Director, Research and Evaluation, Bureau of Queens Neighborhood Health

City of New York • Long Island City, NY

25d

About The Position

The Center for Health Equity & Community Wellness (CHECW) seeks to eliminate racial and other inequities that result in premature mortality. Grounded in history and structural analysis, CHECW works to increase visibility of harm caused by racist and socially unjust policies and advance redress for the most impacted New York City communities. It addresses inequity across community and health care systems in partnership with community, faith-based, and health care organizations, focusing on social, environmental, and commercial determinants of health and upstream and downstream factors affecting New Yorkers’ well-being.

The NYC Health Department seeks a Director of Research and Evaluation for its newly established Bureau of Queens Neighborhood Health. The Bureau contributes to the broader Neighborhood Health Strategy and complements the work of the neighborhood health bureaus in Brooklyn, Harlem, and the Bronx. Reporting to the Assistant Commissioner, the Director leads the Bureau’s research and evaluation strategy and portfolio. The role will primarily be based in Jamaica, Queens, but will initially be assigned to Long Island City, Queens at least one day per week while renovations are underway at the Jamaica location.

The Director oversees the Bureau’s research and evaluation agenda, leads its research activities, and serves as its data lead during emergency responses. The position develops neighborhood-level research and evaluation projects, uses findings to inform programs and policy, provides research and data support to community partners, and supervises at least one full-time research and evaluation staff member. The position is classified as City Research Scientist, Assignment Level II or above; the posting states that appointments are subject to a minimum one-year probationary period.

Requirements

• For Assignment Level II and above, one of the following: a doctorate in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental, or social science plus one year of full-time responsible supervisory, administrative, or research experience in the field; a master’s degree in an appropriate field plus three years of responsible full-time research experience in the field; or equivalent education and/or experience.
• All candidates must have at least a master’s degree in an appropriate field and at least two years of the specified research experience, subject to the stated substitutions for two years as a City Research Scientist Level I.
• Appointments are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.

Nice To Haves

• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Access, Tableau, Salesforce, SPSS or SAS, and NVivo.
• Experience researching and evaluating health inequities.
• Experience working in disinvested neighborhoods.
• Experience in community planning and community engagement.
• Ability to apply data and research to actionable responses, including policy and program efforts.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize, and handle multiple assignments.
• Interest or experience in using different data visualization techniques to communicate effectively with varied audiences.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the Bureau of Queens Neighborhood Health’s research and evaluation agenda and strategy.
• Contribute to the development of goals, strategic planning, and implementation of strategies aligned with Division and Agency priorities.
• Lead Bureau research and evaluation activities, including serving as the Bureau’s data lead in emergency responses.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual progress and outcomes reports as requested.
• Ensure research and evaluation projects and products incorporate a health equity focus.
• Design and implement neighborhood-level research projects, including preliminary needs assessments, evaluation planning for new and existing programs, and writing grant and other funding requests.
• Oversee and assist with the design and conduct of research and evaluation projects, including developing research instruments, materials, and protocols and conducting assessments and program evaluations.
• Use research and evaluation findings to inform program development and prepare policy and program recommendations.
• Produce analytic reports, including Neighborhood Health Reports and peer-reviewed manuscripts.
• Provide technical assistance to community partners on research, data, epidemiologic information, and program evaluation for initiatives in Queens.
• Provide epidemiologic situational guidance and understanding about the Queens catchment area to the Assistant Commissioner and Bureau staff.
• Represent the Bureau at internal and external data meetings, including data-focused workshops.
• Prepare IRB applications and other internal and external reports of findings.
• Serve as the Bureau’s designated confidentiality coordinator in collaboration with Agency colleagues.
• Collect, clean, store, and manage data to support its accessibility, reliability, and validity.
• Respond to internal and external data requests.
• Directly supervise at least one full-time research and evaluation staff member, identify staff needs, and provide professional development opportunities.

Benefits

• Potential eligibility for federal or state loan forgiveness and repayment assistance programs.
• Premium-free health insurance plan.
• Additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available depending on the position’s associated union or benefit fund.
• Public-sector defined-benefit pension plan.
• Tax-deferred savings program.
• Worksite Wellness Program.
• Depending on the position, the opportunity to work from home up to two days per week.
• Job security compared with private-sector employment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director