Wastewater Surveillance and Epidemiology Subject Matter Expert

Wastewater Surveillance and Epidemiology Subject Matter Expert 
 Invoti L.L.C. ·  

Duration: Part-time, 25–35% · November 2026 – July 2027 · Remote, with periodic travel to Kansas City, MO 

About the role 
Project involves development of regional wastewater data and predictive analytics platform for our client. We need a scientific lead who will guide the data model, normalization methods, and disease forecasting models. You will work alongside our data engineering, GIS and dashboard team. 

Responsibilities 

• Assess how laboratories and jurisdictions in the region sample and test wastewater, and identify where methods differ. 
• Define the scientific content of the common data model: targets, assays, recovery controls, quality flags and method metadata. 
• Recommend and document normalization methods (flow, population, fecal-strength markers) and agree them with client’s laboratory partners. 
• Design forecasting and trend-detection models for infectious disease and opioid prevalence, and validate them against clinical surveillance data. 
• Set model performance metrics and document assumptions, limitations and responsible-use safeguards. 
• Review dashboard content so public and agency messaging is scientifically accurate. 
• Recommend future indicators for expanding the platform. 
• Present methods to health departments, state laboratories and advisory groups. 

Required qualifications 

• MPH, MS or PhD in epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental engineering, environmental microbiology or a related field. 
• 3+ years of wastewater-based epidemiology work with a public health agency, public health laboratory or academic program. 
• Working knowledge of qPCR/ddPCR results, sampling methods and normalization approaches. 
• Familiarity with CDC National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) data standards. 
• Experience building and validating time-series or forecasting models in R or Python. 
• Ability to explain methods and limitations to non-technical audiences. 

Preferred qualifications 

• Experience with opioid or drug-metabolite wastewater analysis. 
• Experience with multi-jurisdiction or regional surveillance programs. 
• Experience with geospatial or sewershed-level analysis. 
• Published or presented work on wastewater surveillance.