Principal Research Data Scientist - Remote

UnitedHealth Group•Eden Prairie, MN

14h•$112,700 - $193,200•Remote

About The Position

UnitedHealth Group is a health care and well-being company dedicated to improving health outcomes globally. It comprises UnitedHealthcare and Optum, working together to enhance the health system. The Health Outcomes Research and Analytics (HORA) team is seeking a Principal Research Data Scientist to be a primary resource for designing, collecting, analyzing, presenting, and publishing research projects. This role will report to the Chief of Staff for Value-Based Care and Innovation. The Principal Research Data Scientist will have both an individual contributor role and serve as an infrastructure-specific lead to develop and evaluate clinical programs, increase efficiency, and ensure quality. Ideal candidates will have expertise in SAS or SQL for building analytic datasets from healthcare databases and experience in health services research/health economic and outcomes methodologies using real-world data. The position offers the flexibility to work remotely from anywhere within the U.S.

Requirements

6+ years of study design, research methodology, and statistical analysis
6+ years of experience supporting health services, health economics, and outcomes research
6+ years of experience with administrative claims data, EHR/EMR data, or complex relational health care databases required. Preference will be given to candidates with experience using large administrative claims assets from health plan/payers
6+ years of experience programming in SAS or SQL
6+ years of experience with a statistical programming language (SAS, R, Python or equivalent)
Experience authoring research protocols or analysis plans and working with a technical team to operationalize
Experience establishing and developing standard process and programs to improve quality and increase efficiency of research using real-world data
Experience working with Medicare data
Proficiency in executing multi-step data management and analysis tasks including creating data dictionaries and specification documents from research protocols
Proven track record of supporting publication of peer-reviewed literature and/or clinical conference abstracts
Proven ability to recognize and solve technical problems
Proven solid organizational skills and attention to detail
Proven ability to work in a fast-paced team-oriented environment
Proven ability to manage competing priorities
Proven to be highly motivated and able to work independently
Proven desire and aptitude to learn quickly and employ critical thinking

Nice To Haves

Experience in development of analytic plans and protocols
Experience with CMS’s Virtual Research Data Center (VRDC)
Proven ability to communicate research designs and results to non-technical audience
Proven ability to participate in project design and interpretation

Responsibilities

Develop and determine appropriate methods, perform statistical analyses, and generate peer-reviewed manuscripts to address research questions
Actively participate with project teams to develop and draft study protocols and analytical plans
Demonstrate the ability to manage all analytic and programming aspects of a research study from design through completion
Support the research team as a subject-matter expert in statistical analysis, interpretation, and programming
Actively participate in and/or coauthor peer-reviewed manuscripts and other documents of similar standards
Perform data quality-control checks on code and deliverables
Co-lead and oversee the development of analytic datasets and execution of statistical analyses with external partners to advance healthcare-focused research projects
Communicate data requests clearly across multiple teams