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Epidemiologists

SOC 19-1041.00Job Zone 5 · Extensive Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers the full scope of epidemiological practice — from entry-level data collection and field surveillance to executive leadership of national public health programs — within government agencies, academic research institutions, and healthcare systems.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Infectious disease surveillance data — collect and enter under direct supervision using established database systems in a public health agency setting.
  2. Peer-reviewed epidemiological literature — read and summarize to support senior investigators conducting disease investigations.
  3. Basic descriptive statistics — apply to calculate incidence and prevalence rates under guidance in a research or government health department context.
  4. Disease transmission modes and risk factors — recognize and document following standard protocols during field outbreak investigations.
  5. Standardized health status questionnaires — administer and review for completeness under supervision during community-based epidemiological studies.
  6. Incident reports for infectious diseases — prepare and submit to local and state health agencies following established reporting requirements.
  7. Geographic information system software — operate at a basic level to map disease occurrence data under the direction of a senior epidemiologist.
  8. Oral and written findings on disease patterns — present to internal teams using agency-approved templates and slide preparation tools.
  9. Study protocols — assist in reviewing and organizing background materials to support the design of human or animal disease investigations.
  10. Public health educational materials on communicable diseases — distribute and explain to community members or healthcare staff under supervisor guidance.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Epidemiological study data — analyze independently using analytical or scientific software to identify disease trends across a defined population.
  2. Disease outbreak investigations — conduct with reduced oversight, applying established case-definition criteria and risk-factor assessment methods in field settings.
  3. Surveillance system outputs — monitor routinely and produce periodic reports for state or local health agencies on notifiable infectious conditions.
  4. Health status questionnaires and sample selection criteria — review and refine in collaboration with study teams to ensure methodological rigor.
  5. Statistical models for disease incidence and risk — build and interpret using spreadsheet and data mining tools to inform public health program planning.
  6. Research findings on disease etiology — communicate to health practitioners and agency stakeholders through written briefs and oral presentations.
  7. Scientific manuscripts — draft for submission to peer-reviewed professional journals, incorporating feedback from senior epidemiologists and co-authors.
  8. Healthcare worker training sessions on infection prevention — develop and facilitate using evidence-based curricula within hospital or community health contexts.
  9. Systems analysis techniques — apply to evaluate the effectiveness of existing surveillance programs and identify gaps in data collection.
  10. GIS-based disease maps — produce and interpret to support spatial analysis of outbreak patterns across regional health jurisdictions.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Complex multi-variable epidemiological studies — design and direct autonomously, overseeing protocol development, sample selection, and statistical analysis plans.
  2. Non-routine or novel disease outbreaks — investigate end-to-end, determining causative agents, transmission pathways, and evidence-based containment strategies in dynamic field environments.
  3. Public health surveillance systems — manage and evaluate for accuracy, completeness, and timeliness across statewide or national data networks.
  4. Research evidence on disease prevention and treatment efficacy — synthesize and communicate to policy makers, translating complex findings into actionable public health recommendations.
  5. Study design and biostatistical methodologies — provide expert consultation on across interdisciplinary research teams addressing human and animal disease questions.
  6. Peer-reviewed journal articles on epidemiological findings — author as lead contributor, navigating the full submission and peer-review process for high-impact publications.
  7. Public health program performance — evaluate using systems evaluation frameworks, identifying outcome gaps and recommending data-driven improvements to agency leadership.
  8. Risk communication strategies — develop and deliver for diverse audiences including the general public, clinicians, and legislators during active disease events.
  9. Inductive and deductive reasoning — apply to synthesize disparate biological, behavioral, and environmental data into coherent disease etiology hypotheses.
  10. Advanced data mining and analytical software — employ to detect aberrant signals in large epidemiological datasets and guide hypothesis-driven follow-up investigations.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Organizational epidemiological research agendas — set and champion at the institutional or governmental level, aligning study priorities with emerging public health threats.
  2. Multi-agency public health programs — oversee at executive scale, integrating surveillance, health care planning, and population-level interventions across complex regulatory environments.
  3. National or international disease reporting frameworks — lead the design and governance of, establishing standards that guide state, federal, and global health agency partners.
  4. Junior and mid-level epidemiologists — mentor and develop through structured coaching, peer review of publications, and leadership opportunities on major investigations.
  5. Cross-sector partnerships — forge between public health agencies, academic institutions, and healthcare systems to coordinate large-scale disease prevention and response initiatives.
  6. Strategic risk communication policies — author and disseminate to synchronize messaging across government, media, and community stakeholders during high-consequence outbreak events.
  7. Cutting-edge epidemiological methodologies — evaluate, adopt, and disseminate across the field, influencing best practice standards through professional publications and policy guidance.
  8. Resource allocation and workforce planning — direct for epidemiological operations, making high-stakes judgments that shape organizational capacity to respond to novel disease threats.
  9. Legislative and regulatory bodies — advise on evidence-based public health policy, translating complex epidemiological science into actionable frameworks for disease control and prevention.
  10. Systems-level evaluation of national surveillance infrastructure — lead, identifying systemic vulnerabilities and driving transformational improvements to protect population health at scale.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Authoritative source data identified for 998 occupations

How a worker at each mastery level uses, directs, and evaluates AI tools in this occupation. Each statement cites its evidence inline; click a citation chip to verify the source.

Emerging
  1. AI-assisted literature synthesis — uses an LLM to summarize published epidemiological studies and extract key findings, then manually verifies summaries against source documents before incorporating them into reports Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  2. Surveillance data entry support — delegates routine formatting and initial coding of disease incident reports to an AI tool, reserving final classification decisions for professional judgment Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
Developing
  1. Statistical output interpretation — directs an AI assistant to run descriptive analyses on surveillance datasets and flag anomalous case counts, then applies epidemiological expertise to interpret patterns in context Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  2. Public communication drafting — uses an LLM to produce first-draft disease prevention messaging for varied audiences, then revises for scientific accuracy and public health sensitivity Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  3. Disease investigation scoping — prompts an AI tool to map known transmission pathways and risk factors for a pathogen under investigation, evaluating the output against peer-reviewed evidence before briefing stakeholders Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
Proficient
  1. Complex outbreak modeling delegation — assigns an AI agent to prepare cleaned datasets and run preliminary spatial or temporal trend models, retaining authorship of the epidemiological interpretation and policy recommendations Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  2. Critical appraisal of AI-generated hypotheses — evaluates AI-proposed exposure-outcome associations against study design principles and confounding considerations, accepting only those supportable by rigorous causal reasoning Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  3. Multi-source data integration — orchestrates AI tools to harmonize case report data from multiple local and state agencies into a unified surveillance dataset, then audits the merge logic for classification errors Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
Advanced
  1. AI autonomy calibration for epidemiological workflows — sets explicit task boundaries for AI agents across the full investigation pipeline—literature review, data cleaning, model specification, and draft reporting—while retaining decision authority over causal inference and public health recommendations Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  2. Institutional AI-use governance — defines standards for when AI-generated surveillance outputs require human expert review before transmission to health agencies or policymakers, operationalizing critical thinking checkpoints that automated tools cannot replicate Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  3. High-impact time leverage — structures research workflows so that AI handles the majority of time-intensive retrieval and formatting tasks, redirecting recovered capacity toward judgment-intensive activities such as policy interpretation and cross-agency coordination Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
Evidence pack
AEI usage
Task observations: 140
Augment share: 14%
Time saved: 85.8%
AI autonomy: 3.36
SAFI positioning
Top skill: Critical Thinking
Score: 57.9 / 100
precision: category_estimate
WEF cluster
Data Science and Analysis
data_science_and_analysis
Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.

Pathsmith Durable Skills Framework

Sources:Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Ten durable-skill domains mapped to four proficiency/role levels for each occupation. Each statement is aligned to the Pathsmith taxonomy, derived from trusted grounding data and mapped to occupation-specific O*NET tasks and skills.

1Communication13 statements
Emerging
  1. Epidemiological findings summary — drafts basic reports translating disease surveillance data into plain language for introductory audiences Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Public health terminology — applies foundational scientific vocabulary accurately in written memos and team briefings within a supervised research context Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Community outreach messaging — conveys basic infectious disease transmission facts to patients and the public using scripted materials O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Disease investigation reporting — writes structured outbreak summaries and situation reports for local and state health agencies with growing clarity and precision Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Stakeholder briefing — presents preliminary epidemiological findings to health practitioners and program managers using visual data displays and narrative explanation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Scientific manuscript drafting — composes methods and results sections of journal articles with appropriate technical detail and logical organization O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Cross-audience translation — communicates complex disease risk findings to policy makers, clinicians, and community groups simultaneously, adjusting register and depth for each audience Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Surveillance system reporting — authors clear, timely, and complete incident reports on notifiable diseases that meet state and federal agency standards O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Public health education delivery — conducts trainings for healthcare workers on communicable disease transmission and prevention protocols using evidence-based messaging O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Peer-reviewed publication — produces polished journal articles integrating epidemiological methods, statistical results, and public health implications in publication-ready form O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Science communication leadership — establishes communication frameworks that guide how an organization disseminates epidemiological findings across media, policy, and clinical channels Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Crisis public messaging — leads real-time communication strategy during active outbreaks, coordinating messaging consistency across governmental and public platforms Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Mentored science writing — coaches early-career epidemiologists in translating quantitative findings into compelling, accurate narratives for diverse publication venues Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
2Leadership10 statements
Emerging
  1. Study task ownership — takes initiative in completing assigned components of an epidemiological investigation under the direction of a senior researcher Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Team contribution accountability — accepts responsibility for data collection or entry tasks within a public health surveillance program Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Investigation coordination — organizes field team activities during a disease outbreak investigation, assigning data collection tasks and tracking progress Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Program support leadership — assists in overseeing components of public health programs, including surveillance data workflows and reporting schedules O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Study direction — plans and directs epidemiological studies investigating disease etiology, prevention, and treatment, managing timelines, staff, and protocols Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Public health program oversight — leads statistical analysis, surveillance system management, and health care planning functions within an institutional program O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Cross-sector coordination — directs collaboration between public health agencies, clinical partners, and community organizations during disease control initiatives Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Institutional program leadership — provides strategic direction for a division or department responsible for epidemiological surveillance, research, and workforce development Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Field investigation command — leads large-scale outbreak response teams under high-uncertainty conditions, allocating resources and making consequential decisions in real time Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Junior epidemiologist mentorship — develops the investigative, analytical, and professional capabilities of emerging epidemiologists through structured guidance and delegation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
3Metacognition9 statements
Emerging
  1. Learning gap identification — recognizes personal knowledge limits in biostatistics or disease biology and seeks clarification from supervisors or reference materials Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Study protocol reflection — reviews own contributions to protocol drafts and identifies areas requiring additional methodological understanding Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Analytical self-monitoring — tracks own reasoning process when selecting statistical methods or study designs, checking assumptions against epidemiological standards Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Feedback integration — incorporates peer or supervisor critique of data interpretation into revised analyses and revised professional mental models Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Methods reasoning audit — systematically evaluates own choice of study design, sampling strategy, and analytical approach before finalizing a research protocol Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Cognitive bias awareness — identifies and corrects for confirmation bias or anchoring when interpreting disease surveillance signals or outbreak hypotheses Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Continuing competence planning — assesses evolving gaps in statistical software, emerging pathogen knowledge, or regulatory changes and builds a structured learning plan Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Research process modeling — articulates own epistemological approach to epidemiological inquiry and uses that model to guide team decision-making in ambiguous investigations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Discipline-level reflection — evaluates the methodological assumptions embedded in dominant epidemiological paradigms and guides institutional adoption of improved frameworks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
4Critical Thinking12 statements
Emerging
  1. Data quality assessment — identifies obvious anomalies or implausible values in a disease surveillance dataset under supervisor guidance Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Literature reading — extracts key study design features and findings from epidemiological journal articles to support assigned research tasks O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Hypothesis generation — formulates plausible causal hypotheses about disease exposure sources using descriptive epidemiology data from an ongoing investigation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Evidence evaluation — assesses the internal validity of epidemiological studies by identifying confounding, selection bias, and information bias Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Risk factor analysis — analyzes exposure-outcome associations using odds ratios, relative risks, and confidence intervals to draw evidence-based conclusions O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Causal inference reasoning — applies Bradford Hill criteria and counterfactual frameworks to evaluate whether observed associations reflect causal relationships in population data Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Outbreak investigation logic — constructs and tests competing epidemiological hypotheses during field investigations using case-control or cohort study designs Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Surveillance signal interpretation — distinguishes true disease clusters from statistical artifacts by critically evaluating surveillance system sensitivity and specificity Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Policy evidence synthesis — critically appraises conflicting research findings to formulate evidence-based recommendations for public health intervention programs Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Methodological innovation critique — identifies fundamental limitations in existing epidemiological study designs and proposes novel analytical approaches to address them Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Complex problem resolution — integrates multidisciplinary evidence streams — biological, environmental, behavioral, and genomic — to resolve ambiguous disease etiology questions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Institutional reasoning standards — establishes evidence evaluation criteria and analytic review processes that govern how an organization draws conclusions from surveillance data Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
5Collaboration9 statements
Emerging
  1. Interdisciplinary teamwork — contributes assigned epidemiological tasks within a multidisciplinary public health team, communicating progress and flagging obstacles Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Data sharing participation — coordinates with laboratory or clinical colleagues to obtain and share disease case data in support of a surveillance program O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Agency partnership coordination — works jointly with local, state, and federal health agency staff to align outbreak reporting protocols and data definitions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Research team contribution — participates actively in study design discussions, offering epidemiological input and integrating feedback from biostatisticians and clinicians Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Cross-sector investigation collaboration — co-leads field investigations with environmental health, laboratory, and clinical partners, integrating diverse expertise into a unified epidemiological response Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Community engagement partnership — collaborates with community organizations and affected populations to design culturally appropriate disease surveillance and prevention programs Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Stakeholder consensus building — navigates disagreements among public health professionals, policy makers, and clinicians to reach actionable consensus on disease control recommendations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Interagency collaboration architecture — designs formal partnership structures and data-sharing agreements between health agencies, academic institutions, and community organizations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Global health network leadership — coordinates epidemiological collaboration across international boundaries during multi-country disease investigations or pandemic preparedness initiatives Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
6Character10 statements
Emerging
  1. Data integrity commitment — records surveillance data accurately and completely, resisting shortcuts that would compromise case counts or exposure classifications Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Confidentiality adherence — handles patient and case-level disease data in strict accordance with privacy regulations and institutional protocols Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Reporting objectivity — presents epidemiological findings without distortion or selective omission even when results conflict with organizational or funder expectations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Professional accountability — acknowledges errors in data coding or analytical decisions promptly and corrects them transparently in collaboration with supervisors Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Ethical study conduct — designs and executes epidemiological research in full compliance with IRB requirements, informed consent standards, and community research ethics Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Conflict of interest management — discloses and actively manages potential conflicts between research funding sources and objective disease risk communication Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Equitable population focus — ensures that surveillance systems and study designs include underrepresented populations, countering systemic biases in public health data Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Institutional ethics leadership — develops organizational policies governing the ethical conduct of epidemiological research, surveillance, and public health communication Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Whistleblower courage — reports methodological misconduct, data suppression, or conflict-of-interest violations within professional and institutional channels, accepting personal professional risk Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Public trust stewardship — models and enforces standards of scientific integrity that protect the credibility of the field's findings in public discourse Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
7Creativity9 statements
Emerging
  1. Alternative data source exploration — proposes unconventional data sources such as pharmacy records or social media signals to supplement traditional disease surveillance streams Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Visual display experimentation — experiments with novel epidemiological curve visualizations and maps to represent disease patterns more intuitively Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Study design adaptation — modifies standard cohort or case-control designs to address unique logistical or ethical constraints of a specific disease investigation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Novel hypothesis formulation — generates non-obvious causal hypotheses about disease risk factors by integrating biological mechanisms with ecological or behavioral observations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Innovative surveillance design — develops new surveillance system architectures — such as sentinel networks or syndromic surveillance platforms — that detect diseases earlier or more efficiently Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Questionnaire innovation — creates novel health status questionnaire instruments that capture exposure and outcome variables with improved precision and reduced recall bias O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Interdisciplinary method integration — incorporates genomic sequencing, geospatial analysis, or social network methods into epidemiological investigations to reveal previously hidden transmission dynamics Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Field-advancing methodology — pioneers new epidemiological methods or analytical frameworks that are adopted broadly by the research community Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Creative public health intervention design — conceives and tests novel preventive interventions grounded in epidemiological evidence that challenge conventional disease control approaches Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
8Growth Mindset9 statements
Emerging
  1. Statistical skill building — engages with unfamiliar biostatistical techniques or software tools, seeking instruction and practice rather than avoiding complexity Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Constructive feedback reception — responds to corrections on study design or data interpretation without defensiveness, incorporating guidance into revised work Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Emerging pathogen learning — rapidly acquires knowledge about newly identified pathogens or disease mechanisms to remain effective in evolving investigation contexts Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Methodology stretch — voluntarily takes on assignments requiring unfamiliar analytical methods such as Bayesian modeling or network analysis to expand technical range Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Investigative setback persistence — continues rigorous investigation after initial hypotheses are refuted, reframing the evidence and pursuing alternative explanations without abandoning scientific rigor Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Peer critique embrace — actively solicits critical review of study protocols and manuscripts, treating identified weaknesses as opportunities to strengthen the science Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Technology adoption — integrates newly available data science tools, surveillance platforms, or computational methods into epidemiological practice through deliberate skill development Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Field evolution modeling — demonstrates through career trajectory a pattern of continually expanding into emerging epidemiological subfields, inspiring the same learning orientation in colleagues Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Failure documentation practice — institutionalizes after-action reviews following outbreak investigations and failed study designs, transforming organizational setbacks into shared learning Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
9Mindfulness9 statements
Emerging
  1. Attention management in data review — maintains focused attention during lengthy dataset cleaning and review tasks, applying systematic checking rather than cursory scanning Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Emotional regulation in distressing cases — manages personal emotional responses when working with disease data involving significant morbidity or mortality in vulnerable populations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Present-moment investigative focus — directs full cognitive attention to the specific epidemiological question at hand during field investigations, resisting premature closure Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Stress recognition — identifies personal stress signals during high-volume surveillance periods or outbreak responses and applies adaptive coping strategies to maintain performance Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Intentional decision-making — pauses to fully assess available evidence before communicating disease risk conclusions to policy makers or the public, especially under time pressure Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Reactive bias control — recognizes when political pressure, media intensity, or personal fatigue is influencing analytical judgment and takes corrective steps to restore objectivity Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Team emotional attunement — monitors the emotional state of investigation team members during prolonged outbreak responses and adjusts leadership and communication approach accordingly Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Organizational mindfulness culture — cultivates deliberate, evidence-first decision-making norms within a public health department, reducing impulsive or politically reactive responses to disease signals Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. High-stakes composure modeling — demonstrates and teaches regulated, intentional communication under extreme public pressure during large-scale epidemic or pandemic events Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
10Fortitude10 statements
Emerging
  1. Investigation persistence — continues systematic case-finding and data collection during an outbreak investigation even when initial findings are inconclusive or ambiguous Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Uncertainty tolerance — maintains productive function when disease etiology or transmission routes remain unclear during the early stages of an investigation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Extended field deployment endurance — sustains rigorous epidemiological work quality during prolonged field assignments in resource-limited or high-stress environments Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Null result resilience — continues scientific inquiry after studies yield null or unexpected results, reframing findings as contributions to knowledge rather than failures Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Pandemic-scale perseverance — maintains investigative rigor, professional standards, and personal functioning across extended periods of high-demand public health emergency response Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Political resistance courage — defends evidence-based epidemiological conclusions publicly when findings conflict with political, commercial, or institutional interests Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Resource-constrained execution — completes rigorous epidemiological investigations under significant budget, staffing, or data constraints without compromising core scientific standards Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Adversity leadership — guides teams through sustained high-casualty disease events, maintaining organizational morale, scientific integrity, and operational effectiveness across months or years Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Institutional courage modeling — publicly challenges flawed surveillance conclusions or suppressed findings within institutional and governmental settings, accepting career risk to protect public health Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Career-long scientific persistence — sustains decades of rigorous epidemiological inquiry on intractable public health problems, advancing knowledge incrementally despite slow progress and setbacks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Sources:Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
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O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Chronic Disease Epidemiologist · Clinical Epidemiologist · Clinical Lab Scientist (Clinical Laboratory Scientist) · Clinical Researcher · Communicable Diseases Specialist · Environmental Epidemiologist · Epidemiologist · Epidemiologist Researcher · Epidemiology Analyst · Epidemiology Investigator · Epidemiology Research Doctor · Histopathologist
RAPIDS apprenticeships
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O*NET skills
Critical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision MakingActive ListeningWritingSpeakingScienceSystems AnalysisSystems EvaluationActive LearningSocial PerceptivenessMathematicsCoordinationMonitoringLearning StrategiesTime ManagementInstructingService OrientationPersuasionManagement of Personnel ResourcesOperations Analysis
Knowledge domains
MathematicsBiologyMedicine and DentistryEnglish LanguageComputers and ElectronicsCommunications and MediaEducation and TrainingSociology and AnthropologyAdministration and Management
Abilities
Written ComprehensionInductive ReasoningOral ComprehensionOral ExpressionWritten ExpressionProblem SensitivityDeductive ReasoningFluency of IdeasSpeech ClarityCategory Flexibility
Work styles
Attention to DetailIntellectual CuriosityDependabilityIntegrityCautiousnessAdaptability
Technology
Data base user interface and query softwareAnalytical or scientific softwareData mining softwareGeographic information systemMap creation softwareWeb page creation and editing softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwareElectronic mail softwarePresentation software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Communicate research findings on various types of diseases to health practitioners, policy makers, and the public.
  2. Oversee public health programs, including statistical analysis, health care planning, surveillance systems, and public health improvement.
  3. Investigate diseases or parasites to determine cause and risk factors, progress, life cycle, or mode of transmission.
  4. Educate healthcare workers, patients, and the public about infectious and communicable diseases, including disease transmission and prevention.
  5. Monitor and report incidents of infectious diseases to local and state health agencies.
  6. Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
  7. Provide expertise in the design, management and evaluation of study protocols and health status questionnaires, sample selection, and analysis.
  8. Write articles for publication in professional journals.
CIP education codes
26.040126.050926.130926.131151.140151.2202

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.