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EPIDEMIC INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (EIS) 
ABOUT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR 

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (NIOSH) 

NIOSH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is the sole federal research 

agency focused on the study of worker safety and health. There are more than 1,300 employees from a 

diverse set of felds including epidemiology, medicine, nursing, industrial hygiene, safety, psychology, 

chemistry, statistics, economics, and engineering. NIOSH has over 40 EIS-trained researchers, many of 

whom currently serve in supervisory and leadership positions throughout the Institute. 

NIOSH Mission NIOSH Vision 

To develop new knowledge in the feld Safer, Healthier Workers 

of occupational safety and health, and to 

transfer that knowledge into practice. 

NIOSH is a CDC Center with EIS placements in Cincinnati, OH, and Morgantown, WV. 

View of the downtown area of Morgantown and campus of West Virginia 

University. Photo by Getty Images/Plus 

“A unique mix of college-town and tourism, Morgantown is among the 

top-rated U.S. cities to live, work, and play.” 

www.tourmorgantown.com 

“With rich cultural oferings, award-winning family adventures, an 

ever-expanding art scene, a foodie’s paradise, and breweries galore, this 

is one picturesque river region with much to explore!” 

www.cincinnatiusa.com 

View of the Cincinnati skyline as seen from Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. 

Photo by Getty Images/Plus 

EIS Ofcers (EISOs) at NIOSH will not only be trained in applied epidemiology but will also gain unique 

expertise in the feld of occupational safety and health. NIOSH EISOs participate fully in all EIS activities 

including CDC-wide emergency investigations of non-occupational disease and injury outbreaks in the 

United States and throughout the world. 

An EIS assignment with NIOSH is a training opportunity unlike any other, which prepares 

ofcers for a range of rewarding and important post-EIS careers at NIOSH, CDC, and beyond. 
Photo by NIO

-~ World Health 

g Organization 

--

EIS AT NIOSH 

NIOSH EISOs work on emerging issues in disease 

and injury prevention and health promotion in 

workplaces. 

NIOSH CORE FUNCTIONS 

• Surveillance 

• Investigation and response 

• Long-term research studies 

• Support for the agency through 

CDC-wide responses 

WHY IS OCCUPATIONAL 

HEALTH IMPORTANT? 

• Work is an important determinant of health as 

people spend a large amount of time at work 

• Many work-related illnesses and 

injuries are preventable 

• What we learn about workplace exposures 

can be applied to protecting communities 

Photo by NIO

NIOSH EISO Laura Reynolds (EIS 2016) draws a blood sample as part of 

an Epi-Aid to investigate occupational exposure to canine leptospirosis at 

multiple veterinary clinics and boarding facilities. 

Photo by NIO

NIOSH EISO Kerton Victory (EIS 2014) prepares to leave WHO ofce in Conakry, 

Guinea to collect and analyze case investigation forms at the Ebola Treatment 

Center in Conakry during the 2014 Ebola outbreak. 

GAIN EXPERIENCE WITH 

• Designing and conducting epidemiologic, 

medical, and industrial hygiene evaluations 

at worksites throughout the country 

• Analyzing large, population-based surveillance 

data sets to identify industries and occupations 

with increased disease and injury risk 

• Applying principles of industrial 

hygiene and ergonomics 

• Conducting public health surveillance 

• Writing, publishing, and presenting 

scientifc information 

“My EIS assignment with NIOSH had a great balance of feld and surveillance work on a variety of occupational health 

topics, which is exactly what I wanted. I also really enjoyed learning in a supportive environment with dedicated 

mentors and scientists throughout NIOSH.” — Laura Reynolds (EIS 2016) 
DIVISION OF FIELD STUDIES AND ENGINEERING 

(DFSE) — CINCINNATI, OH 

FIELD RESEARCH BRANCH 

• Conduct large-scale, in-depth studies 

examining the health efects of workplace 

exposures 

• Major research projects include cancer, 

chronic disease, musculoskeletal disorders, 

reproductive health, and epidemiologic 

methods 

• Share fndings that are used to inform 

occupational health regulations and policies 

to protect workers and recommendations for 

controlling hazards 

Photo by NIO

NIOSH EISO Miriam Siegel (EIS 2017) greets a goat living at a racetrack 

facility where she was helping investigate an occupational outbreak of 

Legionnaires’ disease. 

Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention 

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health 

Photo by NIO

(From L to R) NIOSH EISOs from the Class of 2012, Anna-Binney McCague, 

Candice Johnson, and Kimberly Brinker pose at the entrance of the NIOSH 

Safety Research Coal Mine in Pittsburgh, during the NIOSH Orientation for EIS 

ofcers in 2014. 

SOME FIELD RESEARCH 

PROJECTS 

• Investigate efects of maternal occupational 

exposures on pregnancy and birth outcomes 

• Assess exposures and long-term 

health efects in frefghters 

• Use workers’ compensation claims to investigate 

and make recommendations to prevent 

injuries in specifc occupational groups 

• Explore how parents’ occupations are 

linked to childhood health outcomes 

• Develop projects to best suit your interests 

Learn more about EIS opportunities 

at NIOSH with DFSE in Cincinnati, OH 

Jess Rinsky, PhD, MPH (EIS 2015) 

YWC8@cdc.gov 

www.cdc.gov/niosh/eis.html 
 

 

DIVISION OF FIELD STUDIES AND ENGINEERING 

(DFSE) — CINCINNATI, OH 

HAZARD EVALUATION & 

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 

BRANCH (HETAB) 

HETAB administers the Health Hazard Evaluation 

(HHE) Program. Through this program, we help 

employees, unions, and employers evaluate 

health hazards in the workplace and make 

recommendations to prevent workplace illnesses 

and injuries. HETAB ofers EISOs opportunities to: 

• Investigate workplace safety and health 

in all 50 states and U.S. territories 

• Evaluate many types of hazards including: biological/ 

infectious, chemical, physical, and psychosocial hazards 

• Experience feld work and conduct epidemiologic 

investigations involving questionnaire design, 

biological monitoring, medical exams, industrial 

hygiene sampling, data analysis and interpretation, 

and formulation of recommendations 

• Provide recommendations to prevent and control 

workplace health hazards, illnesses, and exposures 

NIOSH EISO David Jackson (EIS 2017) leads an HHE at a bullet manufacturer to 

investigate worker exposures to lead. 

Photo by NIO

Photo by NIO

NIOSH EISO Sophia Chiu (EIS 2015) takes a wipe sample for metals and 

minerals on commonly touched surfaces at a vape shop as part of a HHE. 

SAMPLE INVESTIGATIONS 

• Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis cluster 

afecting two workplaces (Ohio) 

• Exposure to opioids in frst responders and 

laboratory workers (multiple states) 

• Exposures to metals and noise at an 

aircraft parts manufacturer (Oregon) 

• Lead exposures in a bullet 

manufacturing plant (Missouri) 

• Mass bat exposures at a national park (Wyoming) 

• Mercury exposures among workers 

processing gold (Guyana) 

• Brucella exposures at a feral hog 

slaughterhouse (Texas) 

Learn more about EIS opportunities 

Centers for Disease Control at NIOSH with DFSE in Cincinnati, OH and Prevention 

National Institute for Occupational Jess Rinsky, PhD, MPH (EIS 2015) 

Safety and Health YWC8@cdc.gov 

www.cdc.gov/niosh/eis.html 
DIVISION OF FIELD STUDIES AND ENGINEERING 

(DFSE) — CINCINNATI, OH 

HEALTH INFORMATICS BRANCH 

Using occupational health surveillance and 

informatics methods, the Health Informatics Branch 

(HIB) identifes and monitors trends in traditional 

and emerging worker exposures, illnesses, and 

injuries. Working with state and federal partners, 

we use surveillance data to research pesticide 

poisonings, lead exposures, and noise-induced 

hearing loss. We also examine associations 

between jobs and infectious and chronic 

diseases, health behaviors, and psychological 

stress. HIB ofers EIS ofcers opportunities to: 

• Study a variety of outcomes including 

traditional and emerging issues 

• Evaluate diverse surveillance systems 

• Analyze several types of data (e.g., 

case reports, national surveys) 

• Participate in feld work when opportunities arise 

Photo by NIO

(From L to R) ORISE Fellow Deirdre Green, CDC Principal Deputy Director Anne 

Schuchat (RADM, USPHS, RET, EIS 1988), and NIOSH EISO Laurel Harduar Morano 

(EIS 2017), pose for a photo op at the 2019 EIS Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. 

(From L to R) NIOSH EISOs Kerton Victory (EIS 2014), Chia-ping Su (EIS 2015

Photo by NIO

), 

and Rebecca Tsai (EIS 2011) attend an All Hands Meeting. 

SAMPLE PROJECTS 

• Described occupational groups with high 

proportions of drug and opioid-specifc 

overdose mortality 

• Developed methods to collect and analyze work 

information for notifable conditions, including 

infectious diseases 

• Provided surveillance data to drive revised 

federal standards to protect farmworkers from 

pesticide exposures 

• Worked with partners to develop a new blood 

lead reference level for adults (5 μg/dL) to 

protect workers from health efects that can 

occur at blood levels once considered safe 

• Raised public awareness of the problem of 

insufcient sleep among night shift workers 

with an MMWR report that inspired a story on 

NBC Nightly News 

Learn more about EIS opportunities 

Centers for Disease Control at NIOSH with DFSE in Cincinnati, OH and Prevention 

National Institute for Occupational Jess Rinsky, PhD, MPH (EIS 2015) 

Safety and Health YWC8@cdc.gov 

www.cdc.gov/niosh/eis.html 
RESPIRATORY HEALTH DIVISION 

(RHD) — MORGANTOWN, WV 

RESPIRATORY HEALTH 

The Respiratory Health Division houses the Field 

Studies Branch and the Surveillance Branch, 

whose mission is to advance protection against 

work-related hazards and exposures that cause or 

contribute to respiratory illness, injury, and death 

and to promote workplace-based interventions that 

improve respiratory health. 

WHAT WE DO 

• Study asthma, COPD, lung scarring, infections, and 

other unique respiratory illnesses 

• Discover new diseases and their causes 

• Learn from experience of our physicians, 

epidemiologists, veterinarians, industrial hygienists, 

and engineers 

• Conduct feld investigations, surveillance, and 

research — all in the same assignment 

• Help EISOs develop skills that are transferable to 

diverse felds in public health 

Photo by NIO

NIOSH EISO Megan Casey (EIS 2014) analyzes data in the feld while on 

deployment to Sierra Leone during the 2014 Ebola outbreak. 

Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention 

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health 

Photo by NIO

NIOSH EISO Cara Halldin (EIS 2011) reviews vaccination records with local 

health center staf at a clinic near Kisumu, Kenya, as part of an Emergency 

Operations Center Polio Response Deployment to evaluate vaccination 

coverage and acute faccid paralysis surveillance in Kenya, 2012. 

SAMPLE FIELD STUDIES 

BRANCH PROJECTS 

• Lung disease in cofee processing workers 

• Chronic beryllium disease 

• Flavoring-related lung disease 

• Lung disease in healthcare personnel 

SAMPLE SURVEILLANCE 

BRANCH PROJECTS 

• Black lung in Appalachian coal miners 

• Silicosis mortality 

• Health efects of oil and gas drilling 

• Pneumococcal vaccination and 

work-related asthma 

Learn more about EIS opportunities 

at NIOSH in Morgantown, WV 

Reid Harvey, DVM, MPH, DACVPM (EIS 2013) 

IEZ1@cdc.gov 

www.cdc.gov/niosh/eis.html 
DIVISION OF SAFETY RESEARCH (DSR) - MORGANTOWN, WV 

SAFETY RESEARCH 

The Division of Safety Research is the focal point for 

traumatic injury research at NIOSH, and through our 

research we seek to identify, reduce, and prevent 

work-related injuries and deaths across all industries. 

Our research programs are rooted in a public health 

approach, which includes: 

• Injury data collection and analysis 

• Analytic epidemiology 

• Field investigations 

• Field research 

• Protective technology 

• Safety engineering 

• Health communication 

RESEARCH TOPICS 

• Motor vehicle incidents and crashes 

• Falls 

• Workplace violence 

• Machinery and industrial vehicles 

• High-risk jobs and vulnerable workers 

Photo by NIO

NIOSH EISO Christina Socias-Morales (EIS 2013) gathers information from 

US Air Force colleagues in Ramstein, Germany to inform an epidemiologic 

evaluation of the Air Force’s fall injury prevention program. 

NIOSH EISO Cammie Chaumont Menendez (EIS 2007) collects data for her 

research on taxi driver safety. 

Photo by NIO

DSR CENTERS & PROGRAMS 

• Center for Motor Vehicle Safety 

• Center for Occupational Robotics Research 

• Fatality Assessment and Control 

Evaluation (FACE) Program 

• Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and 

Prevention Program (FFFIPP) 

• Human Factors and Safety 

Engineering Research Program 

TECHNOLOGY & PRODUCTS 

• Ladder Safety App 

• Workplace Violence Prevention Training for Nurses 

• Improved EMS Worker Safety Through 

Ambulance Design and Testing Video Series 

• Behind the Wheel at Work newsletter 

Learn more about EIS opportunities 

Centers for Disease Control at DSR in Morgantown, WV and Prevention 

National Institute for Occupational James W. Collins, PhD, MSME 

Safety and Health jcollins1@cdc.gov 

www.cdc.gov/niosh/eis.html 
EPIDEMIC INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (EIS) 

Learn more about EISO opportunities at NIOSH 

Division of Field Studies and Engineering 

Cincinnati, OH 

Jess Rinsky, PhD, MPH (EIS 2015) 

YWC8@cdc.gov 

Division of Safety Research 

Morgantown, WV 

James W. Collins, PhD, MSME 

jcollins1@cdc.gov 

Respiratory Health Division 

Morgantown, WV 

Reid Harvey, DVM, MPH, DACVPM (EIS 2013) 

IEZ1@cdc.gov 

www.cdc.gov/niosh/eis.html 

This document is in the public domain and may be freely copied or reprinted 

Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention 

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health 

Get More Information 

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and health questions: 

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Promoting productive workplaces through safety and health research