Disease Investigator

About DC Health

DC Health, the District of Columbia Department of Health, is a nationally accredited public health agency dedicated to making Washington, D.C. the healthiest city in America. The organization emphasizes equitable health opportunities for all residents regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, education, age, language, religion, ability, or geographic location. DC Health focuses on delivering the 10 Essential Public Health Services and combating systemic barriers contributing to health disparities by following the Public Health Core Competencies.

Job Summary

The Disease Investigator plays a critical role within DC Health, responsible for gathering case investigation data and providing technical support to partners involved in case reporting. This position conducts disease investigations to initiate targeted interventions and prevention initiatives and to track population trends useful for program strategy and execution. The role involves performing duties during routine as well as outbreak situations under the direction of the Disease Investigation Program Manager.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary investigator for infectious disease cases within the District.
• Monitor case report data sources and conduct comprehensive investigations for infectious disease events affecting District residents.
• Interview residents, follow up on laboratory test results, recommend post-exposure prophylaxis, and deliver health education and prevention messages.
• Communicate with healthcare providers to complete case reports, secure final test outcomes, and conduct contact tracing when necessary.
• Aggregate and input data accurately and report notifiable diseases to federal agencies and related stakeholders.

Qualifications and Education

• Minimum one year of specialized experience related to epidemiological work, including designing and executing disease investigation studies and generating findings reports.
• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in fields connected to medicine, health sciences, or allied sciences preferred.

Working Environment

The position mainly involves sedentary duties with occasional walking, standing, bending, or handling light objects. Work is performed in a standard office setting with adequate lighting, ventilation, and safety measures.

Additional Information

• Work schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:15 AM to 4:45 PM.
• Position belongs to the Career Service (CS) with pay plan CS-1810-11.
• No promotion potential anticipated.
• Union membership involved—represented by AFGE Local 2978 with associated union dues via payroll deduction.
• Designated as a Security Sensitive position, requiring background checks including criminal, traffic (if applicable), consumer credit (if applicable), and drug and alcohol testing for reasonable suspicion and post-incident circumstances.
• Equal Employment Opportunity employer prohibiting discrimination or retaliation on multiple grounds including race, gender identity, disability, and military status.