Are you finishing a master’s program with a focus on epidemiology and entering the job market this spring? Get employment advice from some prominent epidemiologists here:
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Within epidemiology, what field/area/arena do you work/have worked (ex. academia, federal government, state/local health department, industry, healthcare, etc…)?
I currently work in academia (Department of Population Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute). I have previously worked for a state health department (MA) and in consulting (Decision Resources and Gradient Corporation).
In your field, when hiring a master’s level student/recent graduate…
What are the job titles and, briefly, what responsibilities do these roles have?
Job titles at my current workplace for those with a master’s are: Project Manager, Research Associate, and Epidemiologist. At the state health department, the standard job title was Epidemiologist (with levels 1 – 3).
For Epidemiologist and Research Associate roles at my current workplace, responsibilities include data analysis, including SAS programming, working with various project teams that include people from outside agencies, writing of scientific reports and/or manuscripts and abstracts, and presenting analytic work to internal and external partners. Some administrative responsibilities are also expected. Project Managers have very different responsibilities which include scope of work and timeline development for projects, liaising with internal grant-related and financial staff, supervising junior staff like Research Assistants, oversight of project deliverables, coordination of project teams, and communication with senior scientific and administrative staff regarding challenges, barriers, and solutions to projects.
An Epidemiologist at the state health department has very different roles which depend on both level and area of work. Infectious disease epidemiologists conduct case and outbreak investigations, communicate with the public and others who call for information, work closely with local health departments, and conduct analytic work. Chronic disease epidemiologists generally are more focused on analyses. More senior epidemiologists supervise junior epis, assist or lead grant writing, and write scientific reports and/or manuscripts and abstracts.
What skills or experience do you value most when assessing a candidate?
I look for candidates with at least some work experience, even if not in a field that is directly related to the position they are applying for. Analytic experience is key, including specifically SAS programming experience. Ideal candidates have some experience in the specific area (e.g. infectious disease epi) but that is not usually required for junior master’s level staff. I look for candidates with strong verbal communication skills who ask thoughtful questions during their interview(s) and who have clearly prepared for the interview. Candidates must be and come across as enthusiastic and motivated.
What is a common career path for someone with a master’s degree? Are there opportunities for promotion?
In my current academic workplace, master’s level staff with little experience have come in as quite junior and have been promoted to more senior levels with increasing responsibility (e.g. supervising staff; serving as senior project managers with substantial authority; playing a leadership role on projects). As the health department, there is now a 4-level ladder for epidemiologists with the highest level being for those with doctoral degrees.
What general advice do you have for a student/recent graduate looking for a job?
Don’t be afraid to change jobs if you are not happy and/or want to try working in a different environment. Advocate for yourself within your new position once you get settled. If you have little or no work experience, be willing to take a relatively junior position in a place where there is room for growth.
What are the best ways for recent graduates to continue their epidemiology education after school?
Many workplaces (where I am now for example) have many opportunities to attend talks, workshops, lectures, etc. Stay engaged with where you received your master’s and attend talks on specific topics. Volunteer to work on new projects in your workplace, pushing yourself to learn new skills. Attend conferences and take workshops.
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Within epidemiology, what field/area/arena do you work/have worked (ex. academia, federal government, state/local health department, industry, healthcare, etc…)?
I work in the intramural program of the National Institutes of Health and do research primarily in reproductive epidemiology and methods. I have also worked in academia as an assistant professor in Biostatistics.
In your field, when hiring a master’s level student/recent graduate…
What are the job titles and, briefly, what responsibilities do these roles have?
I usually hire master’s level graduates as project coordinators for large clinical trials. In this role, they become involved in all aspects of study design, questionnaire development, protocol writing, study implementation, and write up of the results. It is a great opportunity to be involved in student design and implementation.
What skills or experience do you value most when assessing a candidate?
I value most an individual’s passion for their work, their commitment, and independent thinking.
What is a common career path for someone with a master’s degree? Are there opportunities for promotion?
A common career path is to continue to a PhD to do independent research or work in a research team in implementing studies. One who ends up being a study coordinator for a large big study will also have a tremendous impact on all aspects in shaping the research and affecting public health.
What general advice do you have for a student/recent graduate looking for a job?
Be open to all opportunities and don’t dismiss any opportunities. Some of the best things that happen to people were unplanned.
What are the best ways for recent graduates to continue their epidemiology education after school?
It depends on the career path that they choose- they can take continuing education on clinical implementation of studies, more physiology, more programming, even an MBA to develop management skills.
Anything else you would like to add?
This is an important and significant career opportunity with the ability to affect multiple aspects of public health. It can be an extremely rewarding career to be a part of something bigger than yourself.
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Within epidemiology, what field/area/arena do you work/have worked (ex. academia, federal government, state/local health department, industry, healthcare, etc…)?
Government (1978-81), academia (1981-83, 2015-present), industry (1984-2014)
In your field, when hiring a master’s level student/recent graduate…
What are the job titles and, briefly, what responsibilities do these roles have?
Normally I would involve them in specific ongoing projects in a capacity that fits their research experience and technical abilities. The same would be true for new PhDs, but by virtue of their having more education, they would be assigned more responsibility and would normally be hired at a higher level than a masters level epidemiologist. The entry level job title for a new PhD graduate might be epidemiologist (or scientist) and the masters graduate might start as an associate epidemiologist (or senior associate if he/she had relevant experience).
What skills or experience do you value most when assessing a candidate?
I always ask why a candidate is interested in working in my group. There should be a good answer – other than needing/wanting a job. They should have done some homework about the type of work we do and why they feel they can contribute. I always ask about examples where the candidate showed initiative or leadership – in epidemiology or elsewhere. Most candidates come with a strong technical background, but I may ask about the types of training they have had and the types of study designs the have worked on. Occasionally, I will pose a technical question if it is not clear that the candidate has a strong technical background. Communication skills are very important. Lastly, I don’t like to see a lot of fluff on a resume.
What is a common career path for someone with a master’s degree? Are there opportunities for promotion?
The career path for a master’s level epidemiologist is similar to that for a PhD level epidemiologist. The only differences are that the entry level job would be at a lower level and the ceiling may be lower. In my last department, we had 1 MS epidemiologist among many PhD epidemiologists. The MS epidemiologist was an exceptionally strong contributer and was promoted to have the same amount of responsibility as the best PhD epidemiologists in her hiring cohort. So, it really all depends on what you bring to the job.
What general advice do you have for a student/recent graduate looking for a job?
There are lots of job opportunities these days. Look to identify jobs in a research area and in an organization that you find highly motivating. Don’t look at your initial job as a lifetime post, but more as an opportunity to get started in the field. Expect to change jobs in your lifetime as your abilities and interests broaden. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. In every job, look to increase your capabilities each year through training or taking on a stretch assignment.
What are the best ways for recent graduates to continue their epidemiology education after school?
Most organizations offer training or are supportive of employees getting additional education. One of the best ways to have loyal employees is to invest in their development. So, do ask during interviews about opportunities for training and continuing education. If you have a choice of employers, consider going with an organization that will invest in your development. Usually, such organizations are also superior on other dimensions that make for a good work environment.
Anything else you would like to add?
A career in epidemiology affords a tremendous range of opportunities to contribute to public health. These can happen in academia, government, and in private industry. Always be respectful of those you work with and those who may see things differently than you do. Sometimes it’s hard, but always take the high road. Lastly, be open minded when you get criticism and learn from it.
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Within epidemiology, what field/area/arena do you work/have worked (ex. academia, federal government, state/local health department, industry, healthcare, etc…)?
My doctoral and post-doctoral work bridged infectious disease (malaria and HIV) and maternal-child health epidemiology in an international health context. While working on my doctorate, I also did some consulting for NGOs in the country I was based in. After my post-doctoral training, I went into government – first with CDC as an EIS Officer, then briefly to the state level before moving to local government. Since moving to an urban health department, my work has ranged from being a generalist Epidemiologist to managing communicable disease services. My training and current work focuses mostly on infectious disease epidemiology and health outcomes.
In your field, when hiring a master’s level student/recent graduate…
What are the job titles and, briefly, what responsibilities do these roles have?
Most urban health departments – and increasingly other local health authorities – hire Master’s-level Epidemiologists to fill a few different types of roles. The size of the Department is often an indicator of the likelihood that you might be able to focus in one area – like infectious disease, maternal-child health, or injury epidemiology. The smaller the Department – or the fewer Epidemiologists they have – the more likely you will be asked to work as a generalist.
In the generalist role, responsibilities can range from leading outbreak investigations to conducting community health assessments. With more specialization, the exact work varies. Conducting public health surveillance will likely play a large role for any position – designing and evaluating systems as well as conducting routine reporting for well-established ones. An overlap into program evaluation and quality assurance is pretty common, as local health departments are interested in data-based decision-making and effective interventions. Applied research is often conducted to identify promising practices or policy needs. Communicable disease program epidemiologists may spend relatively more time interacting directly with the public, interviewing cases and leading disease outbreak investigations.
What skills or experience do you value most when assessing a candidate?
Skills and experience should indicate a good fit for the position, so will vary by position. Training in a subspecialty may be less important than the balance of technical and other needs for a given role.
Skills should include excellent data management as well as analysis skills. Informatics training is a plus. Using “real-world” (i.e., messy) data is a reality for local Epidemiologists, so understanding how to clearly define what is needed from a given data source and the ability to construct variables, link data, etc. is essential. Usually, knowing a specific software is less important than demonstrating you can learn new packages as needed. That said, if a department or program relies heavily on certain platforms and software, experience with those can be another plus. For example, with communicable disease positions here at Multnomah County, SQL, SAS, R, and Tableau are in high demand.
Experience should indicate an interest in front-line work and the ability to work as part of a team. Even the more research-oriented positions at a local health department require interaction with a variety of department staff and community members. The emphasis on changing health outcomes and community buy-in requires an ability to understand how programs work. This experience can come from prior public health work or from other community or customer service. Demonstrating your ability to explain complicated ideas in straight-forward, accessible ways is a plus.
What is a common career path for someone with a master’s degree? Are there opportunities for promotion?
Most large local and state health departments will have at least two or three levels of seniority for an Epidemiologist classification. Within each level are multiple steps, and salary step increases may occur annually (budgets permitting). Promotion up through the levels generally relates to years of experience, complexity of work, and leadership capability. Beyond Epidemiology-specific classifications, further promotion usually means moving into management positions. While technical skills remain important in these positions, interest in policy, budgets and other leadership activities is needed to promote through that route. Multnomah County also has a Principle Investigator classification, for doctoral-level staff who remain very specialized while leading work on large federal grants.
Persons with a Master’s degree work at all levels of local health departments, from front-line positions to Department Directors. Increasing expectations for health departments to play a role in assurance and policy means that staff who can use and understand data as well as work with communities are always in demand.
What general advice do you have for a student/recent graduate looking for a job?
If you want to work at a local health department, internships show that you know what is involved. That said, jobs at popular departments are very competitive right now, and it may be difficult to find a full-time position right out of school. For example, in a recent job opening here, we had 74 qualified applicants, over a dozen of whom had applicable post-MPH work experience in government and academia. Additional options to strengthen your resume for government positions are fellowships and other limited duration positions, like the CDC/CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellowship or the CDC Public Health Associate Program; or experience from Peace Corps or military service.
Above all, keep trying. There is a real need for good Epidemiologists at the local and state levels.
What are the best ways for recent graduates to continue their epidemiology education after school?
Work in the field; read a lot of epidemiology books and journals; teach when you have the opportunity; and attend annual conferences, like SER, that will keep you up-to-date on technical developments
Anything else you would like to add?
Working in a local health department is about the most interesting job an epidemiologist can have. You get to solve real problems every day, using every different tool in the epi tool-box. You see the results of your work change policy and drive interventions. You contribute to teams and decisions that can make a difference in the community you serve.
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Within epidemiology, what field/area/arena do you work/have worked (ex. academia, federal government, state/local health department, industry, healthcare, etc…)?
Academia (biomedical research institution)
In your field, when hiring a master’s level student/recent graduate…
What are the job titles and, briefly, what responsibilities do these roles have?
Research Assistants/Associates typically have primary responsibility for data analysis and research activities related to corresponding presentations and manuscripts (assistance with write up of methods/results, populate results tables, formatting and references; in some cases, as lead author).
Project Managers have primary responsibility for administrative aspects of research, such as IRB, budgets, and project tracking; and sometimes have a role in data analysis and dissemination activities.
What skills or experience do you value most when assessing a candidate?
Research Assistant/Associate:
- Data analysis skills. This is difficult to assess on paper; applicants can elaborate on their experience of specific methods in the cover letter, but I encourage trainees to annotate any publications, reports, or presentations with their specific role (e.g., was the primary analyst), but I don’t see this done in practice. I ask for additional detail about the types of methods used during the interview.
- Equally important, a potential/willingness to learn additional analytical skills. Master’s training provides a critical foundation, but confidence and motivation for learning different or more advanced methods is critical. This aspect typically comes out in the interview.
Project Manager:
- Experience with assisting on research teams
- Experience with IRB, budgets, grant submissions
- Detail orientation and compatibility: these are difficult to assess on the resume, but can be ascertained during the interview.
What is a common career path for someone with a master’s degree? Are there opportunities for promotion?
Epidemiologists in the types of roles above can reach high levels in research, including filling most roles that investigators do, aside from attainment of funding. They often start out as data analysts, then start building their skills in assisting with manuscript or grant development or administrative research tasks (e.g. fiscal, human subjects). They can grow into different types of roles depending on they types of work they like to do and the opportunities that come up.
What general advice do you have for a student/recent graduate looking for a job?
Get the word out that they are looking for a position! Be able to articulate an ideal position, in terms of setting, types of responsibilities, and content area; and aspects of this ideal that are flexible. This can portray a strong direction and interest, as well as help to their networks connect them with individuals with the most relevant potential positions. Also, talk to as many people as possible – to learn about the possible types of positions, and connect with people who don’t currently have a position but might have one open in the future.
What are the best ways for recent graduates to continue their epidemiology education after school?
- Go to seminars at their institutions, if they are available – these often have interesting and relevant analytic methods, even if it is outside their content area.
- Go to professional meetings and talk with people about their research
- Attend methods workshops – in-person or online
- Participate in SERtalks, SERdigital, and SER workshops!
- If possible and appropriate, apply methods learned in these settings to their own work. When team leaders see that they can inject new approaches into the project, they will be more likely to support/encourage future participation.
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Advice for master’s level epidemiology students or recent graduates
Within epidemiology, what field/area/arena do you work/have worked (ex. academia, federal government, state/local health department, industry, healthcare, etc…)?
I’ve spent time working in the federal government, state government, and academia. After getting my MPH, I spent two years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a Research Fellow and following my doctoral studies, I completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. I’m now the Director of the Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
In your field, when hiring a master’s level student/recent graduate…
What are the job titles and, briefly, what responsibilities do these roles have?
Positions that would typically be available to a recent master’s level graduate would be an Epidemiologist, level 1, or a Project Coordinator, level 1 or 2. If an individual has additional years of experience, they would be a good candidate for a level 2 Epidemiologist or level 3 Project Coordinator. They may also want to explore jobs listed as Research Analyst II or III.
In our Center, an Epidemiologist will conduct analyses, write manuscripts, create reports for the Center, and assist with regular data quality checks of our surveillance system. Project Coordinators in our Center will implement and coordinate all aspects of a project or study. One example would be coordinating the day-to-day activities of a case-control study. Project Coordinators may also have the responsibilities of a data manager and will assist with collecting, cleaning, and checking data.
What skills or experience do you value most when assessing a candidate? Please talk both generally as well as specifically what you look for on a resume or during an in-person interview
For our Epidemiologist positions, we look for candidates that have experience conducting epidemiologic analyses and preparing manuscripts. When reviewing resumes we will look for experience with scientific writing, data presentation/ visualization, project management, programming languages (such as SAS or R), and familiarity with Access (or other relational) databases. More generally, we try to assess if candidates are critical thinkers and if they will be able to follow through and complete projects in an organized and thoughtful manner. Given the nature of our work is very team based, it’s important that candidates be able to work both independently as well as in a team, and to be able to work through conflicts or disagreements constructively and in a professional manner.
What is a common career path for someone with a master’s degree? Are there opportunities for promotion?
There are many opportunities for growth and promotion at the Department of Public Health for someone with a Master’s degree. Within most job titles there is the opportunity for growth; for example, the Epidemiologist positions range from level 1 to 4, with increasing levels of responsibilities at each level. With experience, there is also the opportunity for an individual with a Master’s degree to become senior managers and directors of programs.
What general advice do you have for a student/recent graduate looking for a job?
Don’t limit yourself to just epidemiologist positions, there are a host of other positions (such as Project Manager, Research Coordinator) that can benefit from having someone with an epidemiology degree.
What are the best ways for recent graduates to continue their epidemiology education after school?
One great way to continue learning about epidemiologic methods and practice is to attend conferences. Many conferences have workshops or skill building sessions that can be incredibly helpful. Another possibility is to attend journal clubs, presentations on research in progress, or user group meet-ups (e.g., SAS user groups) at your workplace or local university. If these types of meeting don’t exist at your workplace, consider starting one up!