Disease Research and Investigation Specialist - COVID Contact Tracing
- Summary
- Public Health – Seattle and King County value diverse perspectives and life experiences. The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and veterans.
Public Health – Seattle & King County is seeking multiple Disease Research and Intervention Specialists (DRIS) to support contact tracing for the COVID-19 outbreak response. The work of the Contact Tracer involves conducting in-depth interviews with confirmed cases and follows up with their contacts, to notify them about test/exposure status, reinforce isolation and quarantine (I/Q) guidelines, facilitate adherence to I/Q by supporting individual's needs.
Commitment to Equity and Social Justice:
As the only jurisdiction in the world named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.
We have a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from vulnerable communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.
Applicants should be committed to working with diverse populations throughout King County to provide excellent customer service to a broad range of cultures, per the King County Equity and Social Justice Ordinance and the King County Strategic Plan. - Job Duties
- Calls assigned COVID positive cases and conduct an in-depth interview using call scripts and protocols; simultaneously enter call data into RedCap
- Follows up with contacts of cases, using call scripts and protocols; Follows up on peripheral requests with their cases/contacts to make sure their requests for information have been met or needs to be referred on to the appropriate agency.
- Facilitates testing of contacts
- Facilitates grocery services
- Refers to additional social services
- Facilitates access to interpretation services as needed
- Interacts with multiple platforms like RedCap, Mosio, and Dynamics
- Documents challenges and brings to the team during debrief; resolves accordingly
- Strict adherence to client confidentiality and handling of PHI (like notes taken, and other communication)
- Participates in daily AM and PM check-in/debrief calls
- Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
Our ideal candidate will demonstrate the following (Minimum): ?
- Ability to establish rapport with diverse groups of people in a very brief amount of time.
- Ability to work with communities of people with varied lived experiences in a non-judgmental manner.
- Maintain confidentiality of protected health information at all times.
- Carry out assignments and responsibilities reliably in a thorough, accurate, and timely manner.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Strong oral communication skills.
- Highly proficient in navigating computers and data management platforms. On-site testing will be required of all applicants.
- Ability to comprehend complex information and adapt to changing guidance. To complete training, new employees must pass a graded assessment.
- Fluency in English is required; bilingual Spanish-English language skills are preferred.
- Washington State Driver's License or the ability to provide transportation to work locations with limited or no public transportation services are required.
- Have a current BLS CPR certification with AED training or willingness to obtain one by the first day on the job. (CPR/AED Heartsaver courses do not meet this requirement.)
- Supplemental Information
Who May Apply: This position is open to the general public.
Work Schedule: 27 hours a week between days and hours of Monday-Sunday 10:00 AM - 7:30 PM. At this time, this position is not ACA eligible.
Work Location: This position has required onsite training which will take place at the Chinook Building 401 5th Ave Seattle, WA. Once training is complete, there will be an option to work remotely.
The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:- Electronic application through www.kingcounty.gov/jobs or www.governmentjobs.com (use the "Apply" link).
- Completed supplemental questions.
The selection process may include but is not limited to: evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring.
Contact: For questions about this recruitment, please email Angela Brown, Human Resource Analyst at abrown@kingcounty.gov
Additional Information:
- Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and the development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
- Staff may be required to play an active role in the event of a public health emergency, which may include changes in responsibilities, work location, and working hours.
- The selected candidate will be required to submit a background check. Records are not automatically disqualifying.
- Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
- Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing required training on time.
Union Affiliation: This position is represented by WSCCCE Local 21HD.
King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage: King County pays 100% of the premiums for eligible employees and family members
- Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
- Retirement: King County employees are eligible to participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
- Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
- 10 paid holidays each year (plus 2 personal holidays)
- Generous vacation and paid sick leave
- Paid parental leave, family and medical leaves, and volunteer leave
- Flexible Spending Account
- Wellness programs
- Onsite gyms and activity centers
- Employee giving program
- Employee assistance programs
- Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
- Training and career development programs
This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails. Also, in the event of any incorrect information in this document, applicable laws, policies, rules, CBAs, or official plan documents will prevail.
NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.
For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.
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01Do you have demonstrated experience working with people from a variety of racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds?
- Yes
- No
02If you answered yes to question #1, describe your experience. Be specific and include in your response the employer/organization and position(s) where you gained this experience. If you do not have this experience then type N/A.03Do you have demonstrated experience interviewing and eliciting information regarding sensitive individual personal behaviors?- Yes
- No
04If you answered yes to question #1, please describe your experience interviewing and eliciting information on personal behaviors. Be specific and include in your response the employer/organization and position(s) where you gained this experience. If you do not have this experience then type N/A.05Do you have demonstrated experience collecting data and entering information into a database?- Yes
- No
06If you answered yes to question #3, please describe your experience collecting data and entering information into a database?. Include the employer or organization, the position you held, and the length of time you worked or volunteered in a confidential setting. Be specific. If you answered no, put N/A07Do you have fluency in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, and Excel).- Yes
- No
08If you answered yes to question # 7, please list what programs you have experience in, years of experience and what positions you held where you had to routinely use them.09Please share your interest in this position and what skills and experience you possess that would make you a successful candidate.Required Question