OPT Epidemiologist Jobs
Epidemiologist jobs on OPT require employers to support your work authorization, whether you're on standard 12-month OPT or STEM OPT extension. Most roles are in public health agencies, research institutions, and healthcare systems, where H-1B visa sponsorship pathways are more established than in the private sector.
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Get Access To All JobsEpidemiologist
JobID: 1588
Position Type:
Professionals/Epidemiologist
Date Posted:
2/27/2026
Location:
Community Services
The City of Nashua is looking for a highly motivated individual to join our Public Health Division as the Epidemiologist. Take your career to the next level with us as opportunities for growth and development await!
JOB SUMMARY AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Reporting to the Director of Public Health and Community Services, this position is responsible for providing epidemiologic expertise in investigations of morbidity and mortality, social determinants of health, and compiling, maintaining and analyzing health data. This position is also responsible for identifying disease agents and threats that may cause harm leading to adverse health conditions and environmental hazards. Additionally, this position will assist in disease outbreaks, surveillance and emergency preparedness activities, and serve as a subject matter expert on public and environmental health issues to advance prevention efforts, health equity and health promotion to ensure the health and well-being of the public. Performs other duties as assigned by the Division Director. This is a full-time Unaffiliated position, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, but may also include some weekend and night hours. The position is Grade 15, salary dependent upon experience.
SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS
- Must possess a Master's Degree in Public Health with specialization in epidemiology or a Master's Degree in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Biology or Nursing, and have a minimum of two years of professional experience with chronic disease, infectious disease, injury control, communicable disease investigation and control methods, environmental epidemiology, and risk assessment. A combination of education and experience will be considered.
- Must have knowledge of microbiology and pathophysiology disease causation and control measures as well as familiarity with the core functions of public health practice and the relevance of the essential services of public health to disease investigation, surveillance, and control, public health emergency response.
- Health policy analysis experience is a plus.
- Must be proficient with Microsoft Excel, Word, and Publisher, web based tools and social media and be able to use at least one statistical analysis tool (i.e. Epi-Info, SAS, StatsPlus, SPSS).
- Community engagement and effective communication skills necessary.
- Ability to navigate effectively through diverse cross-cultural interactions.
- Must have availability to work weekends and after hours for outbreaks and emergency preparedness events.
BENEFITS
Our comprehensive benefits package includes:
- Health/Dental/Vision Insurance
- Short Term & Long Term Disability
- Life Insurance
- Mandatory Participation in NH Retirement System (Pension)
- 457 Retirement
- Vacation/Sick/Personal Time
- Weekly Pay
- Tuition Reimbursement
HOW TO APPLY
If you are looking to start or further your career with the City of Nashua, submit a cover letter, application, resume, and three professional references at: http://applitrack.com/nashua/onlineapp/.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER - Recruiting practices shall be consistent with State and Federal Law (2/27/2026)
Epidemiologist
JobID: 1588
Position Type:
Professionals/Epidemiologist
Date Posted:
2/27/2026
Location:
Community Services
The City of Nashua is looking for a highly motivated individual to join our Public Health Division as the Epidemiologist. Take your career to the next level with us as opportunities for growth and development await!
JOB SUMMARY AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Reporting to the Director of Public Health and Community Services, this position is responsible for providing epidemiologic expertise in investigations of morbidity and mortality, social determinants of health, and compiling, maintaining and analyzing health data. This position is also responsible for identifying disease agents and threats that may cause harm leading to adverse health conditions and environmental hazards. Additionally, this position will assist in disease outbreaks, surveillance and emergency preparedness activities, and serve as a subject matter expert on public and environmental health issues to advance prevention efforts, health equity and health promotion to ensure the health and well-being of the public. Performs other duties as assigned by the Division Director. This is a full-time Unaffiliated position, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, but may also include some weekend and night hours. The position is Grade 15, salary dependent upon experience.
SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS
- Must possess a Master's Degree in Public Health with specialization in epidemiology or a Master's Degree in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Biology or Nursing, and have a minimum of two years of professional experience with chronic disease, infectious disease, injury control, communicable disease investigation and control methods, environmental epidemiology, and risk assessment. A combination of education and experience will be considered.
- Must have knowledge of microbiology and pathophysiology disease causation and control measures as well as familiarity with the core functions of public health practice and the relevance of the essential services of public health to disease investigation, surveillance, and control, public health emergency response.
- Health policy analysis experience is a plus.
- Must be proficient with Microsoft Excel, Word, and Publisher, web based tools and social media and be able to use at least one statistical analysis tool (i.e. Epi-Info, SAS, StatsPlus, SPSS).
- Community engagement and effective communication skills necessary.
- Ability to navigate effectively through diverse cross-cultural interactions.
- Must have availability to work weekends and after hours for outbreaks and emergency preparedness events.
BENEFITS
Our comprehensive benefits package includes:
- Health/Dental/Vision Insurance
- Short Term & Long Term Disability
- Life Insurance
- Mandatory Participation in NH Retirement System (Pension)
- 457 Retirement
- Vacation/Sick/Personal Time
- Weekly Pay
- Tuition Reimbursement
HOW TO APPLY
If you are looking to start or further your career with the City of Nashua, submit a cover letter, application, resume, and three professional references at: http://applitrack.com/nashua/onlineapp/.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER - Recruiting practices shall be consistent with State and Federal Law (2/27/2026)
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as an Epidemiologist
Target public health agencies and government contractors
Federal agencies like the CDC, NIH, and state health departments regularly hire epidemiologists and have established OPT and H-1B visa sponsorship processes. Government contractors supporting these agencies are also strong targets with more flexible hiring timelines.
Emphasize your quantitative and data skills upfront
Epidemiologist roles increasingly require proficiency in R, SAS, Python, or Stata for surveillance data analysis. Listing these skills prominently signals to employers that you bring specialized technical value, which strengthens the case for sponsoring your work authorization.
Align your degree field to the job description explicitly
OPT authorization is tied to your field of study. Make sure your resume and cover letter connect your epidemiology or public health degree directly to the role's core duties, especially for STEM OPT extension eligibility through qualifying degree programs.
Apply early relative to your OPT end date
H-1B cap-subject petitions must be filed by April 1 for an October 1 start. If your OPT expires before October, you need a STEM extension or a cap-exempt employer. Start conversations with employers at least six months before your authorization ends.
Research whether your degree qualifies for STEM OPT extension
Epidemiology degrees are often listed under CIP code 26.1309, which qualifies for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Confirm your specific program's CIP code with your DSO before assuming eligibility, as program naming alone does not determine qualification.
Ask about H-1B sponsorship during the offer negotiation stage
Raise sponsorship directly when an employer extends an offer, not during early interviews. By that point, they've invested in you. Asking then is professional and practical, giving you the clearest signal of whether they'll support your long-term work authorization.
Epidemiologist OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as an epidemiologist on OPT without a STEM degree?
It depends on your specific degree program. Standard 12-month OPT is available to any F-1 student regardless of field, so a public health degree not classified under a STEM CIP code still authorizes you to work as an epidemiologist. However, only students with qualifying STEM-designated programs, often epidemiology or biostatistics degrees under CIP codes like 26.1309, are eligible for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Check your CIP code with your DSO.
Do epidemiologist roles at universities or hospitals qualify as cap-exempt for H-1B?
Yes, in many cases. Epidemiologists employed directly by nonprofit research institutions, universities, or nonprofit hospitals affiliated with higher education institutions may qualify for cap-exempt H-1B petitions. This means your employer can file an H-1B petition at any time of year, bypassing the April lottery entirely. Confirm the institution's cap-exempt status with an immigration attorney before relying on this pathway, as affiliation structures vary.
Where can I find epidemiologist jobs that sponsor OPT or H-1B?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters for employers open to sponsoring work authorization. Searching there gives you a focused list of epidemiologist roles without having to manually screen out employers who won't sponsor. Public health agencies, academic medical centers, and federal contractors tend to have the strongest sponsorship track records in this field.
What happens to my OPT if my epidemiologist job ends before I secure H-1B sponsorship?
If your employment ends while on post-completion OPT, you have a 60-day grace period to find new authorized employment, transfer to another visa status, or depart the United States. Your EAD card remains valid during the grace period, but you cannot work without a new qualifying employer. Act quickly: any days of unemployment also count against your total OPT period, which can affect STEM extension eligibility if you accumulate more than 90 days.
Is epidemiology considered a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Generally yes. Epidemiologist positions typically require at minimum a bachelor's degree in epidemiology, public health, or a closely related field, which meets the specialty occupation standard. Roles involving complex disease surveillance, clinical trial analysis, or population health modeling strengthen this classification further. If a position description allows any bachelor's degree regardless of field, that can complicate the specialty occupation argument, so job title alone does not guarantee approval.