscript writing

Why you should work for us

• Loan Forgiveness: As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal/state loan forgiveness and repayment assistance programs that lessen your payments or fully forgive your full balance. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website (https://studentaid.gov/pslf/).
• Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as:
  • a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment.
  • additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position’s associated union/benefit fund.
  • a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement.
  • a tax-deferred savings program
  • a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.
• Work From Home Policy: Depending on your position, you may be able to work up to two days during the week from home.
• Job Security - you could enjoy more job security compared to private sector employment and be able to contribute to making NYC a healthy place to live and work.

Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the U.S., dedicated to protecting and improving the health of NYC. Our mission is to safeguard the health of every resident and cultivate a city where everyone, regardless of age, background, or location, can achieve their optimal health. We provide a wide array of programs and services focused on food and nutrition, anti-tobacco support, chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment, family and child health, environmental health, mental health, and social justice initiatives. As the primary population health strategist and policy authority for NYC, with a rich history of public health initiatives and scientific advancements, from addressing the 1822 yellow fever outbreak to the COVID-19 pandemic, we serve as a global leader in public health innovation and expertise.

Come join us and help to continue our efforts in making a difference in the lives of all New Yorkers!

Commitment to Equity:

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.

Minimum Qualifications

• 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:
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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.