Public Health-Vector Surveillance Technician
Closing Date for Applicants: May 1, 2024 Project Start Date: May 13, 2024
Work Hours: Weekly hours are 8:00a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with a ½ hour lunch, Monday thru Thursday (30 hrs./wk.), May 13- August 29. Technician will be stationed in one of the Agency’s offices (Hillsdale or Coldwater). Field responsibilities including setting and collecting mosquitos and ticks, identifying and reporting results into tracking system, reporting findings and vector prevention strategies to the community.
Hourly Compensation: $14.00/hour. Transportation reimbursement at the Agency’s current rate $.67/mi. (IRS rate) is also included.
Location: BHSJ-CHA office in either Coldwater or Hillsdale MI
Job Summary: The purpose of the technician position is to support specific public health preparedness and response activities vectors including mosquitoes and ticks.
Selected candidates will be involved in conducting surveillance activities including; conducting mosquito trapping and tick dragging, identifying which mosquito and tick species are present; setting and maintaining bait traps; assisting with mosquito abatement measures if needed. It also includes conducting community-based education activities for mosquito-borne and tick-borne diseases, including: developing and manning displays, creating PowerPoints, writing news releases and public service announcements, developing educational materials, using social media, etc. Must have access to reliable transportation, valid driver’s license and submit to drug testing and a background check.
Duties/Responsibilities:
1. Research, plan and implement a community wide mosquito/tick source reduction campaign.
2. Design and implement mass communications strategies to promote vector-borne surveillance and prevention.
3. Assist with coordinating community partners, other vector technicians and volunteers involved in local vector-borne preparedness and response efforts.
4. Support Environmental Health and Communicable Disease teams in communications with local health care clinicians to encourage adequate testing and counseling regarding vector-borne prevention, testing and treatment
5. Research, analyze and present on policies which may impact vector-borne preparedness and response, including environmental mosquito control measures and financing of needed initiatives.
6. Attend conferences, webinar and participate in regularly scheduled phone meetings with state and local health departments related to vector-borne surveillance activities.
7. Set mosquito traps, collect specimens and identify mosquitoes following state issued protocols for surveillance.
8. Conduct tick drag collection and identification following state issued protocols for surveillance.
9. Provide statistical reports, press releases and assist with other grant related activities as required by the funding source.
10. The technician must have reliable transportation, valid driver’s license and a cell phone.
Minimum Qualifications/Desired Characteristics: Desired candidates should have some basic knowledge and interest in vector and vector borne diseases. Have strong writing and presentation skills along with being very detail-oriented. Should be proficient and very capable with word processing/editing functions in MS Word, MS Excel and MS PowerPoint. Must be an effective team member as well as able to work with people outside of the office environment.
Selection Procedure: Applications will be screened for those who meet job requirements. Selected applicants will be invited for an interview. All candidates will be notified of their selection or non-selection for an interview.
To Apply: Resumes, along with two letters of reference can be submitted to:
Kayse O’Donnell, HR Support Specialist
Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency
570 N Marshall Rd, Coldwater, MI 49036
odonnellk@bhsj.org
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