Containment Epidemiologist - HP III - HAI​/AR Program

Department Information

Disease Control & Public Health Response – Immunization Information System (CIIS) Program

You must be a resident of the State of Colorado to be eligible to apply.

This is a term‑limited position; funding cannot be guaranteed beyond July 31, 2027.

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. We encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.

In addition to free parking, access to RTD bus lines, Cherry Creek bike path, and flexible working arrangements, click the link below to review additional benefits and perks.

Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, go to:
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

The Division of Disease Control and Public Health Response (DCPHR) is the department’s lead surveillance, planning and response arm for public events, including communicable disease outbreaks, epidemics, pandemics, bioterrorism, and other public health and mass casualty events and disasters. The division includes the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response;
State Public Health Laboratory;
Health Equity Branch;
Communicable Disease Branch;
Immunization Branch;
Public Health Informatics, Reporting, Technology Branch;
Refugee Branch; and Operations Branch. The Division exists to ensure that the Department has the ability to effectively prepare for, monitor, detect, diagnose, investigate, and nimbly respond to all types of conditions, events, and disasters that impact the public’s health.

Position:
Epidemiologist investigating and responding to cases and outbreaks of multidrug‑resistant organisms (MDROs) identified in healthcare settings. The epidemiologist uses the Containment Protocol to guide efforts and provides recommendations to healthcare facilities.

• Investigate single cases of antimicrobial‑resistant bacteria in healthcare facilities.
• Identify a case from surveillance or facility reports and conduct screening of patients for antimicrobial‑resistant bacteria.
• Coordinate collection and processing of specimens sent to the Colorado Public Health Laboratory and CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory Network for MDRO surveillance to identify additional cases and prevent ongoing transmission.
• Initiate initial response measures and conduct healthcare investigations.
• Ensure infection control recommendations and assessments with infection prevention teams to contain the MDRO.
• Summarize data from containment efforts to inform the public health approach.
• Identify clusters and outbreaks of antimicrobial‑resistant bacteria in healthcare facilities through surveillance and containment screening events.
• Interview healthcare facility staff and/or patients, conduct medical record review, and summarize data through line lists, epidemic curves, annotated maps, and descriptive statistics.
• Lead investigations with support from the outbreak lead and senior staff.
• Coordinate communication with affected facilities, referrals for infection prevention and response assessments.
• Coordinate additional screening in response to outbreaks to meet outbreak closure definitions.
• Assist with screening events and/or provide epidemiological findings to facilities participating in an onsite infection control assessment.
• Choose appropriate epidemiologic methods to analyze, summarize, and present outbreak data and report to CDPHE team members, healthcare facility epidemiology or infection prevention staff, and CDC support members.
• Participate in the routine epi‑call schedule by answering e‑mail questions and telephone calls from healthcare providers, patients, and the public on a variety of communicable disease issues.
• Bring complex calls to the attention of subject matter experts and senior staff for review and consultation.

An applicant may meet the minimum qualifications either through experience alone or a combination of education and experience.

Experience Only

Six (6) years of health professional experience in public health, epidemiology,…