Job Description

This position will serve as the Communicable Disease Controller for San Francisco and the Director of the Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section in the Disease Prevention and Control Branch of the Population Health Division. Under general direction of the Disease Prevention and Control Branch Director, this position will perform the following essential duties: 

• Serve as the Senior Physician expert for SDFPH in general communicable diseases and advise and update SFDPH leadership and other stakeholders when needed.
• Working with Section staff and the Branch and Division leaders, lead the vision and strategy for prevention and control of general communicable diseases in San Francisco, including strategic planning and policy development
• Serve as administrative Director of the Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section. The section includes the Communicable Disease Control Unit, the Communicable Disease Prevention Unit (Immunization Program), and the AITC Immunization and Travel Clinic.
• Oversee the integration of the COVID-19 disease response activities and COVID-19 vaccination efforts into the Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, and provide guidance, direction, and supervision for these staff and activities moving forward. 
• Directly supervise at least two MDs and functionally supervise several additional staff.
• Provide medical consultation, technical support, and policy direction to communicable disease control staff to resolve acute communicable disease situations, investigate and control outbreaks, and address emerging communicable disease issues;
• Stay up-to-date on communicable disease trends and state and federal guidance;
• Represent San Francisco within the California Association of Communicable Disease Controllers (CACDC)
• Serve as the primary liaison to the Division of Communicable Disease Control at the California Department of Public Health
• Serve as DPH media spokesperson for general communicable disease issues
• Help incorporate health equity metrics into the work of the Section
• Provide medical education and develop guidance for clinicians to prevent and control communicable diseases, and provide individual consultation to medical providers as needed;
• Represent CDCP and SFDPH in meetings with agencies, community groups and medical provider groups, and collaborate with agency, health care, and community partners to achieve goals;
• Identify funding and resource opportunities to support priority goals and projects and lead/participate in grant writing;
• In collaboration with SFDPH epidemiology leadership, provide guidance and direction for communicable disease epidemiology projects and data issues, including participation in CalREDIE and production of reports and studies.
• Provide leadership for outbreak investigations and response to emerging infections; participate as a leader in SFDPH Department Operations Center activations for communicable disease issues.
• Serve as on-call physician after hours for approximately one in every eight weeks, providing phone consultation for urgent communicable disease issues after hours.
• Perform essential duties of a supervising physician specialist and other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

REQUIRED

• Three (3) years of post-residency experience as a practicing physician in the respective medical specialty area.
• Possession of a valid license to practice medicine issued by the Medical Board of California or the Osteopathic Medical Board of California; AND
• Possession of valid Board Certification in the appropriate medical specialty area for the assigned facility or division.

DESIRABLE

• Master of Public Health (MPH) or related field.
• CDC or CA Epidemiology Intelligence Service Traineeship.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams
• Board certified /eligible in Internal Medicine, Family Practice, Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases, Preventive Medicine, Emergency Medicine or Occupational Health.
• Experience in infection control.
• Experience investigating and managing large outbreaks.
• At least three years of experience as a public health physician and/or medical epidemiologist.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience in performance improvement
• Experience working with diverse communities, including Black/African American, Latinx, AAPI, LGBTQ+, persons experiencing homelessness.

Additional Information

SCHEDULE/SHIFT: M-F, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm; Evening, nights, weekends and/or holiday shifts including rotating 24-hour "on-call" availability to unit or section staff may be required, depending on operational need.

SELECTION PROCEDURES

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE EXAMINATION:  (WEIGHT 100%) The Supplemental Questionnaire/Training and Experience Examination is designed to measure knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in job-related areas which may include, but are not limited to:

• Medical knowledge refers to knowledge in the general practice of medicine which is needed to make expert diagnosis, interpretations and recommendations on a consultative basis; supervise professional and all other support personnel engaged in treatment and services; and to prepare, review, and assist with medical diagnosis, records and reports.
• Knowledge of administrative and budgetary principles and practices refers to the ability to plan, organize and direct a program; coordinate, execute and assist in the development of policies and methods; as well as materials, supplies, and specialty equipment, when necessary; and manage a budget for a clinic or program.
• Knowledge of community needs refers to knowledge of high-risk populations being served; how to access community resources and/or familiarity with community agencies and other resources which can provide assistance to those populations; knowledge of cultural factors which may influence provision of medical care; and knowledge to be able to serve members of diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to communicate with individuals or groups in a clear, organized and persuasive fashion; listen and facilitate an open exchange of ideas; flexibly adapt style to effectively converse with people from different socioeconomic, educational or cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to empathize with the needs, feelings, and background of others and establish rapport; develop and maintain cooperative and effective working relations with the public, coworkers and supervisors; effectively work with angry or distraught people to defuse situations and reduce conflict.
• Ability to lead or participate in initiatives to recruit, hire, and develop health care providers from underrepresented groups in health care (e.g., race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, and gender identity); initiatives to address issues of workplace equity; activities to increase inclusion in the workplace
• Ability to effectively organize and assign work; give guidance and direction to others and follow-up to ensure completion; counsel and motivate subordinates.
• Ability to inspire, motivate, and challenge others to excel; model the highest ethical standards of courage, honesty and trust; foster teamwork and lead others to achieve challenging organizational goals and overcome difficult obstacles.

Once submitted, applicant responses on the Supplemental Questionnaire/Training and Experience Examination cannot be changed. Qualified applicants must achieve a passing score in order to be ranked on the eligible list/score report. Successful applicants will be placed on the eligible list/score report, in rank order, according to their final score.

CERTIFICATION The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be the RULE OF THE LIST.  Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions.

ELIGIBLE LIST/SCORE REPORT A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created, and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be SIX (6) MONTHS, and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

To find Departments which use this classification, please see https://sfdhr.org/sites/default/files/documents/ASO-Level-Chart.pdf?documentID=21246.

ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD (EHR) The Department of Public Health (DPH) is implementing a unified Electronic Health Record (EHR) system and DPH employees must demonstrate competency in the use of the system that is appropriate for their classification as a condition of employment.  

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) Some positions in the Department of Public Health will require the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including but not limited to gloves, gowns, eye and face protection, and face-fitting respirators. The requirement for the use of PPE may come on short or no notice. Facial hair or any condition that interferes with a face-fitting respirator’s seal (i.e., weakens the seal between the respirator and the wearer’s bare skin) is not permitted when face-fitting respirators are worn, including during initial or periodic respirator fit-testing.  

Employees who choose not to shave and do not have either American Disabilities Act (ADA) or Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Accommodations do not have the right to alternate work assignments or the option of using a loose-fitting Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) in place of a Face Fitting Respirator.  

MEDICAL EXAMINATION Prior to appointment, at the Department’s expense, applicants may be required to take a tuberculosis (TB) screening test, medical examination, and/or drug test.

All of your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

• Conviction History
• Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Workers
• Hiring Process

CONTACT Eliot.Watt@sfdph.org 415-554-2522 (Voicemail access delayed when working remotely)

• Commitment to providing first-class care and service to all members of the DPH service population, with heightened sensitivity and awareness to racial, ethnic, and culturally diverse members of the DPH’s workforce and patient populations.
• Desire and commitment to lead and participate in antiracism, racial justice, and equity work that impacts quality of patient care, and improvements in employee experiences; along with the commitment and fortitude to push and drive change in these areas.
• Desire to work with, relate to, serve, and support a diverse workforce and patient population.
• Commitment to health equity with a specific lens and focus on race, ethnicity, gender, sex, and sexuality.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:  All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment.  For details on how it is applicable to your employment, please click here.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:  All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment.  For details on how it is applicable to your employment, please click here.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.