Principal Research Associate - Hybrid - Behavioral Health Research

Westat•Bethesda, MD

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Westat is seeking a Principal Research Associate to provide strategic leadership and subject matter expertise on behavioral health research, evaluations, policy, and technical assistance. The work focuses on strengthening behavioral health and public health policies and supporting people affected by mental health conditions and substance use disorders. The role translates research into practical resources and technical assistance for policymakers, clinical providers, and affected communities, with topics including prevention, treatment, recovery, health system transformation, service delivery, resilience, substance misuse and overdose prevention, opioid and stimulant use disorders, and access to effective care. The position leads high-visibility projects and deliverables, including federal reports, implementation guides, policy analyses, and peer-reviewed articles, ensuring their quality, timeliness, and strategic value. It involves oversight of project implementation, budgets, timelines, staffing, and multidisciplinary teams; federal client and stakeholder engagement; and business development and proposal leadership. This is a hybrid role based in Westat’s Bethesda, Maryland office, with work there 2–3 days per week.

Requirements

Master’s degree in public policy, economics, public health, a social science discipline such as psychology or sociology, or an analytical methods discipline such as applied statistics, with 8 or more years of relevant experience; or a PhD in one of these fields with 5 or more years of relevant postdoctoral experience.
Experience working with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Experience leading large-scale evaluations and applied research in mental health, substance use, behavioral health, or related areas.
Experience independently managing federal SAMHSA contracts and SAMHSA client relationships.
Experience as lead author or senior reviewer of technical reports, policy analyses, evaluations, and peer-reviewed articles.
Experience leading qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods evaluations using advanced analytics to address policy and program questions.
Experience managing multidisciplinary teams and supervising, mentoring, and developing professional staff.
Experience identifying and advancing business opportunities and providing technical leadership on successful proposals.
Experience using Microsoft Office software, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, to prepare reports, data visualizations, and presentations.
U.S. citizenship is required by contract.
Must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis; employment-based visa sponsorship is not offered.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with Medicaid and Medicare claims and other administrative datasets.
Demonstrated expertise translating complex technical information into clear, actionable products for policymakers, practitioners, and the public.
Experience overseeing quality assurance and quality control processes.
Experience developing and delivering executive-level presentations and client briefings.
Experience leading training and technical assistance initiatives.
Strong organizational, leadership, and project management skills, including managing multiple priorities.
Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and professional judgment.

Responsibilities

Independently lead multiple large-scale behavioral health research, evaluation, technical assistance, and training projects, overseeing scope, deliverables, budgets, timelines, staffing, and project teams.
Direct all phases of project implementation and deliverables, including study design, data collection and management, analysis, report writing, manuscript preparation, dissemination, and client engagement.
Serve as a senior advisor and subject matter expert on behavioral health research, evaluation, and policy issues.
Ensure quality control of project products and deliverables before submission to clients.
Lead and mentor staff, providing guidance, professional development, performance feedback, and supervision.
Supervise and coordinate subcontractors, consultants, and external partners.
Manage federal client and stakeholder relationships and lead client meetings, presentations, and strategic discussions.
Lead and support qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods evaluations and interpret findings strategically for diverse audiences.
Lead and support business development and proposal activities, including opportunity identification, client and partner relationship development, bid/no-bid input, technical approaches, staffing plans, budgets, partner selection, technical writing, and proposal quality review.