Pathway Professionals

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The Workforce Pathways Program has funded pathway professional positions since 2022. Pathway professionals are:

  • Early or mid-career professionals hired by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) for 1 year.
  • Placed in areas of the agency with workforce shortages.
  • Contributing to an inclusive public health workforce that reflects the communities, languages, ethnicities, abilities, geography, and professions across Washington state.

The program will offer 6 additional positions in August 2026.

Who Can Apply?

Pathway professionals may be individuals:

  • With experience working in communities historically underrepresented in the public health workforce, such as immigrant and refugee communities.
  • With dual language proficiency in reading, writing, and/or speaking a second language.
  • With non-traditional careers. This includes experience in public service fields, community health workers, natural helpers, community representatives, and community navigators.
  • With non-traditional education paths, including:
    • Graduates from international schools, trade schools, health care, and public health programs.
    • Individuals who do not have a degree and have significant work experience.
  • With an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in health-related fields or areas outside of public health.

Do I Need Experience or Education in Public Health to Apply?

According to the 2024 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS), 69% of surveyed public health employees do not have a public health degree. They may have a background in:

  • Health and sciences such as nursing, health education, environmental sciences, biology, and laboratory sciences.
  • Administrative services such as communications, human resources, finance, data analysis, and policy.

Read profiles from staff to learn about their careers in public health.

We encourage all individuals interested in gaining public health or government experience to apply. No prior public health knowledge is needed. Work is matched to pathway professional experiences, education, interests, and skills.

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Key Details

  • Competitive wages.
  • Employment benefits: health insurance, retirement benefits, paid time off, and other benefits.
  • Flexible schedules.
  • Virtual/remote work available. You can live anywhere in the state.
  • Work equipment, software, and subscriptions provided.
  • Travel costs covered.
  • Personal training (training funds available).
  • Dedicated training time of 8-10 hours a week.
  • Shared learning environment with other pathway professionals (cohort). Opportunities to attend career panels and professional development activities to learn about public health and governmental public health systems.
  • Group training specific to cohort interests.

Benefits

  • Become familiar with public health and state government
  • Gain and apply skills, knowledge, and experience
  • Career connections and advice
  • Mentorship opportunities

Apply

Applications may open as early as May 2026. Watch careers.wa.gov for "Workforce Pathways Professional” positions.

To apply:

  1. Follow the directions in the posting.
  2. Complete the application form, including questions about work history and references.
  3. Attach a resume and cover letter.
  4. Apply before the deadline.

Please note: The timeline may change.

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Prior Pathway Professionals

Pathway professionals bring a wide range of experience and backgrounds in:

  • Art history
  • Housing and city planning
  • Anthropology
  • Biology
  • Public health
  • Social change non-profits
  • Clinical epidemiology
  • Indigenous methodology and research
  • International medicine
  • Sociology
  • Social work
  • Community-based research
  • Global health
  • Maternal health
  • Community health workers
  • Health education

Pathway professionals have also worked on projects for:

  • The State Board of Health and Health Disparities Council
  • The Environmental Justice Council
  • Research on long-term care
  • Weight-inclusive language guide
  • Community engagement strategies
  • Rulemaking workshops
  • Infectious disease dashboards
  • Rural healthcare career toolkit
  • Leadership development training
  • Environmental health and safety planning
  • Updates to SNAP-Ed materials
  • SharePoint website development and accessibility
  • Health promotion materials for agricultural workers

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions about the Pathway Professionals program, please contact us at workforcepathwaysprogram@doh.wa.gov.

Subscribe for pathway professional announcements, including job postings.

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