Director, Methods & Modernization Unit, Bureau of Vital Statistics

The Bureau of Vital Statistics is responsible for registering and certifying all birth, deaths, spontaneous and induced terminations of pregnancy in NYC. The bureau issues, analyzes and reports on 285,000 vital events each year. The bureau is a very large customer service operation, providing death certification services on a 24/7 basis, issuing more than 900,000 certified copies of birth and death records, and fulfilling hundreds of data requests annually.

Duties will include but not be limited to:
Advanced Analytics and Methods Development
- Lead the development and application of predictive modeling for mortality rates, life expectancy, and related population health outcomes.
- Design and implement anomaly detection and early-warning systems to identify unexpected patterns by cause, geography, or demographics.
- Advance geospatial analytic methods to support neighborhood-level surveillance and equity-focused analysis.

Public Health Research and Scientific Leadership
- Lead and contribute to applied public health research using vital statistics data.
- Translate methodological advances into analytic products that inform policy, planning, and public communication.
- Serve as a senior scientific authority on vital statistics methods within the agency.
Privacy, Identity, and Responsible Analytics
- Develop and apply identity-risk analytics to assess and mitigate risks associated with linkage, disclosure, and reuse of vital records data.
- Advance privacy-preserving analytic methods that balance data utility with confidentiality protections.
- Partner with governance, legal, and systems teams to embed privacy-by-design into analytic workflows.
Nosology and ICD-10 Modernization
- Lead methodological modernization related to ICD-10 coding, cause-of-death classification, and nosology.
- Ensure analytic methods remain aligned with national and international standards while meeting NYC-specific needs.

Integration and Modernization
- Guide integration of advanced analytic methods with the (cloud-based) Enterprise Data Platform and other next-generation data and interoperability standards.
- Partner with systems and data engineering teams to ensure analytic requirements are translated into scalable, sustainable infrastructure.

Management and Mentorship
- Supervise and mentor research scientists, analysts, and methodologists within the unit.
- Build analytic bench strength through coaching, review, and embedded skill development.
- Foster collaboration with other BVS units and offices to support routine operations and modernization goals.

Preferred Skills:;

- Advanced expertise in statistical modeling, epidemiology, biostatistics, or demography
- Experience developing or applying privacy-preserving or risk-aware analytic methods
- Strong understanding of geospatial analysis and early-warning systems
- Familiarity with ICD-10, nosology, or cause-of-death classification
- Experience integrating analytic methods with modern data platforms
- Proficiency in statistical programming languages (e.g., SAS, R, Python, SQL)
- Experience working in government or other highly regulated data environments

Why you should work for us:

- 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