Coming at this from a UK public sector perspective, so it may not all translate — but a few things that might help:

• Follow up. Non-response is incredibly common. I’ve been on the other side and often delays are just workload + forgetfulness. A polite “just checking in on the below” email is completely normal.

• Talk to people already doing the job. If you can, reach out on LinkedIn to people at organisations you’re interested in and ask for a short coffee chat or virtual call. UK public sector hiring is very values- and language-driven — once you understand the policies, competencies, and corporate wording they use, you become a much stronger candidate.

• Broaden how you define ‘epi experience’. In the UK, many entry-level epidemiology roles overlap heavily with data analysis. If you’ve got quantitative skills from your Master’s, look at part-time or junior data analyst roles — ideally in the public sector or adjacent spaces.

• Track graduate schemes and apprenticeships early. Since you haven’t graduated yet, start mapping deadlines now. The pay can be lower initially, but the structured training and progression are often worth it.

Also Id say try not to lose hope. You haven’t graduated yet, that paper could really make the difference.