Position Highlights
Position Title: SUDORS Abstractor
Location: This position is remote and supports New Mexico
Position End Date: 09/29/27
Salary: $70,000 plus benefits
Overview
The CDC Foundation is working with CDC and state and local authorities to provide surge staff to support surveillance, prevention and response activities within the Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) Capacity Building Initiative program. Under this cooperative agreement, CDC Foundation will hire and place abstractors in OD2A jurisdictions who demonstrate a need for abstraction support to implement OD2A objectives. States are required to submit comprehensive fatal overdose data to CDC twice a year, with data submission timelines varying depending on Tier. For fatal overdoses, states are required to enter abstracted death certificate and coroner and medical examiner reports on unintentional and undetermined intent overdose deaths into the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) which leverages the web-based platform used for the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). The abstractor will work closely with epidemiologists on identifying drug overdose deaths that meet the SUDORS case definition, contacting specific coroner and medical examiner offices to request reports, and abstracting appropriate information from the reports into the SUDORS database.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in a health-related field (required). A medical technician or death investigation certificate is highly preferred but does not substitute for the required bachelor’s degree. A master’s degree in nursing, public health, epidemiology, or another health-related field is preferred
- Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills
- Highly motivated and organized with the ability to work independently and within a team environment
- Strong communication skills, both written and oral, with the ability to be efficient and consistently deliver high-quality work under time constraints
- Proficiency in at least one statistical analysis software program (preferably SAS) is preferred but not required
- Proficiency in navigating computer systems; ability to learn new data systems quickly and to comply with data integrity and security to safeguard all personal identifiable information
- Demonstrated ability to work well independently and within teams
- Emotional resilience to deal with potentially triggering data on a daily basis
- Experience working in a virtual environment with remote partners and teams
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams and Zoom
Responsibilities
- Create and maintain working relationships with vital records and medical examiner/coroner offices, forensic centers, and law enforcement
- Abstract data from death certificates and coroner and medical examiner reports, including postmortem toxicology findings, into SUDORS. Data shall be abstracted into online databases in a timely manner using established protocols
- Work with the drug overdose surveillance teams to refine their fatal drug overdose data processing and ensure coordination in drug overdose data efforts
- Conduct SUDORS data quality assurance activities
- Conduct manual reviews of narrative fields within SUDORS as needed
- Assist in the completion of SUDORS closeout reports (e.g., case validation and quality control reports)
- Attend SUDORS workgroup meetings
- Potentially contribute to SUDORS-related manuscripts, surveillance reports, and/or data briefs, depending on interest and skillset.
- Maintain working knowledge of all coding guidance and database changes.
- Follow data security and confidentiality procedures and protocols
- Travel to provide on-site data abstraction, as needed
- Other duties as assigned.
Special Notes
This role is involved in a dynamic public health program. As such, roles and responsibilities are subject to change as situations evolve. Roles and responsibilities listed above may be expanded upon or updated to match priorities and needs, once written approval is received by both the CDC Foundation and New Mexico DOH in order to best support New Mexico in their public health programming.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical disabilities, veteran status, and all other characteristics protected by law. We comply with all applicable laws, including E.O. 11246 and the Vietnam Era Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, governing employment practices and do not discriminate on the basis of any unlawful criteria in accordance with 41 C.F.R. §§ 60-300.5(a)(12) and 60-741.5(a)(7). As a federal government contractor, we take affirmative action on behalf of protected veterans.
The CDC Foundation is a smoke-free environment.
Relocation expenses are not included.
About the CDC Foundation
The CDC Foundation is an independent nonprofit authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners to support the public health system, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in preventing and responding to threats to health. In this role, we are focused on one priority: building catalytic, flexible and impactful partnerships—with corporations, philanthropies, individuals and organizations—to help improve the health and lives of people in all communities, everywhere. Visit www.cdcfoundation.org for more information
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in a health-related field
- Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Ability to work efficiently and deliver high-quality work under time constraints
- Ability to navigate computer systems and quickly learn new data systems
- Ability to comply with data integrity, security, and confidentiality procedures
- Emotional resilience when working with potentially triggering data daily
- Experience working in a virtual environment with remote partners and teams
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, and Zoom
- Medical technician or death investigation certificate
- Master's degree in nursing, public health, epidemiology, or another health-related field
- Proficiency in a statistical analysis software program, preferably SAS
What We Do
The CDC Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners and private-sector resources to support the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). By forging effective partnerships between the CDC and foundations, organizations, corporations, and individuals, the Foundation helps the CDC save and improve lives, fight threats to health and safety, and strengthen public health systems in the United States and globally.
