Pathogen Genomics Researcher, Bureau of the Public ...

Job Description Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (the NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the country. Our mission is to protect and improve the health of all New Yorkers, in service of a vision of a city in which all New Yorkers can realize their full health potential, regardless of who they are, how old they are, where they are from, or where they live. As a world-renowned public health agency with a history of building transformative public health programming and infrastructure, innovating in science and scholarship to advance public health knowledge, and responding to urgent public health crises from New York City's yellow fever outbreak in 1822, to the COVID-19 pandemic we are a hub for public health innovation, expertise, and programs, and services. We serve as the population health strategist, and policy, and planning authority for the City of New York, while also having a vast impact on national and international public policy, including programs and services focused on food and nutrition, anti-tobacco support, chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment, family and child health, environmental health, mental health, and racial and social justice work, among others. Our Agency's five strategic priorities, building off a recently-completed strategic planning process emerging from the COVID-19 emergency, are: 1) To re-envision how the Health Department prepares for and responds to health emergencies, with a focus on building a 'response-ready' organization, with faster decision-making, transparent public communications, and stronger surveillance and bridges to healthcare systems 2) Address and prevent chronic and diet-related disease, including addressing rising rates of childhood obesity and the impact of diabetes, and transforming our food systems to improve nutrition and enhance access to healthy foods 3) Address the second pandemic of mental illness including: reducing overdose deaths, strengthening our youth mental health systems, and supporting people with serious mental illness 4) Reduce black maternal mortality and make New York a model city for women's health 5) Mobilize against and combat the health impacts of climate change Our 7,000-plus team members bring extraordinary diversity to the work of public health. True to our value of equity as a foundational element of all of our work, and a critical foundation to achieving population health impact in New York City, the NYC Health Department has been a leader in recognizing and dismantling racism's impacts on the health of New Yorkers and beyond. In 2021, the NYC Board of Health declared racism as a public health crisis. With commitment to advance anti-racist public health practices that dismantle systems that perpetuate inequitable power, opportunity and access, the NYC Health Department continues to work in and with communities and community organizations to increase their access to health services and decrease avoidable health outcomes. PROGRAM AND JOB DESCRIPTION: The New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) is a public health leader serving over 8.4 million New York City residents from diverse ethnic, cultural, and economic backgrounds. The NYC Public Health Laboratory (PHL) is one of the largest local public health laboratories in the United States offering a dynamic and innovative work environment where employees contribute to the health and safety of NYC residents by providing clinical and environmental laboratory testing services. With more than 100 years of leadership in public health, a team of over 200 scientific and support staff are committed to its mission to safeguard the health of all NYC residents by providing quality laboratory testing services that support the priorities of the NYC DOHMH and its community partners to prevent and respond to clinical and environmental public health concerns. The New York City DOHMH, PHL seeks to hire a Pathogen Genomics Researcher to expand the capabilities of the Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) and Bioinformatics (BI) units to sequence and analyze current and emerging pathogens of concern using clinical and environmental samples (e.g., wastewater). This position is full time and involves onboarding new or validated WGS and BI pipelines for emerging pathogens of concern. The candidate will coordinate the planning, execution, monitoring, and evaluation of projects and activities with laboratory and staff within and outside the agency. This is an excellent opportunity to join our multidisciplinary team, and collaborate with local, state, federal, and academic partners. The genomics researcher will work primarily within the Environmental Sciences Section, in the Whole Genome Sequencing and Bioinformatics Units at PHL. The units utilize sequencing technologies and analyses to conduct routine surveillance, investigate outbreaks, and participate in research activities that serve NYC public health. DUTIES WILL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO: Serve as the lead for the WGS and BI units for onboarding pipelines for current and emerging pathogens such as West Nile Virus, Tuberculosis, and mpox. Coordinate the implementation and enhancements of high throughput sequencing and bioinformatics projects including wastewater sequencing initiatives. Participate in wet lab and analytical activities as needed. Perform research to identify and implement new technologies. Assist with inventory, budgeting, procurement, and progress reports to ensure projects run smoothly. Liaise between units and sections at PHL to identify, prioritize and finalize goals for pathogen sequencing. Lead efforts to improve sustainable data management and tracking across multiple units and bureaus. Communicate effectively with lab technologists and analysts and internal and external partners. Evaluate data, preparing reports, maintaining records, and assisting in the coordination of research efforts of the Agency. Maintain and participating in a program of quality control and assurance as required by job functions and title assignments in the laboratory. Recognize, troubleshoot, and initiate corrective action for problems in a timely manner. Participate in writing original manuscripts for publication based on data analyses. Qualifications For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health. To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have: A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or Education and/or experience which is equivalent to '1' or '2' above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in '2' above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in '1' and '2' above. NOTE: Probationary Period Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year. Additional Information The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

Created: 2024-11-02