Skip to content
Search Public Health Job Opportunities Across The Nation

Explore national fellowship and internship opportunities

The list includes opportunities with governmental public health agencies, nonprofits organizations, global health initiatives, and more. Opportunities include, but are not limited to, national programs affiliated with the Centers of Disease Control and Preventions (CDC).

Chief Epidemiologist

Position Summary

This senior leadership position will be responsible for acquiring and analyzing health data, communicating results of those analyses, and developing strategic data use and analysis strategies. The successful candidate will have strong epidemiological expertise and strength in data analysis and interpretation. The Chief Epidemiologist must be a strong communicator, comfortable directing staff, making community presentations, and working with diverse academic and research partners. This position requires occasional evening or weekend work.

Essential Functions

  • Acquire new public health data sets that can inform public health strategy for the agency.
  • Lead epidemiologic analyses of data sets on a wide range of health topics, either directly or through subordinate staff or through cross-divisional collaboration.
  • Lead the writing of reports summarizing analyses for various audiences, including medical and public health professionals, policymakers, the press, and the public.
  • Provides population data and information to departmental programs to determine primary determinants of illness, injury, and premature death in Philadelphia communities.
  • Work with epidemiologists across the department to promote cross-divisional collaboration and strengthen capacity
  • Identify and promote staff development and training opportunities for epidemiologists across the agency.
  • Represent the Health Commissioner and/or Philadelphia Department of Public Health to diverse internal and external constituencies with a high degree of professionalism.
  • Oversees preparation, and communication of public health reports, briefs, policy papers, etc.
  • Examine data sources that can offer information relevant to the Department’s planning, programming, and policies.
  • Develop and expand PDPH’s organizational capacity for evaluation of its public health programs, policies, and interventions.
  • Support and extend partnerships to accelerate the exchange and use of data across the public health ecosystem.
  • Lead various data-related departmental committees and provide guidance on topics including epidemiological methods, data quality, data security, data sharing, and related topics.
  • Organize, facilitate, and participate in meetings of stakeholder groups to identify needs and build consensus and collaboration.
  • Manage a staff of 2-5 direct reports
  • Oversee the effective management and stewardship of contracts and data-sharing agreements.
  • Develop, manage and report on a budget.
  • Seek grants and other partnerships and manage ongoing grants
  • Participate in other Department projects and initiatives as requested/ needed.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

  • Advanced skills in use of various data analysis software tools (R proficiency preferred; experience with SAS, SQL, or GIS is a plus) and analyzing various types of public health data.
  • Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, including presentation skills making the results of complex public health analyses easily understandable by non-expert audiences
  • Ability to supervise others and manage projects that require contributions from others.
  • Ability to mentor less experienced staff in epidemiological analyses and presentation of results.
  • Ability to successfully collaborate with others within and outside the Department of Public Health on epidemiological projects.
  • A commitment to high professional ethical standards.
  • Demonstrated ability to facilitate Institutional Review Board (IRB) review processes, including preparing and submitting protocols, ensuring compliance with ethical standards, and maintaining accurate documentation throughout the research lifecycle.

Qualifications

  • Completion of a doctoral degree (PhD, DrPH, or equivalent) from an accredited institution(s) of higher education in public health, Epidemiology, or Biostatistics.
  • A Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in epidemiology or Biostatistics
  • Five to ten years’ of progressive management experience may be considered in lieu of a doctoral degree
  • At least five years’ experience working in epidemiology
  • At least two years’ experience working in federal, state, tribal, or local health departments

Additional Information

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter, resume, and references.

About Philadelphia Dept of Public Health
The mission of the Department of Public Health is to protect and promote the health of all Philadelphians and to provide a safety net for the most vulnerable.The history of public health in Philadelphia reaches back to the city’s beginnings. William Penn’s “greene countrie towne” was the first American city to provide free hospital care for its poorest residents at the Philadelphia Almshouse, built in 1732. Our city is home to the nation’s first medical school, children’s hospital, and eye hospital.The present Department of Public Health was created by an Ordinance of December 31, 1919 to succeed the Department of Health Charities.The history of public health in Philadelphia reaches back to the city’s beginnings. William Penn’s “greene countrie towne” was the first American city to provide free hospital care for its poorest residents at the Philadelphia Almshouse, built in 1732. Our city is home to the nation’s first medical school, children’s hospital, and eye hospital.The present Department of Public Health was created by an Ordinance of December 31, 1919 to succeed the Department of Health Charities.Learn more about the history of public health in Philadelphia.
Connections working at Philadelphia Dept of Public Health
More Jobs from This Employer
https://govphcareers.astho.org/jobs/21968917/chief-epidemiologist

Date Posted
01/12/2026
Job Reference
21968917
Organization
Philadelphia Dept of Public Health
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Category
Epidemiology
Apply Back

Connect with Local, State, and Territorial Health Departments

To find local governmental public health jurisdictions, see - www.naccho.org