Disease Investigation Specialist I

Summary

Disease Investigation Specialist I

Are you a dependable, detail-oriented, and compassionate individual who has experience with disease interviewing and investigation? Do you have experience managing an assigned caseload, maintaining accurate and confidential records, meeting established timelines, and communicating effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds? If this sounds like the position for you, we invite you to join the Department's Sexual Health program as a Disease Investigation Specialist I. This is a Regular, Full-Time (1.0 FTE) position.

The Disease Investigation Specialist I (DIS I) conducts public health investigations for reportable STI and HIV infections to decrease disease transmission and improve community health outcomes. The role involves interviewing individuals diagnosed with STIs and HIV, identifying and notifying partners who may have been exposed, providing counseling and education, and linking clients to testing, treatment, and prevention services. The DIS I works closely with healthcare providers, labs and community organizations, and public health teams to ensure timely case management and disease control.

Based on our internal compensation review process, the starting hourly wage for this position is $34.41–$36.84. We make decisions on higher starting salaries based on experience, education, and qualifications.

The full salary range for this position is $34.41- $46.56 per hour. This position also includes a comprehensive benefits package that includes insurance (health, dental, vision, life), retirement plan options, generous leave accruals, annual cost of living salary increases, employee programs, and more. Visit our benefits webpage to learn more.

This is the second level in the Disease Investigation Specialist (DIS) series and performs disease and epidemiological case investigations. Employees in this position work semi-independently under supervision. This position differs from the DIS II role in scope of work and level of responsibility. The work involves highly sensitive and confidential information requiring strong discretion.

Position Series:

• Disease Investigation Technician
• Disease Investigation Specialist I
• Disease Investigation Specialist II
• Disease Investigation Supervisor

Career Path Options:

• Health Promotion Technician
• Health Promotion Coordinator I, II, and III
• Clinic Coordinator

Essential Functions:

• Support the Department's efforts to prevent and control sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, through timely disease investigation, patient follow-up, partner services, and linkage to appropriate testing, treatment, and prevention resources.
• Investigate reported cases of STIs and HIV, including diseases such as HIV, syphilis and gonorrhea.
• Conduct confidential interviews with patients to obtain demographic, behavioral, and clinical information.
• Identify, locate, and confidentially notify partners who may have been exposed to infection.
• Obtain biological specimens for STI/HIV screening activities (e.g., blood, swabs).
• Package/ship specimen samples to the lab for testing. Facilitate testing, treatment, and follow-up care for contacts and cases.
• Provide risk-reduction counseling and education on STI and HIV transmission, prevention, and treatment.
• Connect clients to prevention services such as condoms, testing, and HIV prevention tools like Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) when appropriate.
• Link individuals living with HIV to medical care, support services, and case management.
• Conduct field visits to locate clients who cannot be reached by phone or electronic communication.
• Collaborate with community organizations and healthcare providers to support testing and prevention initiatives.
• Participate in outbreak investigations and community response activities.
• Accurately document investigations, interviews, and outcomes in public health surveillance systems.
• Ensure compliance with confidentiality laws and health department policies.
• Assist with data analysis, program evaluation, and quality improvement activities.
• Coordinate with healthcare providers, labs and public health partners to complete investigations, and make sure people get care (e.g., confirm labs results, coordinate medical follow-up to ensure someone received treatment or additional testing, coordinate partner notification, connect people to services or identify an outbreak).
• Participate in case review meetings and multidisciplinary public health teams.

Examples of Key Duties:

• Performs epidemiological case investigations and provides input on the development and implementation of communicable disease control strategies and compliance.
• Provides active surveillance of target populations, identifies and interviews potential sources of infection, and performs contact tracing and partner notification of potential exposure.
• Notifies individuals of potential exposure and provides education and referrals for health care services.
• Follows up with contacts to ensure they have sought testing and treatment.
• Counsels clients about diagnoses and disease exposure, performs CLIA waived tests, and provides test results.
• Supports the planning and implementation of outreach activities and projects to raise awareness about disease prevention and control.
• Manages client screening activities and provides appropriate testing information, including test results and linkage to care and risk reduction resources.
• Assists clients in accessing the full range of services available to them including pregnancy and family planning resources, communicable disease prevention, domestic violence intervention, and substance use treatment.
• Obtains biological specimens, (sputum, blood, etc.), for screening activities and packages and ships samples to the laboratory for testing.
• Assists patients with the interpretation of test results and explain treatment options during consultations with providers.
• Performs direct observation therapy to ensure medications are taken. Depending on assigned program, observation may take place within client homes.
• Applies relevant Federal, State, and Local laws and regulations in conjunction with departmental policies and procedures.
• Maintains strict confidentiality and adheres to privacy laws including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Protected Health Information (PHI).
• The work you do might require you to participate in the Title XIX Medicaid Claiming Program.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Safety & Emergency Preparedness:

• Adheres to all workplace and trade safety laws, regulations, standards, and practices.
• Understands and properly follows established procedures in preventing and responding to unsafe or emergency situations. Identifies and reports potentially unsafe practices or conditions.
• Operates equipment, tools, machinery, and vehicles safely and understands processes for reporting an accident or injury.
• Understands and applies knowledge and skills necessary to successfully perform assigned emergency response role during an emergency.

When public health responds to an emergency, you may be assigned duties and responsibilities that are outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time and reporting to a location other than the department with different working conditions and physical requirements. You are expected to participate in emergency preparedness activities including our emergency notification system, WA SECURES. Drills and real-world events may take place at any time.

What You Bring To The Table

Foundational investigative, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills, along with the ability to learn applicable disease investigation protocols, public health reporting requirements, partner services procedures, and department-specific systems.

Intermediate knowledge of standard Microsoft Office programs, Electronic Medical Records, and Electronic Disease Notification Systems.

Understanding of the principles, practices, and techniques of communicable disease surveillance, outreach, education, and community-based networking.

Knowledge of medical terminology and disease symptoms, causes, transmissions, treatment, and control.

Working knowledge of public health issues related to communicable diseases and disease investigation practices and techniques.

Strong data collection, compilation, and analysis skills.

Skilled in maintaining sensitive and confidential data and using discretion when sharing information.

Skilled in communication:

• Listens to others and communicates in an effective manner.
• Asks questions in ways that enhance the clarity, quality, and reliability of information.
• Understands and learns from what others say, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Grasps the meaning of written information and applies it to work situations.
• Conveys ideas and facts using language the audience will best understand, taking into consideration the audience and nature of the information.
• Writes in a clear, concise, and organized manner for the intended audience.

Foundational Compet

Job Description

Disease Investigation Specialist I

Are you a dependable, detail-oriented, and compassionate individual who has experience with disease interviewing and investigation? Do you have experience managing an assigned caseload, maintaining accurate and confidential records, meeting established timelines, and communicating effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds? If this sounds like the position for you, we invite you to join the Department's Sexual Health program as a Disease Investigation Specialist I. This is a Regular, Full-Time (1.0 FTE) position.

The Disease Investigation Specialist I (DIS I) conducts public health investigations for reportable STI and HIV infections to decrease disease transmission and improve community health outcomes. The role involves interviewing individuals diagnosed with STIs and HIV, identifying and notifying partners who may have been exposed, providing counseling and education, and linking clients to testing, treatment, and prevention services. The DIS I works closely with healthcare providers, labs and community organizations, and public health teams to ensure timely case management and disease control.

Based on our internal compensation review process, the starting hourly wage for this position is $34.41–$36.84. We make decisions on higher starting salaries based on experience, education, and qualifications.

The full salary range for this position is $34.41- $46.56 per hour. This position also includes a comprehensive benefits package that includes insurance (health, dental, vision, life), retirement plan options, generous leave accruals, annual cost of living salary increases, employee programs, and more. Visit our benefits webpage to learn more.

This is the second level in the Disease Investigation Specialist (DIS) series and performs disease and epidemiological case investigations. Employees in this position work semi-independently under supervision. This position differs from the DIS II role in scope of work and level of responsibility. The work involves highly sensitive and confidential information requiring strong discretion.

Position Series:

• Disease Investigation Technician
• Disease Investigation Specialist I
• Disease Investigation Specialist II
• Disease Investigation Supervisor

Career Path Options:

• Health Promotion Technician
• Health Promotion Coordinator I, II, and III
• Clinic Coordinator

Essential Functions:

• Support the Department's efforts to prevent and control sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, through timely disease investigation, patient follow-up, partner services, and linkage to appropriate testing, treatment, and prevention resources.
• Investigate reported cases of STIs and HIV, including diseases such as HIV, syphilis and gonorrhea.
• Conduct confidential interviews with patients to obtain demographic, behavioral, and clinical information.
• Identify, locate, and confidentially notify partners who may have been exposed to infection.
• Obtain biological specimens for STI/HIV screening activities (e.g., blood, swabs).
• Package/ship specimen samples to the lab for testing. Facilitate testing, treatment, and follow-up care for contacts and cases.
• Provide risk-reduction counseling and education on STI and HIV transmission, prevention, and treatment.
• Connect clients to prevention services such as condoms, testing, and HIV prevention tools like Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) when appropriate.
• Link individuals living with HIV to medical care, support services, and case management.
• Conduct field visits to locate clients who cannot be reached by phone or electronic communication.
• Collaborate with community organizations and healthcare providers to support testing and prevention initiatives.
• Participate in outbreak investigations and community response activities.
• Accurately document investigations, interviews, and outcomes in public health surveillance systems.
• Ensure compliance with confidentiality laws and health department policies.
• Assist with data analysis, program evaluation, and quality improvement activities.
• Coordinate with healthcare providers, labs and public health partners to complete investigations, and make sure people get care (e.g., confirm labs results, coordinate medical follow-up to ensure someone received treatment or additional testing, coordinate partner notification, connect people to services or identify an outbreak).
• Participate in case review meetings and multidisciplinary public health teams.

Examples of Key Duties:

• Performs epidemiological case investigations and provides input on the development and implementation of communicable disease control strategies and compliance.
• Provides active surveillance of target populations, identifies and interviews potential sources of infection, and performs contact tracing and partner notification of potential exposure.
• Notifies individuals of potential exposure and provides education and referrals for health care services.
• Follows up with contacts to ensure they have sought testing and treatment.
• Counsels clients about diagnoses and disease exposure, performs CLIA waived tests, and provides test results.
• Supports the planning and implementation of outreach activities and projects to raise awareness about disease prevention and control.
• Manages client screening activities and provides appropriate testing information, including test results and linkage to care and risk reduction resources.
• Assists clients in accessing the full range of services available to them including pregnancy and family planning resources, communicable disease prevention, domestic violence intervention, and substance use treatment.
• Obtains biological specimens, (sputum, blood, etc.), for screening activities and packages and ships samples to the laboratory for testing.
• Assists patients with the interpretation of test results and explain treatment options during consultations with providers.
• Performs direct observation therapy to ensure medications are taken. Depending on assigned program, observation may take place within client homes.
• Applies relevant Federal, State, and Local laws and regulations in conjunction with departmental policies and procedures.
• Maintains strict confidentiality and adheres to privacy laws including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Protected Health Information (PHI).
• The work you do might require you to participate in the Title XIX Medicaid Claiming Program.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Safety & Emergency Preparedness:

• Adheres to all workplace and trade safety laws, regulations, standards, and practices.
• Understands and properly follows established procedures in preventing and responding to unsafe or emergency situations. Identifies and reports potentially unsafe practices or conditions.
• Operates equipment, tools, machinery, and vehicles safely and understands processes for reporting an accident or injury.
• Understands and applies knowledge and skills necessary to successfully perform assigned emergency response role during an emergency.

When public health responds to an emergency, you may be assigned duties and responsibilities that are outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time and reporting to a location other than the department with different working conditions and physical requirements. You are expected to participate in emergency preparedness activities including our emergency notification system, WA SECURES. Drills and real-world events may take place at any time.

What You Bring To The Table

Foundational investigative, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills, along with the ability to learn applicable disease investigation protocols, public health reporting requirements, partner services procedures, and department-specific systems.

Intermediate knowledge of standard Microsoft Office programs, Electronic Medical Records, and Electronic Disease Notification Systems.

Understanding of the principles, practices, and techniques of communicable disease surveillance, outreach, education, and community-based networking.

Knowledge of medical terminology and disease symptoms, causes, transmissions, treatment, and control.

Working knowledge of public health issues related to communicable diseases and disease investigation practices and techniques.

Strong data collection, compilation, and analysis skills.

Skilled in maintaining sensitive and confidential data and using discretion when sharing information.

Skilled in communication:

• Listens to others and communicates in an effective manner.
• Asks questions in ways that enhance the clarity, quality, and reliability of information.
• Understands and learns from what others say, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Grasps the meaning of written information and applies it to work situations.
• Conveys ideas and facts using language the audience will best understand, taking into consideration the audience and nature of the information.
• Writes in a clear, concise, and organized manner for the intended audience.

Foundational Compet