GENERAL SUMMARY OF POSITION

The Research and Evaluation Unit within the Public & Private Health Solutions (PPHS) at Commonwealth Medicine (CWM) of the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) is looking for a biostatistician to provide analytics and programming support to the project teams. CWM, the Medical School’s public consulting division, offers a unique blend of academic excellence and health services and policy expertise. This combination allows us to provide health care solutions for the public sector and not-for profit organizations. Our services help Massachusetts and many other states, local health care agencies, and community-based organizations increase the value and quality of the health and social services that they provide or fund and improve access and quality of care for at-risk populations.

The Biostatistician III is responsible for the planning, design, review, programming and implementation of special information systems activities. The position will report to PhD-level faculty.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Perform the statistical analysis of data, create project statements, and evaluate and implement research designs including but not limited to quantitative and qualitative (experimental and non-experimental) in standard APA format.
• Instruct and supervise other personnel (data entry clerks, research assistants) in data management including merging and updating existing databases.
• Collaborate with project staff on the design and analysis of biostatistics aspects of research protocols.
• Design, develop, and maintain statistical analysis programs for research data. Create SAS/SPSS applications in support of research projects.
• Participate in the design of questionnaires and interview forms.Analyze data in collaboration with senior statisticians beginning with univariate and multivariate analyses such as logistic regression and factor analysis for research studies.
• Provide tabular and written summaries of analyses in a form suitable for inclusion in project deliverables as well as media for presentation at project meetings.
• Coordinate and collaborate with other biostatistics, information technology professionals, and interdepartmental project teams.
• Interpret and present study results in collaboration with faculty members, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, and project team members.
• Collect background data for studies from various database sources: summarize findings for presentation at project-related meetings.
• Prepares non-standard correspondence and minutes that require public scrutiny.
• Responsible for content expertise and writing selected sections of project final reports; participates in the editing of reports; responsible for the execution and production of presentation-ready final project deliverables.
• Participates in the oral presentation of all project findings and abstracts including participation in periodic project status meetings and presentation of final project deliverables.
• Perform other duties as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in Biostatistics, Statistics, Epidemiology, or equivalent experience.
• 1-3 years health-related research experience (preferably in biostatistics or epidemiology) participating in project management and/or relevant experience in research and evaluation projects. Up to one year of this experience may be concurrent with satisfying degree requirements, but must include scientific research data analysis and database management.
• Working knowledge of SAS (in particular) and other statistical packages.
• Strong communication skills, both the oral and written necessary to interact with state and national counterparts, internal and external senior management, project team members and study participants.
• Ability to travel to off-site locations

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience with Medicare/Medicaid/commercial claims, encounter, and/or eligibly data
• Advanced SAS programming certification
• Experience with health cost, utilization, and outcome research