Public Health Researcher

Public Health Researcher is captured by 21 concrete tasks which make the role visible and teachable through real examples. The tasks include timing, safety notes and advice on using Microsoft Word. Each one shows where we found it, and comes with an AI prompt you can copy and use straight away.

21evidenced tasks
21ready prompts
11tools of the trade
19-1041.00O*NET-SOC code
12,090hold this job (US, BLS 2025)
$87,220median pay/yr (US)
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What it pays

Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.

Half of all Epidemiologists in the U.S. earn more than $87,220 a year — the middle 80% land between $61,270 and $138,800. About 12,090 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Epidemiologists”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$87,220typical pay / year
12,090people in this work
$138,800+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
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The work, task by task

These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.

Analysing6

Investigate patterns and causes of disease

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Investigate recent clusters of respiratory illness in three neighbourhoods, link case dates to exposure and…
Investigate recent clusters of respiratory illness in three neighbourhoods, link case dates to exposure and demographic variables, run regression models to identify likely drivers, and prepare slides and a two-page findings brief for the health director by Friday afternoon.
The tools that do the workSASMicrosoft PowerPointjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia

Collect data for research

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Design the household survey and digital intake form to collect influenza vaccination status, symptoms and…
Design the household survey and digital intake form to collect influenza vaccination status, symptoms and household contacts, set sampling quotas for age groups, create the codebook, and upload the cleaned dataset to the team folder by Tuesday so field staff can start collection Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelStructured query language SQLjob descriptionsWikipedia

Conduct disease surveillance

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Set up weekly disease surveillance reports: ingest lab confirmations and emergency visits, run automated…
Set up weekly disease surveillance reports: ingest lab confirmations and emergency visits, run automated anomaly detection for increases beyond baseline, map hotspots by neighbourhood, and email the dashboard link and a one-page alert to the surveillance team every Monday morning.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISIBM SPSS Statisticsjob descriptionsWikipedia

Design and conduct research studies

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Write the protocol and statistical analysis plan for the cohort study on air pollution and birth outcomes,…
Write the protocol and statistical analysis plan for the cohort study on air pollution and birth outcomes, define inclusion criteria and sample size calculations, schedule ethics submission for next Thursday, and circulate the draft to Priya and the biostatistics team for comment.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordThe MathWorks MATLABjob descriptionsO*NET

Develop public health guidelines and policies

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Draft clear, evidence-based public health guidelines for reducing community transmission of respiratory…
Draft clear, evidence-based public health guidelines for reducing community transmission of respiratory infections, including case definitions, testing criteria, isolation periods, vaccination priorities, and metrics for review by the health directorate by next Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET
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Map disease transmission pathways

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Produce a spatial analysis mapping likely transmission pathways for the current outbreak, showing index…
Produce a spatial analysis mapping likely transmission pathways for the current outbreak, showing index clusters, movement corridors, and high-risk facilities with layered population density and case locations, then deliver maps and a 2-page methods summary to the epidemiology team for Friday.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISESCOjob descriptions
The daily work15

Use biological and statistical sciences to understand disease processes

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Design and run the study to map biological mechanisms and statistical associations for the outbreak, clean…
Design and run the study to map biological mechanisms and statistical associations for the outbreak, clean and merge lab and surveillance datasets, run the planned models, and produce a methods-and-results draft with tables and code appendices for review in two weeks.
The tools that do the workPythonIBM SPSS StatisticsWikipedia

Centre their research on origin and causes for illness eruption in humans

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Lead the investigation into the source and drivers of the human illness cluster: assemble timeline and…
Lead the investigation into the source and drivers of the human illness cluster: assemble timeline and exposure data, sequence and lab-confirm suspected agents, perform spatial and temporal analyses, and write the origin-and-cause report for the outbreak response team by Friday.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISSASESCO

Propose risk preventive measures to health policy organisms

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Draft a concise package recommending targeted prevention measures: summarise evidence, quantify risk…
Draft a concise package recommending targeted prevention measures: summarise evidence, quantify risk reductions from candidate interventions, cost implications, and an implementation timeline, then prepare a two-page policy brief for the health ministry meeting next Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelESCO

Write grant proposals for research funding

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Draft a 6‑page grant narrative and budget justification for a two‑year study on neighborhood air pollution…
Draft a 6‑page grant narrative and budget justification for a two‑year study on neighborhood air pollution and asthma in children, include aims, significance, methods, timeline, and a $250,000 budget with personnel roles, then produce a one‑page lay summary for the funder.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions

Identify risk factors for disease

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Run an analysis to identify demographic, behavioral, and environmental predictors of influenza…
Run an analysis to identify demographic, behavioral, and environmental predictors of influenza hospitalization using the regional cohort, produce adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals, a table of top risk factors, and a two‑slide summary for the advisory board.
The tools that do the workSASMicrosoft ExcelWikipedia

Design epidemiological studies

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Draft the protocol for a prospective cohort study of diabetes incidence: state objectives,…
Draft the protocol for a prospective cohort study of diabetes incidence: state objectives, inclusion/exclusion, sample size calculation, exposure and outcome definitions, data collection schedule, ethical considerations, and an analysis plan for primary and secondary outcomes.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordSASWikipedia

Interpret research results

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Summarise the new study results for clinicians: convert the regression outputs into plain language effect…
Summarise the new study results for clinicians: convert the regression outputs into plain language effect sizes, list limitations and alternative explanations, produce a 500‑word interpretation and a one‑page evidence table linking methods to conclusions.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordIBM SPSS StatisticsWikipedia

Assist in systematic reviews of research

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Screen and extract data from randomized trial reports on antiviral efficacy: record population,…
Screen and extract data from randomized trial reports on antiviral efficacy: record population, interventions, outcomes, risk of bias, and effect estimates into a standardized spreadsheet and draft the methods section describing search and selection.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft WordWikipedia

Compare treatment effects in clinical trials

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Compare treatment effects across the two randomized arms: run intention‑to‑treat and per‑protocol analyses,…
Compare treatment effects across the two randomized arms: run intention‑to‑treat and per‑protocol analyses, compute relative risks, confidence intervals, and number needed to treat, produce a forest‑style table and a short interpretation for the DSMB.
The tools that do the workSASMicrosoft PowerPointWikipedia

Supervise research teams and staff

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Supervise the field and lab teams on the Salmonella surveillance project this quarter: confirm each staff…
Supervise the field and lab teams on the Salmonella surveillance project this quarter: confirm each staff member's tasks for the week, review two draft data collection forms for completeness, reassign workloads where enrollment lags, and flag any training needs to resolve by Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET

Write articles for publication in professional journals.

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Draft the manuscript of our Campylobacter case–control study for submission to Emerging Infectious Diseases:…
Draft the manuscript of our Campylobacter case–control study for submission to Emerging Infectious Diseases: consolidate the results section from the statisticians, write the methods to reflect the field protocol and lab assays, update the reference list, and produce a journal-ready draft by next Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordO*NET

Identify and analyze public health issues related to foodborne parasitic diseases and their impact on public policies, scientific studies, or surveys.

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Compile and analyse recent outbreak reports on foodborne parasites affecting rural communities: pull…
Compile and analyse recent outbreak reports on foodborne parasites affecting rural communities: pull incidence trends, compare policy changes across the three affected regions, and write a two-page brief on likely policy implications and research gaps for the health ministry by Monday.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsESRI ArcGISO*NET

Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.

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Develop and deliver the next clinical skills session for residents on parasitology lab procedures: prepare…
Develop and deliver the next clinical skills session for residents on parasitology lab procedures: prepare the learning objectives, assemble step-by-step protocols and safety checklists, create two case-based scenarios, and schedule the hands-on session for Tuesday morning.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordO*NET

Prepare and analyze samples to study effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, or microorganisms on cell structure and tissue.

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Plan, pilot and supervise the household food-safety survey in Village A: finalise the questionnaire, train…
Plan, pilot and supervise the household food-safety survey in Village A: finalise the questionnaire, train two interviewers, observe five pilot interviews for fidelity, and report sampling adjustments and consent issues by end of day Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft OutlookO*NET

Conduct surveys and interview community members

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Conduct in-person interviews for the community hygiene study: follow the approved questionnaire, record…
Conduct in-person interviews for the community hygiene study: follow the approved questionnaire, record responses accurately, probe household food preparation practices when answers are unclear, and return completed forms to the data manager within 48 hours.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Accessjob descriptions

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The logs, files & records this job keeps

Shared with other careers — the same record means something different in each.

Related careers

Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.

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