Public Health Project Assistant Jobs in Decatur, GA

Public Health Data Analyst
DNPAO Data Analysis and Management Project

Location: Atlanta, GA / Hybrid (will be required to go to the office a few times per month)

*** Must be able to Obtain and Maintain a CDC Public Trust Clearance ***

Job Description

CyberData Technologies is seeking an experienced Public Health Data Analyst to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO). The selected candidate will provide advanced data management, statistical analysis, and epidemiologic support for public health initiatives focused primarily on breastfeeding, child nutrition, obesity prevention, and related chronic disease prevention programs.  This position will support DNPAO's efforts to generate high-quality, reproducible analyses and reports using large national public health datasets. The successful candidate will create and manage complex data systems, develop statistical analysis plans, perform sophisticated epidemiologic analyses, and communicate findings that inform public health programs, policy decisions, and national surveillance activities.  The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience working with complex survey data, large public health datasets, advanced statistical methods, and data management practices within federal public health environments.

Job Responsibilities

Data Analysis Planning

• Develop comprehensive statistical analysis plans that support epidemiologic research and surveillance activities.
• Identify research questions and hypotheses aligned with programmatic and policy objectives.
• Determine appropriate inclusion and exclusion criteria for analyses.
• Evaluate datasets and identify variables necessary to address research objectives.
• Select appropriate statistical methodologies and software tools to support analyses.
• Develop table shells, data specifications, and documentation supporting analytical activities.
• Document all data preparation, transformation, and analytical processes to ensure reproducibility and transparency.

Data Management

• Collect, review, code, validate, manipulate, and maintain large public health datasets.
• Create and maintain data dictionaries and metadata documentation.
• Develop and manage working datasets and analysis files.
• Perform data cleaning, quality assurance, validation, and integrity checks.
• Manage data related to breastfeeding, child nutrition, obesity, and other DNPAO program areas.
• Maintain and analyze data from national surveillance systems and public-use datasets.
• Access and utilize data files, questionnaires, and documentation from CDC and National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) data collection systems.

Statistical Analysis and Interpretation

• Conduct univariable, bivariable, and multivariable statistical analyses using complex survey data methodologies.
• Analyze large national datasets and interpret findings for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Produce recurring surveillance reports, statistical summaries, dashboards, and data visualizations.
• Support annual Healthy People 2030 reporting activities related to maternal and child health indicators.
• Develop quarterly updates for DNPAO Data, Trends, and Maps reporting systems.
• Respond to federal partner requests, state-level inquiries, and ad hoc data requests.
• Conduct analyses using longitudinal and cross-sectional datasets to support public health decision-making.
• Prepare technical reports, manuscripts, presentations, and summary documents communicating analytical findings.
• Collaborate with CDC scientists, epidemiologists, program staff, and external stakeholders to support surveillance and evaluation activities.

Public Health Surveillance Support

• Support analyses involving national public health surveillance systems and large-scale survey datasets.
• Provide technical expertise related to breastfeeding surveillance, nutrition monitoring, obesity prevention, physical activity, and maternal and child health indicators.
• Assist in developing evidence-based recommendations that support public health programs and policy initiatives.
• Ensure analytical methods adhere to CDC standards and best practices for complex survey analysis.

Required Skills and Experience

• Master's degree or higher in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Public Health, Statistics, Data Science, Health Sciences, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of three (3) years of professional experience supporting epidemiologic research, public health surveillance, statistical analysis, or related analytical activities.
• Advanced expertise using statistical software including SAS, SPSS, R, SUDAAN, Epi Info, or similar analytical tools.
• Extensive experience managing and analyzing large, complex survey datasets that utilize weighting, clustering, and stratification methodologies.
• Strong knowledge of epidemiologic methods, surveillance systems, and quantitative public health research.
• Demonstrated experience developing statistical analysis plans and managing large datasets from acquisition through reporting.
• Experience conducting multivariable statistical analyses and interpreting findings for public health applications.
• Ability to independently manage multiple analytical projects and respond to ad hoc data requests.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including technical report development and presentation of findings.
• Experience developing reproducible analytical workflows and maintaining detailed documentation.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience supporting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or other federal public health agencies.
• Experience analyzing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data.
• Experience working with the National Immunization Survey (NIS), National Survey of Children’s Health, National Vital Statistics System (NVSS), Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), or similar national surveillance systems.
• Knowledge of breastfeeding surveillance, maternal and child health, nutrition, obesity prevention, and chronic disease epidemiology.
• Experience supporting Healthy People objectives, public health surveillance reporting, and policy-related analyses.
• Familiarity with CDC data management standards and public-use datasets.
• Experience developing data visualizations, dashboards, and automated reporting processes.
• Experience working with Azure products (i.e. Databricks), Python and GitHub.
• The CDC is VERY desirous of skill sets that can support BOTH the analytic work and the data management/data infrastructure aspects of the position.