Causal Impact Scientist III

L.A. Care Health Plan•Los Angeles, CA

About The Position

The Causal Impact Scientist III is a senior, hands-on practitioner responsible for developing and implementing scalable approaches to measure program impact across the organization. This position not only evaluates the historical effectiveness of interventions but also informs future program design, equity strategies, sub-population targeting, and policy decisions. The Causal Impact Scientist III leads the creation of modular, reusable analytic pipelines and causal inference frameworks that can be applied across multiple programs and initiatives. This position sets methodological standards, ensures analytic reproducibility, and mentors staff in best practices for causal analysis, study design, and evidence communication. The Causal Impact Scientist III collaborates with cross-functional teams integrating predictive and causal insights to drive enterprise-wide decisions. Acts as a Subject Matter Expert (SME), serves as a resource and mentor for other staff.

Requirements

At least 6 years of professional experience conducting causal inference or program evaluation analyses in healthcare, public health, or a related field.
Proven experience applying advanced causal inference methods (e.g., difference-in-differences, matching, synthetic controls, RCTs) to observational and experimental healthcare data.
Hands-on experience developing and deploying scalable analytic pipelines in Python and/or R.
Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams, translating analytic findings into actionable recommendations.
Experience working with large-scale datasets in Spark or distributed computing environments.
Expertise in causal inference methods: difference-in-differences, propensity score matching, synthetic controls, interrupted time series, RCT design, and related techniques.
Advanced programming skills in Python (pandas, PySpark, statsmodels) and R (dplyr, ggplot2, MatchIt, did, or similar).
Ability to design reproducible, modular, and scalable analytic pipelines.
Proficiency with GitHub, Confluence, and Jira for code collaboration, documentation, and project management.
Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex analyses into actionable insights for stakeholders.
Strong collaboration skills and experience mentoring junior team members.
Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to apply critical thinking skills in causal reasoning to address complex healthcare data problems.
Demonstrated ability to mentor and guide staff on methodology, coding, and documentation.
Strong communication skills, including documenting methodology, assumptions, and results for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Extensive experience in Managed Care Plans (Medicaid, Medicare, ACA Exchange), including understanding claims, encounters, eligibility, provider networks, and quality metrics.
Experience designing and implementing (RCTs) or complex quasi-experimental studies in healthcare operational settings.
Experience applying causal inference methods to program targeting, equity assessment, and policy evaluation.
Experience building reusable analytic tools and frameworks that can be applied across multiple use cases.
Working knowledge of modern cloud-based analytic ecosystems (Snowflake, Azure).
Knowledge of visualization and reporting frameworks to communicate impact results to leadership.
Knowledge of Snowflake/Snowpark, cloud computing, and distributed data platforms.
Strong presentation skills, with experience briefing senior leadership on analytic findings and strategic implications.
Knowledge of health equity analytics and population segmentation for targeting interventions.
Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA)
Certified Analytics Professional (CAP)
Snowflake SnowPro Core Certification
SnowPro Specialty: Data Engineering or Snowpark
Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) Certification or Graduate Certificate
Causal Inference for Data Science (e.g., University of Pennsylvania or MITx MicroMasters)

Responsibilities

Lead the design, implementation, and interpretation of advanced causal inference studies across multiple health plan programs using techniques such as difference-in-differences, propensity score methods, inverse probability weighting, synthetic controls, interrupted time series, and Randomized Control Trials (RCTs).
Develop scalable, modular frameworks for impact evaluation that can be ported across programs and interventions, ensuring reproducibility, transparency, and efficient deployment.
Identify which interventions deliver the greatest value, equity, and member outcomes, guiding sub-population targeting, program improvement, and policy recommendations.
Mentor and provide technical guidance to staff on methodology, coding, documentation, and analytic rigor.
Build and maintain robust, reproducible analytical pipelines in Python (PySpark, pandas) and R; leverage Snowflake/Snowpark, Spark, and cloud-based computing resources to scale analyses.
Lead GitHub version control, peer review, and code standardization practices to ensure high-quality, reusable analytic assets.
Manage project deliverables and team workflows in Jira; document methods, assumptions, and results clearly in Confluence.
Translate complex analytic findings into actionable insights, guiding executive decision-making and influencing strategic initiatives.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate causal and predictive insights for comprehensive program evaluation.
Stay current on emerging methods in causal inference, impact evaluation, and population health analytics, incorporating new approaches into the team’s analytic toolkit.
Apply subject matter expertise in evaluating business operations and processes. Identify areas where technical solutions would improve business performance. Consult across business operations, provide mentorship, and contribute specialized knowledge. Ensure that the facts and details are correct so that the program's deliverable meets the needs of the department, organization and legislation's policies, standards, and best practices. Provide training and recommend process improvements as needed.
Perform other duties as assigned