Public Health and Prevention Specialist V

DSHS is committed to hiring skilled and dedicated individuals who share a passion for public health to pursue our vision of A Healthy Texas. If you are looking to make an impact and tackle new challenges, we encourage you to consider a career with us.

Employee Benefits:

DSHS offers insurance coverage and other benefits available through the State of Texas Group Benefits Plan administered by the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS). To learn more about all the benefits available to you as a DSHS employee and other DSHS opportunities for early career pathways, visit the DSHS Careers Page.

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Functional Title: Public Health and Prevention Specialist V 
Job Title: Publ Hlth and Prevent Spcl V 
Agency: Dept of State Health Services 
Department: HAI Quality Assurance 
Posting Number: 16276 
Closing Date: 10/30/2026 
Posting Audience: Internal and External 
Occupational Category: Life, Physical, and Social Science 
Salary Range: $4,801.16 - $6,300.00 
Pay Frequency: Monthly
Salary Group: TEXAS-B-22 
Shift: Day 
Additional Shift:  
Telework: Eligible for Telework 
Travel: Up to 5% 
Regular/Temporary: Regular 
Full Time/Part Time: Full time 
FLSA Exempt/Non-Exempt: Nonexempt 
Facility Location:  
Job Location City: AUSTIN 
Job Location Address: 1100 W 49TH ST (DHT) 
Other Locations:  
MOS Codes: 230X,43EX,43HX,4B0X1,4E0X1,60C,68S,68Z,HM,HS,MED,NAP11,SEI12 
 
 
 

Do you have a "can do" attitude, are a team player, enjoy working in a dynamic department, and want to be a part of the fascinating field of Infectious Disease Prevention in healthcare settings? If yes, join our selfless and motivated team of forward-thinking public health and medical professionals working toward improving the health of Texans.

Complex (senior-level) job duties pertaining to mandated healthcare safety training, statewide education and advocacy, state and federal reporting, learning needs assessments, infection control and response assessments, and healthcare worker training tracking. Work involves planning and analyzing user requirements, processes or problems to enhance, update or maintain data reporting systems, including performance and reporting quality assurance. Ensures healthcare safety data quality in processes and evaluation related to healthcare injuries, adverse events, healthcare-associated infections, and sharps injuries. Works with and on behalf of general hospitals, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, and other facilities on safety measures in healthcare.

Involved in public health education program activities and provides consultative services and technical assistance to epidemiologists in DSHS, the general public, professional organizations, local and regional health departments, government agencies, and application users. Works as needed on disease outbreaks in Texas.

This role works with healthcare and public health leaders on acute, sensitive, and high profile activities, thus must be professional, poised, productive, and produce accurate reports and data under pressure, and independently motivated to be a strong steward for the State of Texas.

Essential Job Functions:

(30%) Develops, advises and interprets policies, procedures, legislation, rules, grant strategies, and regulations related to healthcare safety. Collaborates with program staff to do public speaking, lead projects, inform prevention processes and standard of care, clarify definitions, standards, and policies related to the reporting and implementation statewide of healthcare safety. Develops, updates, and maintains processes associated with healthcare safety and public health reporting and provides consultative services and technical assistance to program staff, governmental agencies, community organizations, or the general public. Represents the Healthcare Safety Units as a subject matter expert when speaking to internal and external stakeholders. Prepares and runs administrative reports, including ad hoc reports, related to healthcare safety data. Coordinates on the analysis and assessment of Healthcare Safety Unit data and develops plans and recommendations to improve processes and procedures. Maintains knowledge and understanding of healthcare safety programming and data sources by participating in ongoing training and update calls/meetings. Communicates timely and effectively with local, regional, state and federal agencies and key partners.

(30%) In collaboration with internal and external partners, creates, develops, presents, and distributes training materials and tools for public health and healthcare partners related to healthcare safety. Develops and makes available multi-media training for healthcare facility staff related to healthcare safety data sources. Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness and impact of educational activities. In collaboration with program staff, researches empirically-based information on healthcare safety, and follows CDC and other authority's guidelines on healthcare safety rules, reporting, prevention, control, and improvment. Must be comfortable prioritizing multiple tasks simultaneously and independently motivated to seek answers to complete tasks.

(20%) Contributes to projects to enhance, update, and/or data reporting systems and processes (the Texas-specific system is called "TxHSN"). Coordinates with internal and external users to identify requirements and specifications to meet Unit business function requirements, and address errors and needs as they arise, sometimes with little or no warning. Performs quality assurance and user acceptance testing to ensure data quality and functionality are maintained. Completes agency assignments related to Unit projects, including procurement, grant writing and reporting, project work plans, and working with colleagues as needed to ensure high quality, on time task completion. Coordinates with IT, web services, and internal/external colleagues to create customized reports, user interface, customized workflow tools, and data conversion mapping.

(15%) Collects, organizes, analyzes, and prepares high quality, technically written communications, reports, and reviews. Reviews and evaluates processes to identify gaps in resources and recommend improvements for Healthcare Safety Data collection. Collaborates with staff in problem solving of technical issues. Contributes to activities related to grant applications including completion of activities and creation of reports related to grant deliverables and milestones.

(5%) Other duties as assigned: include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disease outbreaks, disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation. The division is an active partner in response activities. Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.  

Registrations, Licensure Requirements or Certifications: None

Knowledge Skills Abilities:

Knowledge of healthcare, public health, and/or healthcare safety and quality principles.

Knowledge of accessibility and plain language principles and requirements.
Knowledge of public health and/or healthcare quality priorities.

Knowledge of CDC, Texas, healthcare, and/or public health reporting and/or data management.

Knowledge of public entity operating procedures, guidelines, and processes.

Knowledge of scientific or technical writing and presentation gudielines.

Skill in establishing goals and objectives and coordinating the achievement of established goals and objectives.
Skill in interpersonal relationships and in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
Skill in independently coordinating solutions and complex problem solving.
Skill in expertly written tecnhnical or scientific analyses, documentation, and reports.
Skill in identifying problems, evaluating alternatives, and negotiating and implementing solutions.
Skill in translating complex technical information verbally and in writing for non-technical audiences.
Skill in developing, testing, maintaining, troubleshooting large data systems.

Ability to plan, organize, schedule and monitor completion of assigned projects.
Ability to develop and evaluate policies and procedures.
Ability to use personal computers and to use Microsoft Office products (e.g., Word, PowerPoint and Excel).
Ability to exercise independent judgment, set priorities and meet deadlines.
Ability to autonomously identify problems and develop creative solutions.
Ability to create concise, well-written communications, documents, briefing documents, and reports.
Ability to develop and evaluate policies and procedures.
Ability to organize and present complex information to a variety of audiences verbally and in writing.
Ability to communicate clearly, concisely and effectively.
Ability to work effectively as a team member with regional and local health department personnel and private sector health care professionals.
Ability to analyze systems and procedures.
Ability to gather, assemble, correlate, and analyze information.
Ability to work independently and deliver results in an environment of broad, consultative management.

Initial Screening Criteria:

1) Bachelors degree in public health, healthcare, nursing, human services, or related field or higher with at least 2 years of work experience in a public health agency, healthcare setting, or academics; 2) At least 1 year of professional work experience in data entry or database management.

Additional Information:

This position will work in person at the DSHS Central Office campus on 1100 W. 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756 office (not negotiable); work schedule currently includes working in person 2-3 days per week and teleworking the other days; subject to change if mandated by State or DSHS Leadership.

Active Duty, Military, Reservists, Guardsmen, and Veterans:

Military occupation(s) that relate to the initial selection criteria and registration or licensure requirements for this position may include, but not limited to those listed in this posting. All active-duty military, reservists, guardsmen, and veterans are encouraged to apply if qualified for this position. For more information see the Texas State Auditor’s Military Crosswalk at https://hr.sao.texas.gov/CompensationSystem/JobDescriptions/.

ADA Accommodations:

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), DSHS will provide reasonable accommodation during the hiring process for individuals with a qualifying disability. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the interview process, please notify the person who contacts you to schedule the interview. If you need assistance completing the on-line application, contact the HHS Employee Service Center at 1-888-894-4747 or via email at HHSServiceCenter.Applications@ngahrhosting.com.

Salary Information, Pre-employment Checks, and Work Eligibility:

• The salary offered will follow DSHS starting salary guidelines. Any employment offer is contingent upon available budgeted funds.
• Depending on the program area and position requirements, applicants selected for hire may be required to pass background and other due diligence checks.
• DSHS uses E-Verify. You must bring your I-9 documentation with you on your first day of work.  Download the I-9 form