Clinical Epidemiologist

Oregon Health & Science University•Portland, OR

About The Position

The Clinical Epidemiologist provides clinical and methodological leadership for evidence synthesis and health policy research products for public payers and health policy decision makers. The role interprets and communicates evidence, policy, and research findings to state policymakers and other decision makers through written products, presentations, webinars, meetings, conferences, and other forums. It researches client questions, develops answerable research questions, works with information specialists on search strategies, identifies and appraises relevant research and policy sources, assesses risk of bias and certainty of evidence, and conducts or collaborates on meta-analyses as needed. The position leads technical assistance, health technology assessment programs, and other Center projects; contributes to research methods, proposals, and deliverables; and provides clinical consultation, subject matter expertise, training, mentorship, and supervision to colleagues as needed. It manages project activities, timelines, stakeholder coordination, and deliverables, and builds effective relationships with clients, research partners, government agencies, healthcare organizations, and other stakeholders. The position reports to Valerie King, Clinical Research Director. Travel within or outside the state may be needed for meetings.

Requirements

MD, DO, PharmD, another clinical discipline with a relevant doctoral degree, another relevant PhD or equivalent terminal degree, or an equivalent combination of clinical expertise with additional health policy experience and education.
Extensive coursework in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, and research methodology.
At least 10 years of experience applying relevant skills to support health policy decision making.
Experience working with Medicaid or another government-administered health or human services program in a policy, research, analytic, clinical, or administrative capacity.
Ability to synthesize and interpret evidence and translate complex findings into clear, actionable written products and oral presentations for policymakers and decision makers.
Experience presenting research findings and policy-relevant evidence to diverse audiences, including public-sector leaders and decision makers.
Strong research skills, including study design, evidence synthesis, critical appraisal, epidemiology, biostatistics, quantitative and qualitative methods, and policy analysis.
Experience producing, evaluating, and adapting systematic reviews and meta-analyses to support policy and program decision making.
Experience critically appraising research studies, systematic reviews, clinical practice guidelines, and related evidence sources.
Experience assessing risk of bias and certainty of evidence, such as GRADE.
Ability to provide clinical expertise and consultation to interdisciplinary teams to support interpretation and application of evidence.
Experience with government-administered health or human services programs, including policy development, administration, research, or analysis, and demonstrated understanding of state health policy and Medicaid.
Experience applying evidence and policy research to support public decision-making processes.
Experience collaborating in interdisciplinary research environments to develop high-quality products that meet client needs and timelines.
Strong project management skills, including leading research activities, managing multiple priorities, and delivering high-quality work on time and within budget.
Ability to adapt work processes and products in response to client needs, policy changes, and stakeholder feedback.
Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills, including adherence to style guidelines and constructive response to reviewer and editor feedback.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook.
Experience using systematic review, citation management, and related research software applications, such as EndNote and DistillerSR.
Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities.
Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
Ability to develop productive relationships with clients, colleagues, policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders.
Ability to provide training, mentorship, and guidance to colleagues and project teams as needed.
Ability to interact productively with clients and engage them in projects.
Ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion, maintain confidentiality, and maintain a professional demeanor, including in sensitive or high-profile situations.
Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to team environments.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or PhD in epidemiology, biostatistics, or statistics.
Experience with systematic review software applications such as DistillerSR.
Experience conducting meta-analysis using common software applications such as RevMan or Stata.
Experience analyzing primary and secondary datasets, particularly state-level datasets from programs such as Medicaid.
Experience conducting cost-benefit analysis, program evaluation, or economic analyses.
Record of peer-reviewed publications.

Responsibilities

Develop, write, and present evidence synthesis products for public payers and health policy decision makers, following Center research methods and style guidelines.
Interpret and communicate evidence, policy, and research findings to state policymakers and other decision makers through webinars, meetings, conferences, and other forums.
Research client questions and convert them into structured, answerable research questions.
Work with an information specialist to develop and carry out search strategies.
Identify relevant research studies, grey literature, clinical practice guidelines, and policy documents, and assess their relevance.
Critically evaluate the risk of bias and applicability of research studies and clinical practice guidelines; assign certainty-of-evidence ratings for selected outcomes.
Conduct or collaborate on meta-analyses for evidence synthesis projects as needed.
Manage evidence synthesis workflows using systematic review software.
Develop interview protocols and conduct key-informant interviews as needed.
Identify and contextualize relevant policy documents and develop considerations that integrate evidence and policy context for policymakers.
Create and manage references using citation management software.
Collaborate with data analysts and other team members on quantitative analyses and interpretation of findings.
Provide clinical consultation and interpretation to interdisciplinary teams.
Lead technical assistance, health technology assessment programs, and other Center projects.
Review selected reports and research methods documents; contribute to research and report methodology and requests for proposal submissions.
Contribute to Center development and project deliverables through participation in project teams and staff meetings.
Provide training, mentorship, and supervision to Research Associates, Policy Analysts, and other colleagues as needed.
Provide clinical consultation and subject matter expertise on Medicaid and other payer policy development to Center staff.
Track project progress, anticipate next steps, coordinate stakeholders, and ensure timely delivery of high-quality research products.
Manage project activities, timelines, and deliverables, and proactively address barriers to completion.
Incorporate feedback and revise or adapt work products to meet project objectives, methodological standards, and client needs.
Develop and maintain relationships with clients, research partners, data and policy resources, government agencies, healthcare organizations, and stakeholders.
Represent the Center at national and state conferences, meetings, and professional forums; prepare materials and deliver presentations to diverse audiences.