Job Description

The Division of Family and Child Health (DFCH) of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is charged with the creation and oversight of programs, policies, services, and environments that support physical and socio-emotional health, and promote primary and reproductive health services, health equity, social justice, safety and well-being for New York City families and children. The Division is comprised of the Bureau of Maternal Infant and Reproductive Health, the Bureau of Early Intervention, the Office of School Health, and the Bureau of Administration. The vision of the DFCH is that every child, woman, and family recognize their power and is given the opportunity to reach their full health and development potential. We encourage qualified applicants with demonstrated commitment to social justice, particularly racial, gender, and LGBTQ equity to apply.

DUTIES WILL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:

• Supervise equity related work across the division supporting the agency's mission, etc.

• Assist in coordinating the research efforts of the agency with research projects in other agencies to identify racism in outcome analysis.

• Assist research directors in evaluating methods, procedures and data obtained from research workgroups.

• Serve as divisional point of contact and lead for agency-wide Race to Justice efforts.

• Oversee the Division Action Team (DAT) including the management of membership and staff tenure.

• In conjunction with the DAT, plans and implements Racial Equity Action Plan; developing project plans and identifying skills and resources needed to effectively execute strategies.

• Analyze metrics and data available to allow Division to make decisions that impact inclusion and equity.

• Research strategies, policies and programming initiatives and advise Deputy Commissioner and Senior Leadership Team on best practices

• Develop, coordinate, and maintain Division learning agenda and curriculum to build staff skills and abilities in the implementation of racial equity and antiracist principles. Partner with other divisions to develop strategies and mobilize racial equity.

• Work with the Division's Human Resources team with an eye on hiring, recruitment, developing talent pipelines and reviewing diversity metrics.

• Provide technical assistance to programs and staff across DFCH to embed a racial equity and social justice lens to programming, research and operations.

• Support, lead, organize and design initiatives to promote social cohesion across the division, such as regular divisional meetings, events, trainings, and other activities -including initiatives which advance an equity and social justice mission.

• Support and lead efforts to improve strategic planning and operations led by or within the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, such as developing, testing, and expanding efforts to improve internal and intra-divisional communication, planning and other activities.

• Participate in Senior Leadership Team initiatives as a member of the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, helping with planning and forecasting impacts of programming and helping the Division achieve our mission

• Contribute when needed to other time-limited projects, where duties may include drafting and reviewing written materials, assisting with project planning and project management, leading or supporting reporting activities.

PREFERRED SKILLS:

• Experience in health equity, racial equity, and social justice

• Experience in leading racial equity and social justice work

• High degree of flexibility and initiative

• Experience in program planning, implementation, and monitoring, including defining outcomes and equity metrics and tracking project performance/ progress

• Experience and skills in facilitating discussions around racial equity and social justice

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, meet time-sensitive deadlines, juggling multiple projects and fulfilling ad-hoc requests simultaneously

• Exceptional interpersonal and team-work skills, including ability to work with people across various identities and disciplines

• Strong project management skills

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft systems

• Strong communication and writing ability.

Why you should work for us:

• Loan Forgiveness: As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal/state loan forgiveness and repayment assistance programs that lessen your payments or even fully forgive your full balance. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website (https://studentaid.gov/pslf/)

• Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as:

o a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment.

o additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position’s associated union/benefit fund.

o a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement.

o a tax-deferred savings program and

o a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.

• Work From Home Policy: Depending on your position, you may be able to work up to two days during the week from home.

• Job Security - you could enjoy more job security compared to private sector employment and be able to contribute to making NYC a healthy place to live and work.

Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the U.S., dedicated to protecting and improving the health of NYC. Our mission is to safeguard the health of every resident and cultivate a city where everyone, regardless of age, background, or location, can achieve their optimal health. We provide a wide array of programs and services focused on food and nutrition, anti-tobacco support, chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment, family and child health, environmental health, mental health, and social justice initiatives. As the primary population health strategist and policy authority for NYC, with a rich history of public health initiatives and scientific advancements, from addressing the 1822 yellow fever outbreak to the COVID-19 pandemic, we serve as a global leader in public health innovation and expertise.

Come join us and help to continue our efforts in making a difference in the lives of all New Yorkers!

The NYC Health Department is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation to all individuals. To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, contact Sye-Eun Ahn, Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, at sahn1@health.nyc.gov or 347-396-6549.

CITY RESEARCH SCIENTIST - 21744

Qualifications

1. For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.

To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have:

1. A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or

2. A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or

3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in "2" above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in "1" and "2" above.

NOTE:

Probationary Period

Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.